Advertisers have been using the principles of classical conditioning for years in attempt to associate pleasant feelings with their products. Beer ads are particularly famous for doing so by placing scantily clothed women holding beer bottles on large billboards. What are the unconditioned stimulus and the unconditioned response in this example? What are the conditioned stimulus and conditioned response?

Question

Unconditioned stimulus = scantily clothed women.

Unconditioned response = ?

Conditioned stimulus = the beer bottles

Conditioned response?

I do not know what the unconditioned and conditioned responses would be and I am not sure if the conditioned stimulus is correct. Please help!!

bobpursley · Accepted Answer

I think you are on the right track, with your thinking, the undonditioned response is to gawk and lust, the conditioned response it to buy beer.

However, think of young girls who view the ads:
Unconditioned Stimulus: happy, good looking babe
Unconditioned response: envy
Conditioned stimulus: Popularity and happiness go with beer and lots of skin.
Conditioned response: to gain popularity and happiness, take off your clothes and serve beer to men.

Ms. Sue · Answer

Unconditioned response? desire? Conditioned response? desire for beer?

PsyDAG · Answer

Both of the previous answers are right. These ads are aimed at men, probably younger men with strong libidos, so visons of scantily clad women (UCS) lead to desire (UCR). The hope is that this desire will become attached to the beer (CS) leading to buying the beer (CR).

Although some young women might view the ads as bobpursley indicated, others (like those involved in seeking equal rights for women or women's liberation) might be very disgusted by such ads.

I hope this helps a little more. Thanks for asking.