Question

A client recently got a dog, and says he noticed during the first few days that the dog barked and growled at the umbrella stand near the front door. However, after a few days, the dog stopped barking at the umbrella stand and now completely ignores it. This is an example of

A. Learned irrelevance
B. Positive reinforcement
C. Adaptation
D. Habituation

Answer 1

The dog ceasing to bark at the umbrella stand after repeated exposure is an example of Habituation, a simple form of non-associative learning where animals stop responding to non-harmful stimuli.

Step-by-step explanation:

The described behavior of the dog initially barking at the umbrella stand and then stopping after a period of repeated exposure is an example of Habituation. Habituation is a form of non-associative learning where an animal stops responding to a stimulus after being repeatedly exposed to it, especially if the stimulus is neither harmful nor beneficial. This process is distinct from other forms such as classical conditioning or operant conditioning, which involve associations with punishments or rewards. Unlike Imprinting, which occurs at a particular life stage and is rapid, habituation occurs over repeated exposures. A notable example is prairie dogs becoming habituated to human footsteps, thereby ceasing their alarm calls because no harm is associated with these footsteps.