Final answer:
Habituation is a simple form of non-associative learning where an organism becomes accustomed to a non-threatening stimulus after repeated exposure, conserving energy by ignoring insignificant stimuli.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is Habituation?
Habituation is a type of non-associative learning where an animal or human gets used to a stimulus after repeated exposure. Unlike associative learning, habituation occurs when the stimulus is neither harmful nor provides a reward. For example, if you initially find the noise of a television annoying while reading a book, over time you may no longer notice it - this is an instance of habituation. Similarly, prairie dogs can become accustomed to human footsteps and no longer sound an alarm, since these sounds are not coupled with danger. Habituation allows organisms to conserve energy by not responding to non-threats and is observed across various species.
An everyday example of habituation is a situation where a crow becomes accustomed to a scarecrow's presence and learns it poses no threat. Consequently, the crow can comfortably land on the scarecrow, showing that it has undergone the process of habituation.