When you cut an onion, the onion releases airborne irritants that cause your eyes to automatically water or produce tears. Using Pavlov's terminology, the tears would be termed a(n):
A) unconditioned stimulus (UCS).
B) unconditioned response (UCR).
C) conditioned stimulus (CS).
D) conditioned response (CR).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tears produced when cutting an onion are an unconditioned response (UCR) because they are an automatic and involuntary reaction to the airborne irritants released by the onion. They are not learned or conditioned in any way.

When You Cut an Onion, the Onion Releases Airborne Irritants