Which process is the reappearance of a conditioned response after extinction?

• A. Extinction
• B. Spontaneous recovery
• C. Habituation
• D. Reconditioning

Answer: (B)

Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a conditioned response after extinction. In classical conditioning, extinction happens when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus repeatedly, and the learned response fades. But this fade doesn’t erase the memory of the association; after a rest period, presenting the conditioned stimulus can briefly trigger the conditioned response again. The recovered response is usually weaker and may fade again with further nonreinforced trials. For example, a dog that once salivated to a bell after learning paired food may briefly salivate again to the bell after a break, even though extinction had reduced that response earlier. Habituation is a different process involving decreased response to a repeated non-threatening stimulus, extinction is the fading during training, and reconditioning would be relearning the association after extinction.