Whenever five-year-old Claire goes to the dentist, she becomes anxious and cries. Since she was not afraid of the dentist on her first visit, her fear is a learned behavior. The US in this case was probably _________________.
A) the dentist's beard
B) sweet toothpaste
C) painful teeth cleaning
D) small prizes given after the exam

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The US (unconditioned stimulus) that likely led to Claire's learned fear of the dentist is "painful teeth cleaning," as it is an event that naturally would cause distress or discomfort, leading to the development of anxiety associated with the dentist visits.

Whenever Five-Year-Old Claire Goes to the Dentist, She Becomes Anxious