US High School Psychology Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The term for the gradual reduction in responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated exposure is habituation. This phenomenon occurs when an organism becomes accustomed to a stimulus, leading to a decreased reaction over time. For instance, if you live near a train station, the sound of trains passing may initially be very noticeable. However, after consistent exposure, you might hardly notice the sound anymore.

Habituation plays a significant role in how organisms adjust to their environments, allowing them to filter out irrelevant stimuli and focus on more important changes. This is essential for survival, as it helps individuals avoid being overwhelmed by constant distractions. In contrast to sensitization, which refers to an increased response to a stimulus, habituation reflects a decline in response. Desensitization involves the process of reducing sensitivity to a stimulus, often through repeated exposure, but it's not as specific as habituation. Classical conditioning is a learning process that involves creating associations between a stimulus and a response, which is different from the gradual decline in response described in habituation.