Correct Answer - Option 3 : Stimulus discrimination
The simplest kind of learning is called conditioning. Pavlov first investigated classical conditioning in the course of studies on digestion in dogs. In this kind of learning an organism comes to associate stimuli. A neutral stimulus (CS) that signals an unconditioned stimulus (US) begins to produce a response (CR) that anticipates and prepares the organism for US.
Discrimination is a term used in both classical and operant conditioning. It involves the ability to distinguish between one stimulus and similar stimuli. In both cases, it means responding only to certain stimuli, and not responding to those that are similar.
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Stimulus discrimination is the ability to distinguish among different stimuli (e.g., to distinguish a circle from an ellipse) and to respond differently to them.
- For example, suppose a child is conditioned to be afraid of a person with a long moustache and wearing black clothes. In the subsequent situation, when s/he meets another person dressed in black clothes with a beard, the child shows signs of fear. The child’s fear is generalised.
- S/he meets another stranger who is wearing grey clothes and is clean-shaven. The child shows no fear. This is an example of discrimination. The occurrence of generalisation means the failure of discrimination. Thus from above-mentioned points, it is clear that this phenomenon is known as Stimulus discrimination.
Stimulus Generalization-
- When a learned response occurs or is elicited by a new stimulus, it is called generalization.
- A generalisation is due to the similarity.
- After conditioning is established, and another stimulus similar to the CS is presented, the organism makes the conditioned response to it.
- Sangi has been classically conditioned to fear a white coat (which is existing stimuli) and she was not only afraid of white coats worn by doctors and nurses but also those worn by photographers (similar to the stimulus of CS), she is following stimulus generalization.
