Question

A child's uncontrollable and irrational fear of seeing a cat can be explained by:

1. Social Learning
2. Operant Conditioning
3. Classical Conditioning
4. none of the above

• A. ii only
• B. iii only
• C. All
• D. i, iii

Answer 1

Answer:

B. iii only

• A child's uncontrollable and irrational fear of seeing a cat can be explained by classical conditioning: 

  • Classical conditioning is a learning process that involves associating two or more stimuli to produce a new response. In the case of a child developing a fear of cats, the cat becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus (US) that automatically elicits a response. For example, if a child is scratched by a cat, the cat becomes associated with the unconditioned response (UR) of pain or fear. 

  • Example

    A child who is scratched by a cat as a child may develop a fear response to cats.