Question

Josefina hears the lunch bell and immediately starts running towards the cafeteria. She knows that if she is not in the first line, there won't be any of her favorite chocolate milk left. According to the "Conditioning and Learning" reading, this is an example of:

a) Operant Conditioning
b) Classical Conditioning
c) Observational Learning
d) Habituation

Answer 1

Josefina's immediate action of running towards the cafeteria at the sound of the lunch bell represents classical conditioning, where she has learned to associate the bell (conditioned stimulus) with the availability of chocolate milk (unconditioned stimulus), leading to her running (conditioned response).

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario you described with Josefina running to the cafeteria after hearing the lunch bell is an example of classical conditioning. In this type of learning, Josefina has associated the sound of the bell (conditioned stimulus) with the availability of her favorite chocolate milk (unconditioned stimulus). She has learned that if she does not act quickly, the reward (the chocolate milk) will not be available, so her running (conditioned response) is a learned behavior due to the repeated pairing of the bell and the availability of chocolate milk.

In terms of classical conditioning terminology:

• The Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) would be the presence of the chocolate milk.
• The Conditioned Stimulus (CS) is the bell ringing.
• The Unconditioned Response (UCR) would be Josefina's desire or craving for the chocolate milk.
• The Conditioned Response (CR) is Josefina running to the cafeteria.

Operant conditioning, on the other hand, involves learning through the consequences of behavior, which is not exemplified in Josefina's case. Thus, classical conditioning is the correct answer. Observational Learning and Habituation are not pertinent to Josefina's scenario based on the information given.