Habituation is Believed to Be an Adaptive Process Because It

Question

Habituation is believed to be an adaptive process because it
A) conserves energy levels so that responses to repetitive stimuli can be made more quickly.
B) keeps the individual calm and relaxed so it is less easily distracted.
C) leads to a state in which the animal is more readily operantly conditioned.
D) saves the individual time and energy, without diminishing its responsiveness to important stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Habituation allows an organism to disregard repetitive, inconsequential stimuli, thereby conserving energy and attention for novel or significant environmental changes. This process does not necessarily make responses quicker (A), keep an individual calm (B), or directly facilitate operant conditioning (C), but it does help in efficiently allocating resources to respond to important stimuli.