INBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Examination) Practice Exam

What is habituation?

1. Learning a new behavior through observation

2. A decrease in response due to repeated exposure to a stimulus

3. A form of positive reinforcement

4. Adapting to a stimulus by altering behavior

The correct answer is: A decrease in response due to repeated exposure to a stimulus

Habituation refers to a decrease in response that occurs when an individual is repeatedly exposed to a stimulus. This is a form of non-associative learning where the individual becomes less responsive to a stimulus after being exposed to it multiple times. This process allows organisms to filter out irrelevant stimuli and focus on important changes in their environment. Option A, learning a new behavior through observation, describes observational learning or social learning, which involves acquiring new behaviors or information through watching others. Option C, a form of positive reinforcement, is not an accurate description of habituation. Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a positive stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior occurring again. Option D, adapting to a stimulus by altering behavior, is a general description that could apply to various forms of learning and adaptation, not specifically habituation.