QAT Practice Exam, 2005 (Problematic Questions)

[meadr05]

I've posted the exam for anyone who wants it

Questions 27, 28 and 29 in the multiple choice.

Questions 27–30 refer to the following information
Rachel has noticed some very interesting behaviours being displayed in her pet
dog Bob. Bob previously got very excited whenever Rachel went out to the
backyard with the dog leash in her hand as Bob knew he was going for a walk.
Lately Rachel has noticed that Bob has started to get excited whenever she walks
towards the cupboard where she keeps Bob’s leash.

27. In the first instance of conditioning, the neutral stimulus is
A. Cupboard
B. Dog leash
C. Excitement to the walk
D. Excitement to the lead

28. In the first instance of conditioning, the conditioned stimulus is the
A. Cupboard
B. Dog leash
C. Excitement to the walk
D. Excitement to the lead

29. In the first instance of conditioning, the conditioned response is
A. Cupboard
B. Dog leash
C. Excitement at the leash
D. Excitement to the cupboard

It says the answers are B, B, and C, respectively. But while I see where they're coming from with the leash, wouldn't the cupboard be what's eliciting the newly acquired behaviour? I said A, A, and D.

Let me know what you reckon, I'm happy to be corrected

[Slumdawg]

Yep this is tricky question! I'll try my best to explain it

Okay so:
FIRST INSTANCE

NS: Leash
UCS: Walk
UCR: Excitement from walking
CS:Leash
CR:Excitement from Leash.

 SECOND INSTANCE
NS: Cupboard
UCS: Leash
UCR: Excitement to the leash
CS: Cupboard
CR: Excitement to the Cupboard.

So there's been two "instances" or occurrences of conditioning with this case study. And although they give you more details for the second occurrence they kinda trick you by asking for the first one instead and naturally you'd answer in terms of the second example because usually the first little bit is an introduction while the second part of the case study is used to answer the questions.

The first instance is less obvious than the second. So most people automatically go for the obvious one, but in the question it asks for the "first instance of conditioning", this is a command term and if something like this came up in the exam you'd need to highlight it as you've seen missing that little detail caused you to get all the other parts wrong even though you do know your stuff. Because A, A and D would have been right if it asked for the second instance of conditioning.

Hope that helps

[jinny1]

The NS becomes the Conditioned stimulus after classical conditioning...

so dogleash originally didnt elicit the CR but after a while it became the CS and now elicits the CR to the dogleash (CS)..

i know this question is confusing and couldve worded the question bit better...we had this on our SAC and the teacher actually just marked us correct even if the NS and CS wasnt the same as this question could have been interpreted in two ways...

[meadr05]

Ohhhhhh

Thank you soooo much, that actually makes more sense. I thought first instance meant the start of the conditioning

Thanks to both of you