Created by Dr. Martin Shapiro

Overview

Classical Conditioning is a form of associative learning where stimuli are presented together in time. The conditioned stimulus (CS) becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US). This can produce a conditioned response (CR) to the CS that is similar to the unconditioned response to the US.
Classical conditioning is often used in advertisements where a product (CS) is paired in time with something that produces a positive emotional response, such as happiness, laughter, and sexual arousal. This will create a positive emotion (CR) when the person sees the product in the future.
You will watch three commercials on YouTube and try to identify how you are being classically conditioned using a worksheet.

Instructions

Download the classical conditioning worksheet.
The three commercials are linked in the worksheet but are also shown below.
Watch each commercial and identify the CS, US, CR, and UR. Keep in mind that the responses are typically emotional in nature and not complex behaviors like going out and buying the product.
You will also be asked to count how many times the product (CS) is paired with the emotion-producing stimulus (US); this would be considered a trial.

Worksheet