Spontaneous Recovery

Spontaneous recovery is typically defined in relation to “habituation” or the learning to “not respond” to irrelevant environmental stimuli. Spontaneous recovery refers to the reemergence of a previously habituated response. The reappearance of a habituated response occurs following a period of time in which the eliciting stimulus is no longer presented. Spontaneous recovery is a defining characteristic of the “shortlasting” type of habituation in which the eliciting stimulus is presented frequently (i.e., every 5 seconds). If a long period of time (i.e., 24 hours) has elapsed since the last presentation of the eliciting stimulus, and the stimulus is presented once again, the previously habituated response will reoccur and with nearly the same response strength as demonstrated in the initial presentation. The concept of spontaneous ...