Students become anxious as the teacher announces "clear everything off your desk" and holds up a stack of papers for distribution--they know a test is coming. These students may also become anxious when the teacher says "clear everything off your desk" and holds up an activity sheet, despite the fact that the students actually enjoy the activity. This is an example of which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of stimulus generalization because the students have learned to respond with anxiety to the specific stimulus of "clear everything off your desk" in anticipation of a test, and they generalize this response to the same phrase even when it precedes an enjoyable activity, not distinguishing between the two different contexts.

Students Become Anxious as the Teacher Announces "Clear Everything Off