Which of the following is NOT an example of preparedness in conditioning?
A) Birds quickly learn to avoid drinking water that is the same color as water that previously made them ill.
B) Baby ducklings learn to recognize their mother's sight and call as they follow her around, and soon will follow nobody but their mother.
C) A child learns that brushing his teeth always results in praise from his parents.
D) Rats learn to avoid drinking water with a salty taste that previously made them ill.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Preparedness refers to the idea that certain stimuli seem to be more easily associated with certain responses due to evolutionary history. In the case of conditioning, preparedness means that it is easier to condition certain associations between stimuli and responses. Choices A, B, and D all involve examples of preparedness in conditioning, where animals learn to avoid or seek out certain stimuli based on prior experiences. Choice C, however, does not involve preparedness as the child is not responding to a biologically relevant stimulus. The child is learning a socially constructed behavior, which is not necessarily influenced by prior evolutionary history.

Which of the Following Is NOT an Example of Preparedness