Question

When a doorbell rings I used to walk as fast as I could to open the door,now if it rings in the middle of the day I do not because it's most likely just a package being delivered.

my walking to the door behavior decreased the sight of the package was a ?

Answer 1

The changed behavioral response to the doorbell ringing is an example of a discriminative stimulus, as it has altered the association and reinforcement of the action of walking to the door.

Step-by-step explanation:

The behavior described indicates a conditioned response to a stimulus, which has changed over time. Initially, the sound of the doorbell was a cue to walk to the door quickly, but now it is associated with the delivery of packages and no longer prompts the same reaction. In psychological terms, the sight of the package that now often follows the sound of the doorbell acts as a discriminative stimulus. This is a stimulus in the presence of which responses are reinforced (such as checking the door for guests) and in its absence - or when another stimulus is present (like the sight of a package) - such responses are not reinforced, leading to a change in behavior.