Which of the following is NOT an example of an unconditioned response in classical conditioning?

• A. A child crying after hearing a loud, unexpected noise
• B. A person blinking when air is puffed into their eye
• C. A dog salivating when food is placed in its mouth
• D. A dog sitting when it hears the command 'sit'

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of an unconditioned response (UR) in classical conditioning: it is an automatic, natural reaction to an unconditioned stimulus (US) without prior learning.
2. Identify the unconditioned stimuli and their corresponding unconditioned responses in the given examples: for instance, a loud noise (US) naturally causes a child to cry (UR), air puff (US) causes blinking (UR), and food in the mouth (US) causes salivation (UR).
3. Recognize that a dog sitting when it hears the command 'sit' is a learned behavior, not an automatic response; the command is a conditioned stimulus (CS), and sitting is a conditioned response (CR), acquired through training.
4. Compare each option to determine which one does not fit the definition of an unconditioned response, focusing on whether the response is innate or learned.
5. Conclude that the dog sitting on command is NOT an unconditioned response because it requires prior learning, unlike the other examples which are natural, automatic reactions.