What is an example of stimulus generalization in the context of crossing the street?

What is an example of stimulus generalization in the context of crossing the street?

• A. Only crossing when the light is green
• B. Ignoring other signals to cross
• C. Crossing the street when a crossing guard instructs him to
• D. Waiting for the teacher to say it's okay to cross

Answer: (C)

In the context of stimulus generalization, option C illustrates this concept effectively because it demonstrates how an individual learns to respond to similar stimuli in the same way. In this case, crossing the street when a crossing guard instructs is a behavior that generalizes across different situations. The individual has learned to associate the presence of a crossing guard—who serves as a specific cue or stimulus—for safe crossing. Thus, if they are able to understand that following instructions given by authority figures (like a crossing guard) means they can cross safely even if the exact context changes (like different guards or settings), this demonstrates the principle of stimulus generalization. The other scenarios do not exemplify stimulus generalization. Only crossing when the light is green reflects a specific condition that does not extend beyond that particular stimulus. Ignoring other signals to cross indicates a lack of response to multiple cues and does not demonstrate learning across different stimuli. Waiting for the teacher to say it's okay to cross is a behavior based on a specific authority figure and does not generalize to other similar contexts where different signals or cues could be present.

In the context of stimulus generalization, option C illustrates this concept effectively because it demonstrates how an individual learns to respond to similar stimuli in the same way. In this case, crossing the street when a crossing guard instructs is a behavior that generalizes across different situations. The individual has learned to associate the presence of a crossing guard—who serves as a specific cue or stimulus—for safe crossing. Thus, if they are able to understand that following instructions given by authority figures (like a crossing guard) means they can cross safely even if the exact context changes (like different guards or settings), this demonstrates the principle of stimulus generalization.

The other scenarios do not exemplify stimulus generalization. Only crossing when the light is green reflects a specific condition that does not extend beyond that particular stimulus. Ignoring other signals to cross indicates a lack of response to multiple cues and does not demonstrate learning across different stimuli. Waiting for the teacher to say it's okay to cross is a behavior based on a specific authority figure and does not generalize to other similar contexts where different signals or cues could be present.