Question

Seven-year-old Michelle used to use her mother's perfume all the time, but Michelle's mother would yell at her when she found out. Based on these experiences, Michelle has learned to not use the perfume. Michelle's learning is most likely the result of __________ in the brain.

a- Processing by the hypothalamus
b- Increases in dopamine
c- Processing by mirror neurons
d- Long-term potentiation

Answer 1

Michelle's aversion to using her mother's perfume is a learned behavior likely resulting from the process of Long-term potentiation (LTP), which strengthens the signal transmission between neurons and underpins learning and memory.

Step-by-step explanation:

The learning experience of seven-year-old Michelle is most likely the result of d- Long-term potentiation in the brain. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a process that increases the strength of signal transmission between neurons and is considered one of the major cellular mechanisms that underlies learning and memory. In animal studies, researchers such as Raineki, Cortés, Belnoue, and Sullivan (2012) found that negative experiences in rat pups can alter the function of the amygdala, leading to behaviors that are indicative of mood disorders in adolescence. This alteration in the amygdala links early experiences to changes in neural circuits that could explain learned behaviors such as Michelle's aversion to using her mother’s perfume.