Which of the following is true of Spence's theory as applied to the peakshift phenomenon?
A)It predicts the peak shift phenomenon will only occur when the excitatory and inhibitory generalization gradients overlap.
B)It predicts behavior based on the excitatory properties of a stimulus complex.
C)It assumes that responses to a stimulus are based on the relation of that stimulus to other cues in the situation.
D)It predicts that the shape of a generalization gradient will change as a function of the test stimuli.

Question

Which of the following is true of Spence's theory as applied to the peak­shift phenomenon?
A)It predicts the peak shift phenomenon will only occur when the excitatory and inhibitory generalization gradients overlap.
B)It predicts behavior based on the excitatory properties of a stimulus complex.
C)It assumes that responses to a stimulus are based on the relation of that stimulus to other cues in the situation.
D)It predicts that the shape of a generalization gradient will change as a function of the test stimuli.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Spence's theory predicts that the peak shift phenomenon will only occur when the excitatory and inhibitory generalization gradients overlap. This is because the peak shift occurs due to the increased sensitivity of the animal to the excitatory properties of the stimuli beyond the peak of the excitatory gradient, which is inhibited by the presence of the inhibitory gradient.

Which of the Following Is True of Spence's Theory as Applied