A child shows fear when sitting in a dentist's chair, but does not become frightened when he is placed in the similar-looking barber's chair. Regarding the two chairs, this child is exhibiting
A)stimulus generalization.
B)a spontaneous recovery.
C)stimulus discrimination.
D)vicarious conditioning.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child is exhibiting stimulus discrimination because he is able to distinguish between the dentist's chair, which he associates with fear, and the barber's chair, which does not elicit the same fearful response. This indicates an ability to differentiate between stimuli that are similar but have different meanings or consequences.

A Child Shows Fear When Sitting in a Dentist's Chair