Researchers found that people easily acquire a conditioned fear response to pictures of snakes and spiders when the images 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. According to the text discussion, this is an example of:
A) biological preparedness.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) higher order conditioning.
D) learned helplessness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of biological preparedness, which suggests that humans (and other animals) are more predisposed to learn certain types of fears over others, such as fears of snakes and spiders. This is likely due to evolutionary factors that have led these types of fears to be more adaptive and beneficial for survival.

Researchers Found That People Easily Acquire a Conditioned Fear Response