PSYC*2330 Chapter 2: Elicited Behaviour, Habituation, and Sensitization

Question 1

What is a reflex?

Answer 1

A close relation between a stimulus and a response mediated by a neural circuit

Question 2

What is the simplest elicited behaviour?

Answer 2

A reflex

Question 3

Descartes’ belief that sensory inputs and motor outputs used the same nerves was disproven by which finding?

Answer 3

If sensory input was cut, motor output remains and if motor output was cut, sensory input remains

Question 4

Descartes’ belief that reflexes were mediated by animal spirits released by the pineal gland was disproven by which finding?

Answer 4

That nerves can function independently of brain input

Question 5

Descartes’ belief that animal spirits enlarge muscles for contraction was disproven by which finding?

Answer 5

That gasses do not expand muscle size (a contracted muscle has the same volume as a relaxed muscle)

Question 6

T or F: Simple reflexes cannot be influenced by higher nervous system activity

Answer 6

False

Question 7

T or F: Stimuli always elicit reflexes.

Answer 7

False. Almost always, but not every time.

Question 8

Does the vigour of a response necessarily reflect the intensity of the releasing stimulus?

Answer 8

No

Question 9

T or F: A stimulus can release the inhibition of a response.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

T or F: All reflexes are innate.

Answer 10

False. New reflexes can be learned through associations.

Question 11

T or F: Responses to stimuli can change as a result of experience.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

What represents the fewest neural connections necessary for a reflex action?

Answer 12

The reflex arc

Question 13

What three neurons form the reflex arc?

Answer 13

• Sensory neurons
• Interneurons
• Motor neurons

Question 14

What are sensory neurons also referred to as?

Answer 14

Afferent neurons

Question 15

What are motor neurons also referred to as?

Answer 15

Efferent neurons

Question 16

What are modal/fixed action patterns?

Answer 16

Complex patterns of behaviour shared between members of a species

Question 17

Are modal action patterns instinctual or learned?

Answer 17

Instinctual

Question 18

T or F: Modal action patterns can be very complex and occur over an extended period of time.

Answer 18

True

Question 19

What is a sign stimulus?

Answer 19

A specific feature of an object or animal that elicits a modal action pattern

Question 20

What is a supernormal stimulus?

Answer 20

An exaggerated sign stimulus

Question 21

What did William James propose about the psychology of instincts?

Answer 21

Instincts can be overridden by experience and each other, as many instincts are already in conflict

Question 22

How do the principles of psychology and biology define instincts differently?

Answer 22

• Psychology: Instincts are motivators of behaviour
• Biology: Instincts are behaviours

Question 23

In chicks, the tectofugal pathway is essential for what?

Answer 23

The recognition of colours, shapes, and the motions of objects

Question 24

In chicks, the thalamofugal pathway is important for what?

Answer 24

Visual learning

Question 25

What are appetitive behaviours?

Answer 25

Searching behaviours that serve to bring an organism into contact with a sign stimulus

Question 26

T or F: Appetitive behaviours are not flexible.

Answer 26

False

Question 27

What are consummatory behaviours?

Answer 27

Behaviours that serve to bring about consummation or completion (usually modal action patterns)

Question 28

T or F: Distinct brain areas manage appetitive and consummatory behaviour.

Answer 28

True

Question 29

T or F: Instincts can be appetitive or consummatory.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

Which two processes can be triggered by repeated stimulation?

Answer 30

- Habituation - Sensitization

Question 31

What is habituation?

Answer 31

A decrease in an elicited behaviour due to repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus

Question 32

T or F: Habituation is both stimulus and response specific.

Answer 32

True

Question 33

What is a variable that influences the rate of habituation?

Answer 33

Attention to the stimulus

Question 34

What is dishabituation?

Answer 34

The restoration of a habituated response to full strength

Question 35

Does a dishabituating stimulus need to elicit a response itself in order to change the habituated response back to normal?

Answer 35

No

Question 36

In terms of habituation to visual stimuli in infants, did habituation occur faster to complex or simple stimuli?

Answer 36

Habituation occurred faster to simpler stimuli

Question 37

When presented with complex stimuli, what was the pattern of habituation showed by infants?

Answer 37

They had an initial increase in attention followed by slower habituation

Question 38

When habituated to simple stimuli, do babies became dishabituated after being presented with more complex stimuli or less complex stimuli?

Answer 38

More complex stimuli, but not less complex stimuli, caused dishabituation

Question 39

What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 39

the return of responding to baseline levels produced by a period of rest after habituation or sensitization

Question 40

What are two ways in which dishabituation can occur?

Answer 40

- Novelty of the stimulus - Delay in receiving stimulus

Question 41

What long-term habituation?

Answer 41

Habituation that occurs when stimuli are presented widely spaced in time

Question 42

What is short-term habituation?

Answer 42

Habituation that occurs when stimuli are presented very closely in time

Question 43

Do repeated presentations of a stimulus always result in both long-term and short-term habituation?

Answer 43

No

Question 44

In terms of spontaneous recovery, how do long-term and short-term habituation differ?

