George routinely comes home from work and has multiple alcoholic drinks, but rarely feels their effect. However on rare occasions, George will go to a bar with his friends. On these nights one drink is enough to get George buzzed. What concept best explains this discrepancy?
A) positive reinforcement
B) habituation
C) associative learning
D) generalization

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The discrepancy in George's response to alcohol can be explained by habituation, which occurs when repeated exposure to a stimulus leads to a decrease in response. George has likely developed a tolerance to alcohol from regularly consuming multiple drinks at home, but the new environment and social context of going out with friends disrupts his habituation and leads to a stronger response to a smaller amount of alcohol. The other options, positive reinforcement, associative learning, and generalization, do not adequately explain this pattern of behavior.

George Routinely Comes Home from Work and Has Multiple Alcoholic