A scientist trains a group of rats to run a maze to get food pellets. Another group of rats is trained to run the maze without receiving food pellets. At the end of the training, the group receiving the food pellets runs the maze faster and with fewer errors. However, when the scientist begins giving the second group of rats food pellets for running the maze, they almost immediately begin running the maze as well as the first group. This improved performance is probably due to ________.
A) latent learning
B) spontaneous recovery
C) insight
D) vicarious trial and error learning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The improved performance of the second group of rats is most likely due to latent learning, which means that the rats had acquired knowledge and skills during the initial training period, but did not demonstrate them until there was an incentive to do so (i.e., the introduction of food pellets as a reward). Spontaneous recovery refers to the reappearance of a response that had been extinguished, and is not relevant in this scenario. Insight and vicarious trial and error learning involve different cognitive processes and are unlikely to account for the observed improvement in performance.

A Scientist Trains a Group of Rats to Run a Maze