Which of the following is true of acquisition in classical conditioning?

• A. Acquisition involves presenting the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus separately, without pairing.
• B. Acquisition is the process by which a conditioned response is permanently eliminated.
• C. Acquisition refers to the initial stage when a neutral stimulus begins to elicit a conditioned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
• D. Acquisition occurs only after extinction has taken place.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of acquisition in classical conditioning. Acquisition is the initial phase where a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus, leading the neutral stimulus to become a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditioned response.
2. Step 2: Recognize that during acquisition, the conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US) must be presented together or closely in time to form an association. Presenting them separately without pairing does not lead to acquisition.
3. Step 3: Note that acquisition is not about eliminating a conditioned response; rather, it is about learning or forming the conditioned response for the first time.
4. Step 4: Understand that acquisition happens before extinction, not after. Extinction is the process where the conditioned response decreases when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus.
5. Step 5: Summarize that acquisition is the process by which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through pairing with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to the conditioned response.