OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

What is indicated by the dog's response to the bell after conditioning?

1. The dog is hungry

2. The bell is an unconditional stimulus

3. The bell is now a conditioned stimulus

4. The dog is confused

The correct answer is: The bell is now a conditioned stimulus

The dog's response to the bell after conditioning illustrates the concept of classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (in this case, the bell) becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus that elicits a reflexive response (like food causing salivation). Once the dog has learned to associate the bell with food, the bell transforms into a conditioned stimulus. This means that the dog will respond to the bell alone, showing it has learned to expect food when hearing the sound. In this scenario, the bell was initially neutral and did not provoke any response. However, through repeated pairings with the unconditioned stimulus (food), the bell gains the ability to elicit a conditioned response (salivation or excitement about food). This showcases the principles of learning and behavior modification through classical conditioning. The other choices do not accurately describe the scenario considering the definitions involved in conditioning. For instance, stating that the dog is hungry does not capture the learned association with the bell itself, while referring to the bell as an unconditional stimulus misunderstands the transformation that occurs in its role after conditioning.