When Wicks & Rankin found that nematoda worms stopped withdrawing in response to repeated taps but still withdrew in response to a heat stimulus, they were demonstrating
A) orienting responses.
B) performance.
C) an unlearned defensive response.
D) short-term habituation.
E) long-term habituation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The worms' cessation of withdrawal in response to repeated taps, while still responding to a new stimulus (heat), is an example of short-term habituation. This is a temporary decrease in response to a repeated stimulus, indicating that the organism is learning to distinguish between stimuli that are relevant (potentially harmful) and those that are not.

When Wicks & Rankin Found That Nematoda Worms Stopped Withdrawing