Question

read the scenario below and answer the question that follows.
ted is a high school student. he is very good at math, but he is not a very good english student. he likes all of his teachers; he thinks they are fair and want him to learn.
on tuesday, ted was sitting in his english classroom, listening to his teachers lecture. the teacher asked the class a question. he called on ted. ted had not been paying attention. his palms began to sweat, and his heart rate increased. he felt embarrassed that he did not know the answer.
on wednesday, ted was asked to answer another question in his math classroom. even though this time he was listening and knew the answer, his palms began to sweat and his heart rate increased.
why did teds palms sweat and heart rate increase on wednesday?
a. ted associated his embarrassment with being in high school.
b. ted associated his math teacher with feelings of embarrassment.
c. ted was not completely sure that his answer was correct.
d. ted associated being asked a question with embarrassment.

Explanation:

Analyze the initial conditioning event on Tuesday

On Tuesday, the stimulus of being asked a question in class when not paying attention led to the unconditioned response of embarrassment, accompanied by physiological arousal (sweating palms, increased heart rate).

Analyze the generalized response on Wednesday

On Wednesday, Ted was asked a question in a different environment (math class) where he actually knew the answer. Despite knowing the answer, the stimulus of "being asked a question" triggered the same conditioned physiological response (sweating palms, increased heart rate) due to the association formed between being asked a question and the feeling of embarrassment.

Evaluate the multiple-choice options

• Option A is incorrect because the association is specific to the classroom interaction, not high school in general.
• Option B is incorrect because Ted likes his teachers and the anxiety was triggered by the act of being questioned, not the math teacher specifically.
• Option C is incorrect because the text states he "knew the answer."
• Option D is correct because Ted generalized the association of being asked a question with the embarrassment experienced on Tuesday.

Answer:

• A. Ted associated his embarrassment with being in high school.
• B. Ted associated his math teacher with feelings of embarrassment.
• C. Ted was not completely sure that his answer was correct.
• D. Ted associated being asked a question with embarrassment. (Correct answer)