Which of the following is a response acquired through classical conditioning?

• A. A student studies harder after receiving praise for good grades.
• B. A child learns to tie their shoes by watching their parent.
• C. A rat presses a lever to receive food.
• D. A dog salivates when it hears a bell that has been repeatedly paired with food.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of classical conditioning: it is a learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.
2. Identify the key elements in classical conditioning: the unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food), the neutral stimulus that becomes conditioned (e.g., bell), and the conditioned response (e.g., salivation).
3. Analyze each option to see if it involves an automatic or reflexive response triggered by a previously neutral stimulus after pairing with an unconditioned stimulus.
4. Recognize that the example of a dog salivating to a bell fits classical conditioning because the bell (neutral stimulus) was paired with food (unconditioned stimulus) to produce salivation (conditioned response).
5. Contrast this with other options that involve operant conditioning (learning through consequences) or observational learning, which are different types of learning processes.