Habituation
Definition
Habituation in classical conditioning refers to a decrease in response to a repeated, unchanging stimulus over time. When an organism is exposed to the same stimulus repeatedly without any significant changes or additional consequences, its reaction to that stimulus diminishes. This process helps organisms conserve energy and focus on more relevant stimuli in their environment.
Example
You live near a train track, and every day a train passes by at the same time, making a loud noise. Initially, this noise might startle you, causing you to look out the window or feel uneasy. However, after several days of the train passing by without any unexpected events, you no longer react. You might no longer notice the noise, or it doesn’t cause the same level of disturbance as before. This is an example of habituation. You’ve become "used to" the stimulus and no longer respond strongly to it.
Why It Matters
Habituation is important because it allows organisms to filter out irrelevant stimuli and focus on what matters most for survival, learning, and daily functioning. By ignoring constant or unchanging stimuli, organisms can conserve energy and mental resources, which they can then allocate to detecting and responding to more significant changes in their environment. Without habituation, we would be overwhelmed by every stimulus around us, making it difficult to adapt and respond effectively to new or meaningful situations.