In stimulus discrimination training, what is being developed?

In stimulus discrimination training, the focus is on developing the ability to recognize differences in stimuli. This type of training involves presenting an individual with two or more distinct stimuli, with the aim of reinforcing specific responses to one stimulus while not reinforcing responses to others. By doing so, the individual learns to differentiate between the stimuli based on their unique characteristics, and as a result, they fine-tune their responses according to the specific cues available in their environment.

This process is essential for various learning contexts, as it helps in understanding how to react appropriately to different situations. In contrast, the other options involve concepts that do not align with the primary goal of stimulus discrimination. For instance, generating multiple responses for a single prompt may lead to confusion rather than clarity about the distinctions between stimuli. Generalizing stimuli across contexts involves applying learned responses to different but similar situations, which is the opposite of focusing on the specifics of discrimination. Avoiding inappropriate responses relates to response management rather than the learning process of distinguishing stimuli. Thus, recognizing differences in stimuli is the key objective of stimulus discrimination training.