What is the term for a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure?

The term that refers to a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure is habituation. Habituation is a fundamental form of learning seen across many species, where an organism becomes less responsive to a stimulus that is presented multiple times without any change or significant consequence. This process allows individuals to conserve energy and focus on more novel or important stimuli in their environment, making it an adaptive mechanism.

For example, if a person moves to a new apartment next to a train track, they might initially be disturbed by the sound of the trains. However, over time, as they continue to hear the same noise without any negative consequences, they begin to notice it less and less, illustrating habituation.

The other options do not accurately describe this concept. Desensitization typically refers to a therapeutic technique used to reduce emotional response—often used in the context of anxiety therapies rather than a general decrease in responsiveness. Conditioning involves learning through associations, where a response to a stimulus is established through reinforcement or punishment. Generalization refers to the tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to one conditioned stimulus instead of a decline in response to repeated exposure. Thus, habituation specifically captures the essence of diminished responses through repeated experiences with the same stimulus.