What term refers to the return of the pre-habituation response to a previously ignored stimulus?

The term that refers to the return of the pre-habituation response to a previously ignored stimulus is spontaneous recovery. This phenomenon occurs when an organism, after having habituated to a stimulus and no longer responding to it, suddenly shows responses to that stimulus again after a period of time without exposure.

Spontaneous recovery typically highlights that habituation is not a permanent change in behavior; rather, it can be temporarily undone, suggesting a degree of memory for the initial response to the stimulus. This concept is essential in understanding how learning and behavior can be influenced by prior experiences.

In contrast, reinstatement involves the return of a conditioned response after the subject has been exposed to an unconditioned stimulus, while reinforcement pertains to increasing the likelihood of a behavior through rewards or consequences. Responsive behavior is not a specific term recognized in this context related to habituation and recovery, thus making spontaneous recovery the most appropriate choice.