Higher-order (second-order) conditioning is produced by pairing:
ATwo unconditioned stimuli together over many repeated trials
BA new neutral stimulus with an existing conditioned stimulus
CA new neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus again
DThe conditioned stimulus on its own across many more trials
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. A new neutral stimulus with an existing conditioned stimulus
1. Ordinary conditioning pairs a neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus.
2. Higher-order conditioning instead uses an already established conditioned stimulus to condition a further neutral stimulus.
3. In the chapter's example the cat already responds to the can opener sound; a new squeak from the cabinet is then paired with that sound, and the squeak alone comes to excite the cat.
4. Presenting the conditioned stimulus alone would cause extinction, not new learning.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 "Learning", §6.2 Classical Conditioning_
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