Caitlin works in the psychology department's rat lab. In her studies, she found that many of her lab rats would develop a conditioned taste aversion to certain foods after as little as one trial. Caitlin's psychology professor refers to this as a classic example of
A) biological preparedness.
B) psychological preparedness.
C) instinctive drift.
D) stimulus substitution.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Caitlin's observation of the rats developing a conditioned taste aversion after only one trial suggests that the rats have a biological preparedness to quickly associate certain foods with negative outcomes, such as nausea. This is an example of how an organism's biology can influence learning and behavior, which is the concept of biological preparedness.

Caitlin Works in the Psychology Department's Rat Lab