Question

The concept of contingency in classical conditioning refers to:

A) The degree of association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus.

B) The predictability and reliability of the relationship between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus.

C) The timing and sequence of presenting the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus.

D) The strength of the conditioned response in relation to the unconditioned response.

E) None of the above.

Answer 1

The concept of contingency in classical conditioning is about the predictability and reliability of the relationship between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus, which is critical in forming a strong association for the conditioned response to occur.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of contingency in classical conditioning refers to the predictability and reliability of the relationship between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus. Specifically, this concept is about how the conditioned stimulus (like the ringing of a bell in Pavlov's experiments with dogs) is associated with the unconditioned stimulus (such as the food that causes salivation). Contingency emphasizes that a strong and consistent link between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) needs to be established for conditioning to take place effectively. If the bell rings and food is presented reliably after the ringing, the strength of the conditioned response (salivation at the sound of the bell alone) increases. Therefore, B) The predictability and reliability of the relationship between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus is the correct answer.