Behavior Ch. 3 Elicited Behaviors &
Classical Conditioning UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
elicited behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER - -automatically drawn out of an organism by the
presentation of a stimulus (ex. a sneeze produced by a particle of dust, automatic, involuntary)
reflex - CORRECT ANSWER - -basic form of elicited behavior
-relatively simple, automatic response to stimulus
reflex arc - CORRECT ANSWER - -Simple reflexes are activated through a reflex arc.
-Defined as "a neural structure that underlies many reflexes and consists of a sensory neuron, an
interneuron, and a motor neuron."
-Reflex arcs allow us to respond much quicker to our environment.
phylogenetic learning - CORRECT ANSWER - -learning takes place over the evolution of the
organism
fixed action patterns - CORRECT ANSWER - -Defined as "a fixed sequence of responses
elicited by a specific stimulus"
Example:
-Cat scratching the ground around urine and feces
-Dog preparing to play
sign stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - -Stimulus that sets the fixed action pattern into motion
-Elicits a specific sequence of behaviors
Example:
A Betta's aggressive behaviors
, species specific behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER - -Fixed action patterns tend to be unique
to each species.
-Often adaptive responses evolved to help the species survive in the environment
-large changes in environment may render pattern useless or even harmful
habituation - CORRECT ANSWER - -We tend to habituate to stimuli that are currently
irrelevant and low-intensity.
-Defined as "a decrease in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations
of the eliciting stimulus"
-The first time the stimulus is present, the response will probably be most intense. Then it will
gradually decrease.
ex. ticking of clock, noise of traffic
dishabituation - CORRECT ANSWER - -Defined as "the reappearance of a habituated
response following the presentation of a seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus"
Example: a couple makes love in a novel hotel room to rekindle their romance
sensitization - CORRECT ANSWER - -We tend to become sensitive to stimuli that are
extremely irrelevant and high-intensity.
-Defined as "an increase in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations
of the eliciting stimulus"
ex. war veterans' responses to exploding artillery shells and subsequent startling sounds
what happens when the stimulus is of intermediate intensity? - CORRECT ANSWER - -A
stimulus of intermediate intensity often results in an initial period of sensitization followed by
habituation.
-Example: visiting a shooting range
evolutionary perspective - CORRECT ANSWER - -It makes sense to become sensitized to
some stimuli and habituated to others.
-Example:
Classical Conditioning UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
elicited behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER - -automatically drawn out of an organism by the
presentation of a stimulus (ex. a sneeze produced by a particle of dust, automatic, involuntary)
reflex - CORRECT ANSWER - -basic form of elicited behavior
-relatively simple, automatic response to stimulus
reflex arc - CORRECT ANSWER - -Simple reflexes are activated through a reflex arc.
-Defined as "a neural structure that underlies many reflexes and consists of a sensory neuron, an
interneuron, and a motor neuron."
-Reflex arcs allow us to respond much quicker to our environment.
phylogenetic learning - CORRECT ANSWER - -learning takes place over the evolution of the
organism
fixed action patterns - CORRECT ANSWER - -Defined as "a fixed sequence of responses
elicited by a specific stimulus"
Example:
-Cat scratching the ground around urine and feces
-Dog preparing to play
sign stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - -Stimulus that sets the fixed action pattern into motion
-Elicits a specific sequence of behaviors
Example:
A Betta's aggressive behaviors
, species specific behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER - -Fixed action patterns tend to be unique
to each species.
-Often adaptive responses evolved to help the species survive in the environment
-large changes in environment may render pattern useless or even harmful
habituation - CORRECT ANSWER - -We tend to habituate to stimuli that are currently
irrelevant and low-intensity.
-Defined as "a decrease in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations
of the eliciting stimulus"
-The first time the stimulus is present, the response will probably be most intense. Then it will
gradually decrease.
ex. ticking of clock, noise of traffic
dishabituation - CORRECT ANSWER - -Defined as "the reappearance of a habituated
response following the presentation of a seemingly irrelevant novel stimulus"
Example: a couple makes love in a novel hotel room to rekindle their romance
sensitization - CORRECT ANSWER - -We tend to become sensitive to stimuli that are
extremely irrelevant and high-intensity.
-Defined as "an increase in the strength of an elicited behavior following repeated presentations
of the eliciting stimulus"
ex. war veterans' responses to exploding artillery shells and subsequent startling sounds
what happens when the stimulus is of intermediate intensity? - CORRECT ANSWER - -A
stimulus of intermediate intensity often results in an initial period of sensitization followed by
habituation.
-Example: visiting a shooting range
evolutionary perspective - CORRECT ANSWER - -It makes sense to become sensitized to
some stimuli and habituated to others.
-Example:
