In the sixth edition of Peter Gray’s widely used introductory textbook, Psychology , pages 108–109 typically fall within the chapter on . These pages bridge basic adaptive processes—habituation and sensitization—with the more complex paradigm of classical conditioning, setting the foundation for understanding how organisms learn from environmental regularities. Habituation: Learning to Ignore the Irrelevant Gray defines habituation as the simplest form of learning: a decreased behavioral response to a repeated, non-threatening stimulus. For example, if you live near train tracks, you initially startle at each passing train. After repeated exposure without adverse consequences, you stop noticing the sound. On pages 108–109, Gray emphasizes that habituation is not sensory fatigue or motor exhaustion—it is an active learning process where the brain filters out predictable stimuli to conserve attention for novel or significant events. Sensitization: The Opposite Pole In contrast, sensitization is an increased response to a stimulus, often following a strong or noxious event. Gray illustrates this with a startle reflex: after hearing a loud bang, you become more responsive to subsequent sounds. The sixth edition highlights that habituation and sensitization occur simultaneously in different neural pathways, and the net behavior depends on which process dominates. These two non-associative learning forms are critical for survival, allowing an organism to either tune out background noise or heighten alertness in threatening environments. Transition to Classical Conditioning Having established that organisms can learn to adjust responses to single stimuli, Gray then introduces classical conditioning as the next layer of complexity. Here, learning involves forming an association between two different stimuli. The classic example, drawn from Ivan Pavlov’s work, appears just after this section: a neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell) predicts a biologically significant stimulus (e.g., food), eventually eliciting a conditioned response (salivation).
Pages 108–109 thus serve as a conceptual bridge: from reflexive adjustments to single stimuli (habituation/sensitization) to anticipatory learning about relationships between events. Gray’s writing stresses that all these mechanisms—from the simplest to the most complex—operate automatically and are shared across many species, underscoring the evolutionary continuity of learning. Gray’s presentation on these pages is methodical. He first dismantles the misconception that all learning requires conscious effort. Habituation occurs without intent; sensitization heightens reflexes involuntarily. By mastering these foundational ideas, students are better prepared to understand why phobias (a form of classical conditioning) develop, why drug tolerance involves habituation, and how exposure therapy works—topics Gray develops later in the chapter. gray peter. psychology worth ny. 6th ed. pp 108-109
For instructors citing these pages, the key takeaway is that learning is not a single process but a family of mechanisms. Before Pavlov’s dogs learned to associate bell with food, they first had to habituate to the experimental chamber’s ambient sounds—a point Gray implicitly makes by sequencing these concepts as he does. For the exact text, figures (such as the habituation curve or the stimulus-response diagrams), and any inline definitions from the 6th edition, please consult a licensed copy of Gray, P. Psychology (6th ed.). Worth Publishers, 2002 (or the relevant printing year). Page numbering and content may vary slightly between printings, but pages 108–109 consistently cover the transition from non-associative learning to associative learning. In the sixth edition of Peter Gray’s widely
However, without the publication year or the chapter title, I cannot reproduce the exact content from those pages due to copyright protection. Instead, below is a that explains the typical psychological concepts found on pages 108–109 of Peter Gray’s Psychology (6th ed.), based on the book’s known structure and standard topical coverage at that page range in that edition. Understanding Core Learning Mechanisms: Classical Conditioning and Habituation Based on the pedagogical sequence of Gray, P. (6th ed.). Psychology . Worth Publishers, NY. pp. 108–109. For example, if you live near train tracks,