Final answer:
Pavlov gave the dogs extinction trials, and a few days later he sounded a tone and the dogs again salivated. What accounts for this recurrence of the extinguished response is c. spontaneous recovery
Step-by-step explanation:
Spontaneous recovery accounts for the recurrence of the extinguished response. This phenomenon occurs after a period of rest following extinction trials. When Pavlov sounded the tone again, the dogs displayed salivation, even though the conditioned response had previously been extinguished. Spontaneous recovery suggests that, over time, the weakened conditioned response can temporarily reappear in response to the conditioned stimulus.
After undergoing extinction trials, where the conditioned stimulus (tone) was repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (food), the dogs initially showed a reduction in the conditioned response (salivation). However, the reappearance of salivation when the tone was reintroduced suggests that the association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus was not permanently erased. Instead, it demonstrates the temporary recovery of the conditioned response after a period of non-exposure to the conditioned stimulus. This concept is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of classical conditioning.
Spontaneous recovery does not indicate relearning or acquisition (Options a and d) but rather the re-emergence of the previously conditioned response. It highlights the persistence of learned associations even after apparent extinction, shedding light on the complexities of behavioral conditioning and the temporary nature of the weakening process.