Question

Ms. Jones's six-month-old niece Mischa is hungry and beginning to get cranky. When Mischa's mother walks through the door, Ms. Jones notices that the baby begins to drool just at the sight of her mother. According to the principles of classical conditioning, Mischa beginning to drool at the sight of her mother is a(n)

Answer 1

Answer: a Conditioned Response

Explanation: Conditioning is a process whereby a behavior is modified or learnt due to a stimulus in our environment. Mischa is aware that her mother is her source of food, and has learnt to associate her mother with food. So when she sees her mother, she salivates in anticipation of food. This is a conditioned response.

Conditioning is used to teach new behaviors and can be paired with rewards such as food, praise, and other forms of positive feedback that the subject finds valuable.