Ever since Ryan was bitten by a gray cat, he cries when he sees any gray cat. One day, he sees a gray squirrel scamper across his front yard and he begins crying. Ryan's behavior illustrates
A) stimulus generalization.
B) extinction.
C) stimulus discrimination.
D) second-order conditioning.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ryan's crying in response to seeing any gray animal is an example of stimulus generalization, as he is responding to a similar stimulus (color) that he has associated with the initial negative experience of the gray cat bite.

Ever Since Ryan Was Bitten by a Gray Cat, He