Whenever you take a shower in your bathroom at home, the water in the shower turns icy cold just as the toilet in another bathroom is flushed, causing you to cringe. After several such experiences, you find that you tend to cringe whenever you hear a toilet flush, even when you are not in the shower. In this example of classical conditioning, what is the unconditioned stimulus?

• A. The sound of the flushing toilet
• B. The sight of your bathroom shower
• C. The cold water
• D. The cringing

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the components of classical conditioning: unconditioned stimulus (US), unconditioned response (UR), conditioned stimulus (CS), and conditioned response (CR).
2. Understand that the unconditioned stimulus (US) is something that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning.
3. In this scenario, determine what naturally causes the cringing response without any prior conditioning.
4. Recognize that the cold water is the stimulus that naturally causes you to cringe, making it the unconditioned stimulus (US).
5. Conclude that the cold water is the unconditioned stimulus because it automatically triggers the cringing response without any prior learning or conditioning.