Which phenomenon involves the previously learned fear reappearing after a period with no fear?

Which phenomenon involves the previously learned fear reappearing after a period with no fear?

• A. Contingency
• B. Generalization
• C. Reinforcement
• D. Spontaneous recovery

Answer: (D)

Spontaneous recovery refers to the fear response coming back after a break, even though it was extinguished earlier. During extinction, the conditioned stimulus is shown without the frightening outcome, and the fear response diminishes. After some time has passed, presenting the same cue can cause the response to reappear, though it’s usually not as strong as at the start. This shows that the original fear memory is not erased; it’s just hidden and can briefly resurface. In contrast, generalization would mean the dog fears similar cues, not the exact one; contingency is about the cue predicting the outcome; reinforcement is about rewards strengthening a behavior.

Spontaneous recovery refers to the fear response coming back after a break, even though it was extinguished earlier. During extinction, the conditioned stimulus is shown without the frightening outcome, and the fear response diminishes. After some time has passed, presenting the same cue can cause the response to reappear, though it’s usually not as strong as at the start. This shows that the original fear memory is not erased; it’s just hidden and can briefly resurface.

In contrast, generalization would mean the dog fears similar cues, not the exact one; contingency is about the cue predicting the outcome; reinforcement is about rewards strengthening a behavior.