Habituation and Dishabituation (7C) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations
Card 1 of 30
Identify the process: repeated loud tone leads to decreased startle response over trials.
Identify the process: repeated loud tone leads to decreased startle response over trials.
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Habituation. Repeated exposure reduces startle through nonassociative learning.
Habituation. Repeated exposure reduces startle through nonassociative learning.
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What is habituation in learning and behavior?
What is habituation in learning and behavior?
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Decreased response after repeated exposure to a benign stimulus. Organism learns to ignore irrelevant stimuli through CNS changes.
Decreased response after repeated exposure to a benign stimulus. Organism learns to ignore irrelevant stimuli through CNS changes.
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What is dishabituation?
What is dishabituation?
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Recovery of a habituated response after a novel stimulus appears. Novel stimulus temporarily restores the habituated response.
Recovery of a habituated response after a novel stimulus appears. Novel stimulus temporarily restores the habituated response.
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Which type of learning best describes habituation: associative or nonassociative?
Which type of learning best describes habituation: associative or nonassociative?
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Nonassociative learning. No pairing with other stimuli required; response changes to single stimulus.
Nonassociative learning. No pairing with other stimuli required; response changes to single stimulus.
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Which type of learning best describes dishabituation: associative or nonassociative?
Which type of learning best describes dishabituation: associative or nonassociative?
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Nonassociative learning. Response changes without stimulus pairing or reinforcement.
Nonassociative learning. Response changes without stimulus pairing or reinforcement.
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What is the key difference between habituation and sensory adaptation?
What is the key difference between habituation and sensory adaptation?
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Habituation is central; sensory adaptation is peripheral receptor change. Habituation involves CNS learning; adaptation is receptor fatigue.
Habituation is central; sensory adaptation is peripheral receptor change. Habituation involves CNS learning; adaptation is receptor fatigue.
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What is the key difference between habituation and extinction in classical conditioning?
What is the key difference between habituation and extinction in classical conditioning?
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Habituation is nonassociative; extinction is loss of a learned association. Habituation needs no pairing; extinction removes CS-US association.
Habituation is nonassociative; extinction is loss of a learned association. Habituation needs no pairing; extinction removes CS-US association.
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Which option best defines stimulus specificity in habituation?
Which option best defines stimulus specificity in habituation?
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Reduced response is strongest for the repeated stimulus, not all stimuli. Response decreases specifically to habituated stimulus, not others.
Reduced response is strongest for the repeated stimulus, not all stimuli. Response decreases specifically to habituated stimulus, not others.
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What is spontaneous recovery in the context of habituation?
What is spontaneous recovery in the context of habituation?
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Response returns after a rest period without exposure to the stimulus. Time away allows habituated response to recover without retraining.
Response returns after a rest period without exposure to the stimulus. Time away allows habituated response to recover without retraining.
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What is meant by “habituation is not sensory fatigue”?
What is meant by “habituation is not sensory fatigue”?
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Reduced responding reflects CNS processing, not exhausted receptors. Brain processes change, not receptor exhaustion or damage.
Reduced responding reflects CNS processing, not exhausted receptors. Brain processes change, not receptor exhaustion or damage.
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Which stimulus pattern produces faster habituation: frequent predictable or rare unpredictable?
Which stimulus pattern produces faster habituation: frequent predictable or rare unpredictable?
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Frequent predictable stimulation. Predictable patterns allow faster learning to ignore stimulus.
Frequent predictable stimulation. Predictable patterns allow faster learning to ignore stimulus.
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Which stimulus intensity generally leads to slower habituation: weak or strong?
Which stimulus intensity generally leads to slower habituation: weak or strong?
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Strong (high-intensity) stimuli. Intense stimuli remain biologically relevant longer.
Strong (high-intensity) stimuli. Intense stimuli remain biologically relevant longer.
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What is the typical effect of a novel stimulus introduced during habituation training?
What is the typical effect of a novel stimulus introduced during habituation training?
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It produces dishabituation (temporary return of responding). Novel stimulus alerts system, reversing habituation temporarily.
It produces dishabituation (temporary return of responding). Novel stimulus alerts system, reversing habituation temporarily.
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Which outcome best reflects generalization rather than stimulus specificity in habituation?
Which outcome best reflects generalization rather than stimulus specificity in habituation?
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Reduced response spreads to similar stimuli, not just the repeated one. Generalization shows response decrease extends beyond specific stimulus.
Reduced response spreads to similar stimuli, not just the repeated one. Generalization shows response decrease extends beyond specific stimulus.
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Identify the key feature of dishabituation that supports habituation as learning, not fatigue.
Identify the key feature of dishabituation that supports habituation as learning, not fatigue.
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A novel stimulus restores responding despite continued stimulation capacity. If fatigue caused decrease, novel stimulus couldn't restore response.
A novel stimulus restores responding despite continued stimulation capacity. If fatigue caused decrease, novel stimulus couldn't restore response.
