Researchers found that people easily acquire a conditioned fear response to pictures of snakes and spiders when the slides were paired with a mild electric shock. However, people did NOT easily acquire a conditioned fear response to pictures of flowers and mushrooms when these images were paired with a mild electric shock. Which perspective provides the best explanation of this finding?
A)the cognitive perspective
B)the behaviorist perspective
C)the Pavlovian perspective
D)the evolutionary perspective

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The evolutionary perspective provides the best explanation of this finding. Snakes and spiders are considered to be evolutionary threats, as they have posed a danger to humans throughout our evolutionary history. Therefore, humans may have an innate predisposition to acquire a fear response to images of these creatures. Flowers and mushrooms, on the other hand, do not present the same evolutionary threat and therefore do not elicit a fear response as readily.

Researchers Found That People Easily Acquire a Conditioned Fear Response