What is extinction vs spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?

What is extinction vs spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning?

• A. Extinction is spontaneous recovery; spontaneous recovery is diminishing.
• B. Extinction is the diminishing of the conditioned response; spontaneous recovery is its reappearance after a rest period.
• C. Extinction is strengthening the conditioned response; spontaneous recovery is new learning.
• D. Extinction and spontaneous recovery are the same.

Answer: (B)

In classical conditioning, extinction and spontaneous recovery describe two different changes in a learned response over time. Extinction is when the conditioned response gradually decreases because the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus repeatedly. The organism learns that the CS no longer predicts the US, so the CR fades. Spontaneous recovery is what can happen after a rest period: after some time has passed, the conditioned response can reappear when the conditioned stimulus is presented again, though usually weaker than before extinction. This shows that the original association isn’t wiped out during extinction; it’s temporarily suppressed, and a latent memory can resurface. So, extinction is the diminishing of the response; spontaneous recovery is its reappearance after a break. The other statements mischaracterize the ideas: extinction isn’t spontaneous recovery, it isn’t strengthening the response, and they aren’t the same phenomenon.

In classical conditioning, extinction and spontaneous recovery describe two different changes in a learned response over time. Extinction is when the conditioned response gradually decreases because the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus repeatedly. The organism learns that the CS no longer predicts the US, so the CR fades.

Spontaneous recovery is what can happen after a rest period: after some time has passed, the conditioned response can reappear when the conditioned stimulus is presented again, though usually weaker than before extinction. This shows that the original association isn’t wiped out during extinction; it’s temporarily suppressed, and a latent memory can resurface.

So, extinction is the diminishing of the response; spontaneous recovery is its reappearance after a break. The other statements mischaracterize the ideas: extinction isn’t spontaneous recovery, it isn’t strengthening the response, and they aren’t the same phenomenon.