Final answer:
Spontaneous recovery is the phenomenon where an extinguished conditioned response re-emerges after a rest period. The most accurate description of spontaneous recovery is an event in which an organism performs a previously extinguished response. This is distinct from new or novel behaviors, unreinforced behaviors, or punished behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon of spontaneous recovery refers to the return of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus. It represents a suddenly re-emerging response that had been diminished or eliminated through the process known as extinction, where the conditioned stimulus is presented numerous times without being paired with the unconditioned stimulus. For example, if a dog has been conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell that previously signaled food, and then over time the sound no longer accompanies food causing the salivation response to cease, spontaneous recovery occurs if the bell is rung after a period of rest and the dog salivates once again.
In the context of the choices provided in the student's question, the best description of spontaneous recovery is an event in which an organism performs a previously extinguished response. It is distinctive from new or novel behaviors, behaviors that were never reinforced, or behaviors that were punished.
Extinction is when the learned connection is broken by repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus, leading to the decline in the conditioned response. Spontaneous recovery shows that the extinguished response is not entirely eliminated from the organism's repertoire and can return.