Spontaneous recovery in psychology refers to the reappearance of a conditioned response after a period of rest or lessened response. This phenomenon is observed in both classical and operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, spontaneous recovery occurs when the conditioned response reappears after the conditioned stimulus is presented again following a rest period, even after extinction. For example, a child who stops associating the sound of an ice cream truck with getting ice cream may suddenly become excited again when the truck returns after a few days of absence.
In operant conditioning, spontaneous recovery involves the sudden reappearance of a previously extinct behavior after the reinforcement has been removed for some time. This can be seen when a behavior that was previously extinguished reappears after a period of time without reinforcement.
Spontaneous recovery is an important concept in psychology as it helps to understand the persistence of learned behaviors and the potential for previously learned associations to reemerge under certain conditions. This phenomenon has been studied extensively and has implications for various areas of psychology, including memory, learning, and behavior modification.
In summary, spontaneous recovery in psychology refers to the unexpected reemergence of a previously extinct conditioned response, and it plays a significant role in understanding the complexities of learning and memory processes.
