A cat easily learns to push or pull something to escape from a puzzle box,but does not easily learn to scratch or lick itself.Which term applies to observations like this?
A)Preparedness
B)Shaping
C)Disequilibrium
D)Heuristics

Question

A cat easily learns to push or pull something to escape from a puzzle box,but does not easily learn to scratch or lick itself.Which term applies to observations like this?​
A)Preparedness
B)Shaping​
C)Disequilibrium​
D)Heuristics​

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The term that applies to this observation is preparedness. Preparedness is the concept that some behaviors are more easily learned than others because they are already biologically prepared or "wired" into an organism through evolution. In this example, due to an evolutionary advantage, cats are biologically prepared to learn how to push or pull something to escape from a puzzle box, but scratching or licking themselves does not provide the same immediate advantage, and therefore is not as easily learned.

A Cat Easily Learns to Push or Pull Something to Escape