Pigeons have been trained to discriminate cancerous from healthy tissue by
means of modeling.
spontaneous recovery.
classical conditioning.
operant conditioning.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is classical conditioning.
Classical conditioning, also known as Pavlovian conditioning, is a form of associative learning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus to produce a conditioned response. In the case of pigeons being trained to discriminate cancerous from healthy tissue, classical conditioning can be employed to make the pigeons associate a specific visual or olfactory cue (like an image or scent) with a specific outcome, such as receiving a reward for correctly identifying cancerous tissue.
In this type of training, pigeons might initially have no specific reaction to cancerous or healthy tissue samples. However, through repeated exposure and reinforcement, pigeons learn to associate certain cues from the cancerous tissue with a positive reinforcement, such as food or another reward. Over time, the pigeons are able to discriminate between cancerous and healthy tissue based on the cues they have been conditioned to recognize.
For example, a researcher might show pigeons images or samples of cancerous and healthy tissue while providing a mild reward when the pigeon correctly identifies cancerous tissue. This reward reinforces the pigeon’s behavior, increasing the likelihood that it will continue to associate the cancerous tissue with a positive outcome. As a result, the pigeons learn to distinguish between the two types of tissue using the conditioned cues.
While operant conditioning involves reinforcing behaviors through rewards or punishments, classical conditioning focuses on associating specific stimuli with automatic responses. In this case, the pigeons’ ability to discriminate cancerous from healthy tissue is developed through association rather than through deliberate reinforcement of a specific behavior. Therefore, classical conditioning is the most suitable method for this type of learning.