What term describes when a learner responds correctly only in the presence of certain conditions or stimuli?

The term that describes when a learner responds correctly only in the presence of certain conditions or stimuli is conditional discrimination. This concept refers to the learner's ability to distinguish between different stimuli and respond appropriately based on specific cues or contexts. For example, if a child learns to say "dog" only when they see a dog in a park but does not say "dog" when seeing a dog in a book, they are displaying conditional discrimination. The ability to respond correctly is conditional upon the presence of certain stimuli, indicating that the learner recognizes and differentiates the relevant features in the environment.

In contrast, the other terms do not encapsulate this specific behavior. Contextual learning refers to acquiring knowledge in context but does not specifically address behavioral responses tied to certain stimuli. Stimulus dependent learning implies reliance on stimuli but lacks the discriminative aspect emphasized by conditional discrimination. Selective responsiveness suggests a tendency to respond only to certain stimuli without the nuanced understanding of the conditions under which this occurs, which is central to the concept of conditional discrimination.