Dishabituation

Definition:

Dishabituation refers to the process in which a previously habituated organism resumes responding to a stimulus after a novel or significant event occurs.

Explanation:

Dishabituation is a phenomenon observed in psychology and neuroscience that involves the restoration of an attenuated response to a stimulus following the introduction of a new or meaningful stimulus. It occurs when a stimulus that has become familiar and has lost its significance suddenly becomes salient again, resulting in renewed attention and responsiveness.

Example:

For example, suppose a person is habituated to the sound of a ticking clock in a quiet room. Over time, the ticking sound may fade into the background and lose its perceived importance. However, if a sudden loud noise disrupts the quiet environment, the person may experience dishabituation. The ticking sound, which was once negligible, now becomes noticeable again as the novel stimulus captured their attention.

Importance:

Dishabituation plays a critical role in perception and learning as it allows organisms to adapt and respond to changes in their environment. By restoring the responsiveness to a previously habituated stimulus, dishabituation helps in the detection of novel or significant events, promoting survival and facilitating cognitive processing.