Psychology MCAT Practice Exam

Which of the following disorders can be conditioned through classical conditioning?

1. Generalized anxiety disorder

2. Phobias

3. Depression

4. Bipolar disorder

The correct answer is: Phobias

Phobias are a prime example of disorders that can be acquired through classical conditioning. In classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus can become associated with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response. For instance, if a person has a negative experience with a specific object or situation (the unconditioned stimulus), they may develop a phobia when they encounter that object or situation again (now the conditioned stimulus), triggering fear or anxiety (the conditioned response). The process of developing phobias can often be traced back to learned associations, highlighting the role of the environment and experiences in shaping fear responses. This mechanism explains how individuals can develop intense fears of things that may not inherently be dangerous, like spiders or heights, simply through the experiences they've had in relation to those stimuli. In contrast, while generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder involve complex interactions of genetic, biological, and environmental factors, they do not typically develop solely through classical conditioning. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by chronic worry that does not clearly link to specific stimuli. Depression often involves cognitive distortions and might be influenced by a variety of life events and individual dispositions rather than the associative learning seen in classical conditioning. Bipolar disorder has a biological basis and is often marked by