A salmon returns to its home stream to spawn. What term best applies to this behavior?
A) sign stimulus
B) cognition
C) imprinting
D) classical conditioning
E) operant conditioning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior of a salmon returning to its home stream to spawn is an example of imprinting, which is the learning that occurs during a critical period early in an animal's life and results in a strong association between a specific stimulus and a behavior. In this case, the salmon's critical period occurs when it returns to its natal stream during its reproductive cycle, and it becomes imprinted on that stream as its home location.

A Salmon Returns to Its Home Stream to Spawn