Five-year-old Ellis develops a fear of sand because he was once stung by a wasp while playing in the sandbox. This demonstrates the principle of:
A) operant conditioning.
B) modeling.
C) classical conditioning.
D) transference learning.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ellis's fear of sand is an example of classical conditioning, where he associates the neutral stimulus (sand) with an unconditioned stimulus (wasp sting) that naturally produces an unconditioned response (pain/fear). Over time, the sand alone becomes a conditioned stimulus, eliciting a conditioned response (fear) without the presence of the wasp.

Five-Year-Old Ellis Develops a Fear of Sand Because He Was