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Identify the process: after habituating to a tone, a flash of light restores startle to the tone.
Identify the process: after habituating to a tone, a flash of light restores startle to the tone.
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Dishabituation. Novel light stimulus reverses habituation to tone.
Dishabituation. Novel light stimulus reverses habituation to tone.
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Which option best indicates habituation rather than sensory adaptation: response decreases only for that sound?
Which option best indicates habituation rather than sensory adaptation: response decreases only for that sound?
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Habituation (stimulus-specific decrease suggests central learning). Specific decrease indicates central processing, not receptor fatigue.
Habituation (stimulus-specific decrease suggests central learning). Specific decrease indicates central processing, not receptor fatigue.
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Identify the concept: infant looks less at a repeated image, then looks more at a new image.
Identify the concept: infant looks less at a repeated image, then looks more at a new image.
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Habituation followed by dishabituation. Decreased looking shows habituation; new image causes dishabituation.
Habituation followed by dishabituation. Decreased looking shows habituation; new image causes dishabituation.
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Identify the best interpretation: response returns after a break with no new stimulus introduced.
Identify the best interpretation: response returns after a break with no new stimulus introduced.
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Spontaneous recovery of habituation. Response recovers after rest without new stimulation.
Spontaneous recovery of habituation. Response recovers after rest without new stimulation.
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Which option best distinguishes extinction from habituation: loss of CR after CS-only trials?
Which option best distinguishes extinction from habituation: loss of CR after CS-only trials?
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Extinction. CR loss after removing US shows associative learning breakdown.
Extinction. CR loss after removing US shows associative learning breakdown.
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Identify the process: A baby startles less to a repeated tone across trials.
Identify the process: A baby startles less to a repeated tone across trials.
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Habituation. Shows decreased responding to repeated benign stimulus.
Habituation. Shows decreased responding to repeated benign stimulus.
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Which type of learning does dishabituation represent: associative or nonassociative?
Which type of learning does dishabituation represent: associative or nonassociative?
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Nonassociative learning. Like habituation, it involves single stimulus exposure without pairing.
Nonassociative learning. Like habituation, it involves single stimulus exposure without pairing.
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Which type of learning does habituation represent: associative or nonassociative?
Which type of learning does habituation represent: associative or nonassociative?
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Nonassociative learning. No stimulus pairing or association formation occurs.
Nonassociative learning. No stimulus pairing or association formation occurs.
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Identify the process: After a loud clap, the baby startles again to the same tone.
Identify the process: After a loud clap, the baby startles again to the same tone.
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Dishabituation. The loud clap acts as a novel stimulus, restoring the startle response.
Dishabituation. The loud clap acts as a novel stimulus, restoring the startle response.
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Identify the best interpretation: Responding drops to tone A, but returns to tone B.
Identify the best interpretation: Responding drops to tone A, but returns to tone B.
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Habituation to tone A (stimulus-specific), not fatigue. Response returns to tone B shows specific learning, not general fatigue.
Habituation to tone A (stimulus-specific), not fatigue. Response returns to tone B shows specific learning, not general fatigue.
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Which option best supports habituation over sensory adaptation: response returns to the same stimulus after a break?
Which option best supports habituation over sensory adaptation: response returns to the same stimulus after a break?
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Spontaneous recovery after a rest period. Recovery shows CNS learning, not permanent receptor changes.
Spontaneous recovery after a rest period. Recovery shows CNS learning, not permanent receptor changes.
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Which option best supports dishabituation: response returns after introducing a novel stimulus?
Which option best supports dishabituation: response returns after introducing a novel stimulus?
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Novel stimulus restores the response to the original stimulus. Dishabituation specifically requires a novel stimulus to restore responding.
Novel stimulus restores the response to the original stimulus. Dishabituation specifically requires a novel stimulus to restore responding.
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Which stimulus pattern typically produces faster habituation: frequent and predictable or rare and unpredictable?
Which stimulus pattern typically produces faster habituation: frequent and predictable or rare and unpredictable?
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Frequent and predictable stimulation. Regular exposure allows faster learning of stimulus irrelevance.
Frequent and predictable stimulation. Regular exposure allows faster learning of stimulus irrelevance.
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What is stimulus specificity in habituation?
What is stimulus specificity in habituation?
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Reduced response is strongest for the repeated stimulus, not all stimuli. Shows the response decrease is learned, not due to general fatigue.
Reduced response is strongest for the repeated stimulus, not all stimuli. Shows the response decrease is learned, not due to general fatigue.
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Which option best indicates true habituation rather than fatigue: stimulus-specific or generalized decrease?
Which option best indicates true habituation rather than fatigue: stimulus-specific or generalized decrease?
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Stimulus-specific decrease in responding. Fatigue would reduce all responses equally, not selectively.
Stimulus-specific decrease in responding. Fatigue would reduce all responses equally, not selectively.
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