The response of an organism to a stimulus that occurs without training is known as a(n):
a. conditioned response.
b. neutral response.
c. unexpected response.
d. unconditioned response.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is d. unconditioned response.
An unconditioned response (UR) is an automatic and natural reaction that occurs when an organism is exposed to a stimulus, without any prior training or learning. This response is innate and does not require previous experience to occur. For example, when a person touches something hot, their immediate reaction is to pull their hand away. This response is not learned but is a reflex that occurs naturally.
The concept of an unconditioned response is central to classical conditioning, which was first described by Ivan Pavlov in his experiments with dogs. In Pavlov’s study, the unconditioned stimulus (US) was food, and the unconditioned response was salivation, which occurred naturally when the dog was presented with food. Over time, Pavlov conditioned the dog to salivate in response to a neutral stimulus, such as a bell, by repeatedly pairing the bell with the food. Once the dog salivated to the bell alone, the salivation became a conditioned response (CR).
In contrast, a conditioned response (CR) is a learned reaction that develops when a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus. The neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS), and the response to it is conditioned, as it is learned through experience.
A neutral response is not a recognized term in classical conditioning or behavioral psychology. It is typically used to describe a stimulus that does not initially elicit any response.
Thus, the unconditioned response is a natural and automatic reaction to a stimulus that occurs without prior conditioning or learning.