Question

Shelly and Mike have done a good job training their cat Felix to not jump on the dinner table. However, jumping is a behavior that cats do instinctively. As a result, sometimes Felix reverts to his old ways and jumps on the dinner table. The reason for the introduction of old behaviors is best explained by:

a) Classical Conditioning
b) Operant Conditioning
c) Instinctive Drift
d) Habituation

Answer 1

Felix the cat's behavior of jumping on the dinner table is best explained by instinctive drift, where an animal's innate behaviors override their learned behaviors. Classical conditioning involves learning by stimulus association, while operant conditioning is learning through consequences of actions and habituation is response reduction through repeated exposure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The introduction of old behaviors in Felix the cat, such as jumping on the dinner table despite prior training, is best explained by the concept of instinctive drift. This occurs when conditioned behaviors revert to innate behaviors over time. This term describes a phenomenon where an animal's learned behavior can be overshadowed by innate behavior, especially if the learned behavior is in conflict with the animal's natural instincts.

As for the other concepts mentioned, classical conditioning is a learning process where a biologically potent stimulus is paired with a previously neutral stimulus. An example is a cat associating the sound of a can opener with receiving food. On the other hand, operant conditioning refers to a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. An example involves training a dog to stay off the sofa by scolding it when it jumps up. Lastly, habituation is a form of learning in which an organism decreases or ceases its responses to a stimulus after repeated or prolonged presentations.