A cat has been classically conditioned to purr when it hears the door open to the refrigerator where its food is kept.But the cat does not purr when it hears the sound of the pantry door opening,where none of its food is kept.The fact that the cat shows the conditioned response,purring,only for the sound associated with the conditioned stimulus is most likely a result of _______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns to respond differently to different stimuli that are similar but not identical. In this case, the cat is able to discriminate between the sound of the refrigerator door, which is associated with food, and the sound of the pantry door, which is not. Therefore, the fact that the cat only purrs in response to the sound of the refrigerator door indicates stimulus discrimination.

A Cat Has Been Classically Conditioned to Purr When It