Final answer:
Lynn has learned to associate her stuffed monkey with the act of being tickled, which is an example of classical conditioning. The neutral stimulus (stuffed monkey) becomes a conditioned stimulus that brings about a conditioned response (laughing and kicking) through association with an unconditioned stimulus (tickling).
Step-by-step explanation:
Lynn's situation is an example of classical conditioning, a learning process identified by Ivan Pavlov. In classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response.
Neutral Stimulus: The stuffed monkey by itself which initially does not cause Lynn to laugh and kick.
Unconditioned Stimulus: The act of tickling Lynn's feet, which naturally makes her laugh and kick reflexively.
Unconditioned Response: The laughing and kicking reflex that occurs when Lynn is being tickled.
Conditioned Stimulus: The stuffed monkey, once it is associated with the tickling, causing Lynn to anticipate being tickled.
Conditioned Response: Lynn laughing and kicking her legs upon seeing her mom grab the stuffed monkey, expecting to be tickled.
Through repeated association of the neutral stimulus (the stuffed monkey) with the unconditioned stimulus (the act of tickling), the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, eliciting the conditioned response (laughing and kicking) without any actual tickling.