In the context of classical conditioning, which of the following is an example of an unconditioned response?

• A. Salivating at the sound of a bell after conditioning
• B. Ignoring a neutral stimulus
• C. Salivating when food is placed in the mouth
• D. Learning to press a lever for food

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key terms in classical conditioning: an unconditioned response (UR) is an automatic, natural reaction to an unconditioned stimulus (US) without prior learning.
2. Identify the unconditioned stimulus (US) in the examples given. For instance, food placed in the mouth naturally triggers salivation without any prior conditioning.
3. Recognize that 'salivating when food is placed in the mouth' is an unconditioned response because it is an innate reaction to the unconditioned stimulus (food).
4. Contrast this with 'salivating at the sound of a bell after conditioning,' which is a conditioned response (CR) because it occurs after learning the association between the bell (neutral stimulus) and food.
5. Note that 'ignoring a neutral stimulus' and 'learning to press a lever for food' are not examples of unconditioned responses; the former is a lack of response, and the latter involves operant conditioning, not classical conditioning.