Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience, are called what?

• A. Conditioning
• B. Maturation
• C. Learning
• D. Socialization

Answer: (B)

Maturation refers to biological growth processes that produce orderly changes in behavior that unfold largely on a genetic timetable. These developmental steps happen as the organism ages and aren’t driven by specific experiences, even though the exact timing can be influenced by factors like nutrition or health. Think about how infants typically reach milestones in a predictable order—head control to sitting to standing to walking—or how puberty brings a standard sequence of biological changes. That pattern is what maturation captures: a biologically programmed progression that shapes behavior over time.

This differs from conditioning or learning, where changes in behavior arise from experiences, reinforcements, or associations. It also differs from socialization, which involves adopting the norms and behaviors of a culture through interaction—something driven more by environment and social context than by biological growth alone.