Spontaneous Recovery
Definition
Spontaneous recovery refers to a phenomenon in classical conditioning where a conditioned response (a learned reaction) that has been extinguished temporarily reappears after a period of time without any additional learning or reinforcement. It demonstrates that even though the response may seem to disappear, it is not completely forgotten but rather stored in memory and can resurface under certain conditions.
Example
You have a cat named Whiskers who used to associate the sound of a can opener with getting food. Every time you opened a can, Whiskers would run to the kitchen expecting a meal. However, after several days of opening the can without feeding her, she eventually stopped coming to the kitchen when she heard the can opener (extinction). One day, weeks later, you open the can again, and much to your surprise, Whiskers suddenly appears at the kitchen door, anticipating food. This unexpected reappearance of the conditioned response is an example of spontaneous recovery.
Why it Matters
Spontaneous recovery matters because it highlights the persistence of learning and memory in classical conditioning. It shows that even though a conditioned response may seem to disappear through extinction, it can still resurface later without any new training or reinforcement. This phenomenon has important implications for understanding human behavior, such as why certain fears or phobias might reoccur after they seemed to be resolved. It also underscores the importance of addressing underlying associations when treating behavioral issues, as simply extinguishing a response may not lead to permanent change.