The Jones family has had their dog, Sadie, since she was a puppy. Sadie was raised in the home, which has a letter carrier visit at the same time every day. Though Sadie used to bark and scratch the door when the letter carrier dropped off packages, now she doesn't even wake up from her nap when the letter carrier comes. Sadie is demonstrating a learned behavior that she acquired through what method?

Question 1 options:

A)

Imprinting

B)

Habituation

C)

Mimicry

D)

Trial-and-error

1 answer

Sadie's behavior can best be described as B) Habituation.

Habituation is a form of learning in which an organism decreases or ceases its response to a stimulus after repeated exposure. In this case, Sadie initially reacted to the letter carrier by barking and scratching at the door, but over time she has learned that the letter carrier's presence does not pose a threat or require a response, resulting in her now ignoring the visit altogether.