In One Study of 16 Couples,the Wives Had to Lie

question 75

Multiple Choice

In one study of 16 couples,the wives had to lie in an MRI machine,periodically receiving a mild but stressful electric shock on their ankles.During the procedure,some women received a touch on the hand from a stranger;others held hands with their husbands.What general principle can be drawn from the results of this study?

• A)Touch can be comforting,but it does not actually reduce pain.
• B)Any human touch reduces pain and negative emotions equally.
• C)The touch of a loved one is more effective than that of a stranger in stressful situations.
• D)Being touched by a stranger makes things worse in a stressful situation.

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Definitions:

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.

Extinction

The process by which a species, genus, or family of organisms becomes extinct, no longer existing and living in the world.

Spontaneous Recovery

The rebirth of an extinguished response after a break, without the need for relearning.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus.