Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of habituation?

The correct answer is that heightened sensitivity to familiar stimuli is not a characteristic of habituation. Habituation is a psychological phenomenon where an organism's response to a stimulus decreases after repeated exposure. This means that as one becomes accustomed to a specific stimulus, they become less responsive to it over time, not more sensitive.

Increased focus on new stimuli, a decline in response to a repeated stimulus, and adjustment to a stimulus over time are all essential features of habituation. When an organism encounters a familiar stimulus repeatedly, they often divert their attention to new or different stimuli, reinforcing the idea that habituation results in diminished reaction to what is already known or frequently experienced. Thus, heightened sensitivity in this context contradicts the fundamental concept of habituation, which is about adapting to and becoming less responsive to familiar stimuli.