Julia served in the war in Iraq and was severely traumatised when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded next to her Humvee. Recently, Julia was studying in the library and a large book fell off a high shelf and banged on the floor. The noise brought Julia instantly to her feet. In terms of classical conditioning, her response can best be explained by ________.
A)spontaneous recovery
B)negative reflex
C)reinforcement
D)stimulus generalisation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Julia's response to the loud noise of the falling book is an example of stimulus generalisation. Her trauma from her time in Iraq has caused her to have a heightened response to loud, unexpected noises, which in this case elicited a fear response. This fear response has generalized to other loud noises, even though they are not actually dangerous or threatening.

Julia Served in the War in Iraq and Was Severely