Question

which dog is demonstrating stimulus discrimination in the following scenarios?
a princess used to sit on command, but since her owner stopped giving her a treat for it, she no longer does.

b chug, a fearful dog after growing up without a home, gradually became more trusting of people after being exposed to them. then, chug suddenly returns to his fearful behavior.

c cookie cowers when she hears the pop of fireworks, but not when she hears the pop of lightning.

d brodie associates the sound of the doorbell with guests and excitedly goes to the door when he hears it, but he also does so when he hears a game show contestant ring a bell to answer a question.

Explanation:

• Option A: This is extinction (behavior stops due to removed reinforcement), not stimulus discrimination.
• Option B: This describes a behavior regression, not discrimination between stimuli.
• Option C: Stimulus discrimination is responding differently to similar stimuli. Cookie responds to fireworks pop (cowers) but not lightning pop, showing discrimination between the two similar "pop" stimuli.
• Option D: This is stimulus generalization (responding similarly to similar stimuli), not discrimination.

Answer:

C. Cookie cowers when she hears the pop of fireworks, but not when she hears the pop of lightning.