Answer 44

- Long-term: Responses can be restored to some extent, but spontaneous recovery is never complete - Short-term: Spontaneous recovery occurs following a period without stimulation

Question 45

What is sensitization?

Answer 45

An increase in an elicited behaviour due to repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus or from exposure to a strong extraneous stimulus

Question 46

What is sensory adaptation?

Answer 46

A temporary reduction in the sensitivity of sense organs caused by repeated or excessive stimulation

Question 47

What is response fatigue?

Answer 47

When a reflex does not occur due to fatigue causing incapacitation of effector muscles

Question 48

What is the main way in which sensory adaptation and response fatigue differ from habituation?

Answer 48

- Sensory adaptation and response fatigue: Occur outside the nervous system in sense organs and receptors - Habituation: Process occurs within nervous system

Question 49

In terms of attention, why are habituation and sensitization particularly useful?

Answer 49

They facilitate the direction of attention toward stimuli that are presumably more important in certain scenarios

Question 50

T or F: Regardless of their intrinsic meaning, threatening cues prompt somatic and autonomic reactions of defence.

Answer 50

True

Question 51

T or F: Fear does not sensitize the startle response.

Answer 51

False

Question 52

Which theory assumes that different types of underlying neural processes are responsible for increases and decreases in responsiveness to stimulation?

Answer 52

The dual-process theory

Question 53

T or F: According to the dual-process theory, habituation and sensitization are mutually exclusive.

Answer 53

False

Question 54

According to the dual-process theory, habituation and sensitization are the result of what?

Answer 54

The sum of both habituation and sensitization processes

Question 55

What is the stimulus-response system?

Answer 55

The shortest neural pathway that connects eliciting stimuli and elicited responses (can be viewed as the reflex arc)

Question 56

T or F: Each eliciting stimulus activates the S-R system and causes a build-up of habituation.

Answer 56

True

Question 57

Where is habituation assumed to occur?

Answer 57

The stimulus-response system

Question 58

What is the state system?

Answer 58

Neural structures that determine the general level of responsiveness/arousal of the organism

Question 59

Where is sensitization thought to occur?

Answer 59

The state system

Question 60

In terms of their activation, how do the stimulus-response system and state system differ?

Answer 60

- S-R system: Activated with every eliciting stimulus - State system: Only activated by arousing events

Question 61

When tested with quiet background noise, did rats habituate or sensitize their startle response?

Answer 61

Quiet background noise habituated startle response

Question 62

When tested with loud background noise, did rats habituate or sensitize their startle response?

Answer 62

Loud background noise sensitized the startle response

Question 63

What is the opponent process theory of motivation?

Answer 63

The assumption that the mechanisms involved in emotional behaviour serve to maintain emotional stability

Question 64

What are the three characteristics of emotional reactions at the core of the opponent process theory of motivation?

Answer 64

- Emotional reactions are biphasic - The primary reaction becomes weaker/ habituates with repeated stimulation - The weakening of the primary reaction is accompanied by the strengthening of the after-reaction

Question 65

Which process in the opponent process theory is elicited by a biologically significant stimulus?

Answer 65

The primary process/ a process

Question 66

What is the opponent process/ b process?

Answer 66

A compensatory mechanism that occurs in response to the primary process

Question 67

T or F: The opponent process causes changes opposite of those caused by the primary process.

Answer 67

True

Question 68

According to the dual-process and opponent-process theories, do effects always reflect the combined processes that caused them?

Answer 68

Not necessarily

Question 69

T or F: When a stimulus is first presented, the a process occurs unopposed by the b process, allowing the reaction to reach its peak.

Answer 69

True

Question 70

What happens when an initial stimulus is withdrawn and the a process returns to baseline?

Answer 70

There is nothing to oppose the b process, so its opponent effect becomes evident

Question 71

How does the opponent process theory explain why familiar stimuli don't elicit strong reactions when presented, but have much stronger after-reactions when removed?

Answer 71

The theory assumes that the b process becomes strengthened with repeated use

Question 72

What happens when the mantle or siphon of an aplysia is touched?

Answer 72

A reflexive withdrawal response is elicited

Question 73

How is the fact that habituation is stimulus specific demonstrated using aplysias?

Answer 73

Repeatedly touching the siphon has no effect on the gill reflex elicited by touching the mantle, and vice versa

Question 74

Does a slight shock to the tail of an aplysia enhance the gill reflex in response to touching the mantle. siphon, or both?

Answer 74

Both

Question 75

What is the physiology behind habituation?

Answer 75

Repeated stimulation inactivates some Ca2+ channels which reduces the amount of Ca2+ entering the cell, resulting in less transmitter being released and a weaker response

Question 76

What is the physiology behind sensitization?

Answer 76

Sensitization engages the interneurons, which causes increased neurotransmitter release and a stronger response

Question 77

What is the physiological consequence of long-term habituation?

Answer 77

Reduced synaptic connections

Question 78

What is the physiological consequence of long-term sensitization?

Answer 78

Increased synaptic connections

Question 79

T or F: Habituation and sensitization are limited in their capacity to predict outcomes.

Answer 79

True