Most People Believe That When Conditioning Occurs, There Must Be

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The Answer is The belief that awareness of the connection between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) is necessary for conditioning to occur is not entirely accurate. This view suggests that in order for conditioning to take place, the individual must be consciously aware of the association between the CS and the US. However, this perspective overlooks the fact that conditioning can occur without explicit awareness.

One example that challenges this belief is the experiment conducted by Kenneth Diven in 1937. Diven's study demonstrated that conditioning can occur without conscious awareness of the connection between the CS and the US. Participants in the study showed conditioning to a word (e.g., "barn") paired with an electric shock, even though they were unable to specify the connection between the word and the shocks that followed it.

Furthermore, it is important to note that various non-human organisms, such as worms and protozoa, have shown evidence of conditioning despite lacking the neurological capacity for awareness. This suggests that conditioning can occur in the absence of conscious awareness.

In conclusion, the idea that awareness of the CS-US connection is necessary for conditioning to occur is not entirely accurate. While awareness may play a role in some instances of conditioning, there is evidence to suggest that conditioning can occur without explicit awareness of the association between the stimuli.

Most People Believe That When Conditioning Occurs, There Must Be

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