Mariah developed a fear of the water when she fell off a river raft last summer. This year she took swimming lessons and thought she had finally overcome her fear of water. She was eagerly anticipating an upcoming rafting trip; however, as soon as she stepped onto the raft she was instantly terrified again. What process does this illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recovery refers to the sudden reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus. Mariah's fear of water reappeared when she stepped onto the raft, illustrating this process.

Mariah Developed a Fear of the Water When She Fell