A learned response changes
Follow how responding can change when a familiar cue appears alone.
The picture in words
- Acquisition
- A cue has acquired a relationship with an event.
- Extinction
- Repeated cue-alone presentations can weaken the learned response.
- Spontaneous recovery
- Some responding can return after a pause.
Reading the illustration
Read the scenes in time order. The changing response symbols show weakening during cue-only experience and a possible return after a pause.
Try a question
What does a returning response after a pause suggest about the learning history?
Show the explanation
Earlier learning can still influence responding. Extinction changes how the cue is responded to under particular conditions.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/6-2-classical-conditioningSelected rendered passages: Extinction/recovery selected passages.