When a parent suddenly turns toward the baby crying in the other room while talking through the telephone, ____ has occurred.
A) sensory reduction
B) habituation
C) the orienting reflex
D) classical conditioning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The orienting reflex is an automatic behavior that redirects attention to a new or significant stimulus, such as the sudden sound of a crying baby. In this scenario, the parent's attention is shifted from their phone conversation to the crying baby, which demonstrates the orienting reflex. Sensory reduction and habituation both refer to a decrease in response to a repeated stimulus, which is not applicable in this scenario. Classical conditioning involves learning associations between stimuli and responses, which is also not applicable in this scenario as there is no evidence of a conditioned response.

When a Parent Suddenly Turns Toward the Baby Crying in the Other