Shortly after eating a piece of his great aunt's famous coconut cake, which he has had many times, Amad became very nauseous. Now, whenever his great aunt offers him a piece of cake, Amad quickly declines. Which of the following concepts best explains Amad's change in behavior?

• A. Vicarious conditioning
• B. Conditioned taste aversion
• C. Extinction
• D. Stimulus discrimination

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key elements of the scenario: Amad ate a piece of cake, felt nauseous, and now avoids the cake.
2. Understand that this scenario involves a learned response to a specific stimulus (the cake) after a negative experience (nausea).
3. Recognize that 'Conditioned taste aversion' is a concept where an individual associates the taste of a certain food with a negative reaction, leading to avoidance of that food.
4. Differentiate 'Conditioned taste aversion' from other concepts: 'Vicarious conditioning' involves learning through observation, 'Extinction' involves the weakening of a conditioned response, and 'Stimulus discrimination' involves distinguishing between different stimuli.
5. Conclude that Amad's behavior is best explained by 'Conditioned taste aversion' because he developed an aversion to the cake after associating it with feeling nauseous.