Final answer:
According to the feature comparison model, having a tail is a common feature of the concept 'cat.' In cladistics, shared derived traits are most significant for determining evolutionary relationships. Behavior like a cat responding to stimuli could illustrate operant conditioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is b:
A common feature of the concept "cat" according to the feature comparison model of concepts. The reason being that while most cats do have tails, it is not a feature exclusive to them nor does it distinguish them from a variety of other animals that also have tails. The feature comparison model suggests that we categorize objects based on a comparison of their features to those of other category members, and while having a tail is characteristic of cats, it does not serve to define the cat category, making it a common but not a defining or distinguishing characteristic.
When it comes to cladistics, a shared derived trait is the most important (answer a). It is these traits that allow us to determine the evolutionary relationships between different species. Shared ancestral traits, while interesting, are not as useful since they do not change among the members of a clade and thus do not inform us about their specific evolutionary paths. Analogous traits and traits that require the simplest (parsimonious) explanation are also considered, but again, it is the shared derived traits that are most informative when constructing a phylogenetic tree.
With regards to animal behavior, the representation of a cat responding to different stimuli through steps like footsteps and hiding behavior would most likely be illustrating operant conditioning (answer c), where the cat learns to associate certain voluntary behaviors with consequences. Finally, in categorizing organisms based on their physical characteristics, the presence of shared derived characters such as the amniotic egg indicates a closer evolutionary relationship between those species that possess the trait (like lizards, rabbits, and humans) and distinguishes them from species without the trait (like fish, lampreys, and lancelets).