Chapter 6 Assignment
For this assignment you will have 10 questions. Each question has several parts. Be
careful with your answers. If you get one part incorrect, the answer is wrong.
For the following 5 questions regarding classical conditioning, you will need to
identify the unconditioned stimulus, the unconditioned response, the neutral
stimulus, the conditioned stimulus and conditioned response.
1. Jamie always opens the cat’s food with an electric can opener. The cat salivates when she eats her
food. Eventually, the cat begins to salivate when she hears the can opener.
Unconditioned stimulus: the cat food
Unconditioned response: the cat salivating
Neutral: the sound of a can opener
Conditioned stimulus: sound of can opener with the food
Conditioned response: the cat running to the food
2. Kevin is playing outside and the neighbor’s dog bites him on the leg. Kevin cries from the pain and
runs to his mother. Now, whenever Kevin sees a dog, he runs to his mother.
Unconditioned stimulus: the dog bite
Unconditioned response: Kevin is in pain and scared
Neutral: the dog
Conditioned stimulus: sees a dog
Conditioned response: runs to his mother
3. Chris was robbed at gunpoint at the corner of Memorial Boulevard and Broad Street. During the
incident Chris was scared with heart racing and broke out in a sweat. Whenever approaching the
intersection now, the feeling of anxiousness, a racing heart and sweaty palms occurs.
Unconditioned stimulus: robbed at gunpoint
Unconditioned response: heart racing and sweaty
Neutral: memorial boulevard and broad street
Conditioned stimulus: nearing the intersection
Conditioned response: anxiousness
4. Molly was ecstatic when she learned her family was going to the state fair next weekend. When
her family arrived at the state fair the temperature was in excess of 100 degrees F, but Molly didn’t
care because she was finally there. Molly stopped and watched some clowns performing next to
the carousel. As she watched the silly antics of the clowns with the carousel music playing in the
background, Molly got more and more sweaty and uncomfortable. Eventually, she became dizzy
and fainted from the heat. After that trip to the state fair, every time Molly hears carousel music,
she feels a little dizzy.
Unconditioned stimulus: hot weather
Unconditioned response: fainting
Neutral: carousel music
Conditioned stimulus: carousel music
Conditioned response: nauseous
5. Ryan was really looking forward to lunch because his mother had prepared a tuna salad sandwich,
which he loves. Unfortunately, the mayonnaise she used had been left out too long and was
spoiled. Not long after eating the sandwich, Ryan felt sick and had to rush to the bathroom.
Thereafter, the mere mention of a tuna sandwich would make Ryan nauseous.
Unconditioned stimulus: old mayo
Unconditioned response: Ryan getting sick
Neutral: tuna
Conditioned stimulus: hearing the word tuna
Conditioned response: nauseous
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The following questions are about operant conditioning. For each scenario,
identify the behavior, then is the behavior likely to increase or decrease and
then the operant principle of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement,
positive punishment or negative punishment.
1. After Gabe spent 4 hours of his shift being extremely pleasant and patient with a large number
of difficult customers, his manager told him he did not have to help close the store and that he
could go home early. Gabe continues to put effort into practicing his top-notch customer
service skills.
a. behavior: customer service skills
b. increase or decrease: increase
c. operant principle: negative reinforcement
2. Suzie, age 10, lost her glasses while playing at the park. Her parents require her to use her
birthday money to buy replacement glasses. Suzie is upset. She had planned to use her
birthday money to buy an iPod. Suzie is 14 now and has not lost her glasses again.
a. behavior: losing glasses
b. increase or decrease: decrease
c. operant principle: negative punishment
3. Latoya, knowing her husband’s love for chocolate and hatred for taking out the trash, always
leaves chocolate in the kitchen when he takes out the trash. He does it now on a regular basis.
a. behavior: took out the trash
b. increase or decrease: increase
c. operant principle: positive reinforcement
4. Whenever Juan hits his little brother, his mom give him an extra chore to do. Juan is now
hitting his little brother less often.
a. behavior: hitting brother
b. increase or decrease: decrease
c. operant principle: positive punishment
5. Your friend stops by your house and drags you out the door to go running. OK, honestly, first it
is dragged out of bed, next dragged through the house and then dragged out the door. You
don’t like running and you don’t like exercise, but you like your friend. After a couple weeks,
you notice you lost a couple pounds. Now you are waiting at the door and running regularly.
a. behavior: running with your friend
b. increase or decrease: increase
d. c. operant principle: positive reinforcement
