An animal's response is reinforced in the presence of a tone that is 50 decibels (dB) in loudness, but not a tone that is 70 dB in loudness. In a test of generalization, the strongest response will most likely be to a tone that is _____ dB in loudness.
A) 40
B) 90
C) 60
D) 80

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Generalization occurs when an animal responds to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus. Since the animal was conditioned to respond to a 50 dB tone, it is more likely to respond strongly to a tone that is closer in loudness to 50 dB, such as 40 dB, rather than to tones that are much louder.

An Animal's Response Is Reinforced in the Presence of a Tone