Meeta has overcome her fear of toy-snakes. However on one occasion her fear returned when she found toy-snake on her bed. Such return of fear can be termed as:

Question

Accepted Answer

Option 3, "Spontaneous Recovery," is the correct answer for the scenario described in the question. Here's a detailed explanation of why this is the case, along with reasons why the other options are incorrect:

1. **Spontaneous Recovery (Correct Answer):**
   - Spontaneous recovery refers to the sudden reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus. In Meeta's case, her fear of toy-snakes had been overcome, indicating that the conditioned response (fear) had been extinguished. However, when she unexpectedly encountered a toy-snake on her bed, her fear returned. This is a classic example of spontaneous recovery, where the conditioned response (fear) re-emerges after a period of non-exposure to the stimulus (toy-snake).

2. **Stimulus Generalization (Incorrect):**
   - Stimulus generalization occurs when a conditioned response is triggered by stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus. If Meeta had generalized her fear to other similar objects, such as ropes or hoses, this would be an example of stimulus generalization. However, the question specifically mentions her fear returning upon seeing a toy-snake, not similar objects, so this option is not applicable.

3. **Stimulus Discrimination (Incorrect):**
   - Stimulus discrimination is the ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond only to the specific conditioned stimulus. If Meeta had learned to fear only a specific type of toy-snake and not others, this would be an example of stimulus discrimination. However, the scenario describes a return of fear to the same type of stimulus (toy-snake) she had previously feared, not a differentiation between stimuli, making this option incorrect.

4. **Extinction (Incorrect):**
   - Extinction is the process through which a conditioned response is weakened or eliminated when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus. In Meeta's case, her fear had already been extinguished, as she had overcome it. The question describes a return of fear, not the process of extinction itself. Therefore, this option does not fit the scenario.

In summary, the return of Meeta's fear upon encountering a toy-snake after having overcome it is best explained by spontaneous recovery, as it involves the reappearance of a previously extinguished response. This supports Option 3 as the correct answer.