In classical conditioning, what term is used to describe the disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus? a. Generalization b. Discrimination c. Extinction d. Acquisition
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is c. Extinction.
In classical conditioning, extinction refers to the gradual disappearance of a conditioned response (CR) when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (US). This process occurs because, after repeated pairings, the association between the CS and US weakens, and the CR diminishes or fades away.
For example, if a dog has been conditioned to salivate (CR) when it hears a bell (CS) because the bell has been paired with food (US) in the past, presenting the bell alone, without food, repeatedly will eventually lead to the disappearance of the salivation response. Over time, the dog will no longer salivate when it hears the bell because the learned association between the bell and food has been broken.
Extinction is different from forgetting. Forgetting typically happens due to the passage of time or lack of rehearsal, while extinction is a result of the loss of the conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus association through experience. It’s important to note that while extinction diminishes the conditioned response, it doesn’t completely erase the learning. If the CS is presented again after a period of time, the conditioned response might reappear, a phenomenon known as spontaneous recovery.
Extinction is also distinct from generalization, which occurs when a response is elicited by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus, or discrimination, where an individual learns to respond only to a specific stimulus and not to others that are similar. Acquisition is the initial phase of learning where the conditioned response is established.