Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow. And...

Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. The behavior of the lamb is best described as
(A) habituation
(B) imprinting
(C) operant conditioning
(D) classical conditioning
(E) fixed action pattern

Key Concepts

Imprinting

Imprinting is a type of rapid, irreversible learning that occurs during a specific sensitive period in an animal's early life. It involves forming an attachment to a particular stimulus, typically a parent or caretaker, and has significant implications for the animal's later behavior and social development.

Fixed Action Pattern

A fixed action pattern is an innate and stereotyped sequence of behaviors that is triggered by a specific stimulus, known as a sign stimulus. Once initiated, the behavior is executed to completion without further external guidance, reflecting a genetically programmed response.

Habituation

Habituation is a non-associative learning process where there is a progressive decrease in the behavioral response to a stimulus after repeated exposure. It illustrates how organisms learn to ignore stimuli that are irrelevant or harmless over time.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning is a form of learning where behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it. Through reinforcements or punishments, organisms learn to increase or decrease the frequency of particular behaviors, linking actions with outcomes.

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is an associative learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes meaningful after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally evokes a response. Over time, the neutral stimulus alone is able to elicit a similar response, demonstrating a learned connection.

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