If a previously extinguished behavior suddenly reappears after a period of time, this is an example of what phenomenon?

The scenario describes the phenomenon known as spontaneous recovery. This occurs in classical conditioning when a previously extinguished behavior suddenly re-emerges after a period of time without any new reinforcement or conditioning. The original response may not have been completely eliminated during the extinction process; instead, it can return unexpectedly after a rest interval.

In this case, after the conditioning goal has lost its effectiveness, the creature might still harbor the learned behavior, and after a break, the original conditioned response reappears. This illustrates the idea that extinction does not mean forgetting the initial learning but rather a suppression of the learned response, which can resurface unexpectedly. This concept highlights the complexities of learning and memory in psychology, emphasizing that behaviors can persist beneath the surface even after they seem to have been eliminated.