Which of these is an example of a reflex rather than a learned behaviour?
AA toddler learning to walk without any support
BA newborn sucking when a nipple touches its mouth
CA child riding a bicycle along a quiet street
DA teenager socialising with friends at the school
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. A newborn sucking when a nipple touches its mouth
1. A reflex is an unlearned, automatic motor or neural reaction to a specific stimulus.
2. Reflexes are present without any experience; the chapter names the sucking reflex as present in every healthy human baby at birth.
3. Walking, cycling and socialising all develop through practice and experience, so all three are learned.
4. The newborn's sucking is therefore the only reflex in the list.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 "Learning", §6.1 What Is Learning?_
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