Using the situation described in 3.32, the procedure that would best establish an adaptive response would involve:
A) presenting the shock first, followed by the light
B) presenting the light first, followed by the shock
C) having the light and shock occur in no specific temporal relationship to one another
D) presenting the light and shock at the same time

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (the light) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (the shock) to elicit a response (the fear response). In order for an adaptive response to occur, the animal should be able to predict when the aversive stimulus (shock) is coming, and the neutral stimulus (light) should reliably signal that. Therefore, presenting the light first (before the shock) would best establish the adaptive response.

Using the Situation Described in 3