Which two principles of conditioning support learning and adaptability in organisms?

The correct choice highlights the concepts of stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination as key principles of conditioning that support learning and adaptability in organisms.

Stimulus generalization occurs when an organism responds similarly to different but related stimuli. This phenomenon enables organisms to apply previous learning to new situations or stimuli that are similar, thus enhancing their ability to adapt to varying environments. For example, a dog that has been conditioned to respond to a bell may also respond to a similar sound due to generalization. This ability to generalize experiences helps organisms utilize past learning to navigate new challenges effectively.

On the other hand, stimulus discrimination allows an organism to distinguish between different stimuli, enabling it to respond appropriately to specific cues while ignoring others. This principle is crucial for learning precise responses in varying circumstances. For instance, if an animal learns to salivate to a specific bell sound but not to other unrelated sounds, it demonstrates discrimination. This helps the organism adapt by focusing on important stimuli while filtering out irrelevant ones, which is essential for survival.

Together, these two principles—generalization and discrimination—are fundamental in understanding how organisms learn from their environment and adapt their behaviors accordingly.