Which term best describes a stimulus that does not naturally trigger a response?

Which term best describes a stimulus that does not naturally trigger a response?

• A. Neutral Stimulus (NS)
• B. Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
• C. Unconditioned Response (UCR)
• D. Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer: (A)

Neutral stimulus is the term for a stimulus that does not naturally elicit a response. In classical conditioning, it starts without any reflex. When paired with an unconditioned stimulus that does trigger a natural response, the neutral becomes associated with that response and, after learning, can evoke a response on its own as a conditioned stimulus. This contrasts with the unconditioned stimulus, which naturally triggers the reflex, and the unconditioned response, which is the reflex itself; the conditioned stimulus is the formerly neutral cue after learning that now produces the learned response.

Neutral stimulus is the term for a stimulus that does not naturally elicit a response. In classical conditioning, it starts without any reflex. When paired with an unconditioned stimulus that does trigger a natural response, the neutral becomes associated with that response and, after learning, can evoke a response on its own as a conditioned stimulus. This contrasts with the unconditioned stimulus, which naturally triggers the reflex, and the unconditioned response, which is the reflex itself; the conditioned stimulus is the formerly neutral cue after learning that now produces the learned response.