When Lindsay was nine years old, the neighbor's Chihuahua bit her on the ankle. Today, Lindsay is still terrified of Chihuahuas, but she likes almost all other types of dogs. Lindsay's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of
A)preparedness.
B)stimulus discrimination.
C)stimulus generalization.
D)negative avoidance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lindsay's fear is specific to Chihuahuas, the type of dog that bit her, and does not extend to other types of dogs. This specificity in her fear response demonstrates stimulus discrimination, where she reacts fearfully only to the specific stimulus (Chihuahuas) that was associated with the negative experience, and not to other similar stimuli (other types of dogs).

When Lindsay Was Nine Years Old, the Neighbor's Chihuahua Bit