Which of the following is an example of a response learned through classical conditioning?

• A. A child learns to tie their shoes by watching their parent.
• B. A student studies harder after receiving praise for good grades.
• C. A rat presses a lever to receive food after being rewarded for the behavior.
• 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 unconditioned response (e.g., salivation), the conditioned stimulus (e.g., bell), and the conditioned response (e.g., salivation to the bell).
3. Analyze each option to see if it involves a learned response through association between two stimuli, rather than through rewards or observation.
4. Recognize that the example where a dog salivates to a bell after the bell has been paired repeatedly with food fits the classical conditioning model perfectly.
5. Conclude that the other options describe different types of learning: observational learning, operant conditioning with positive reinforcement, and instrumental learning, which are not classical conditioning.