What concept refers to the idea that animals are predisposed to learn certain associations?

The concept of preparedness refers to the idea that animals are biologically predisposed to learn certain associations more rapidly and easily than others due to evolutionary influences. This notion asserts that specific pairings of stimuli are more significant and relevant to an animal's survival and reproduction, thus enhancing their ability to learn those associations.

For example, many animals easily develop phobias about dangerous and potentially life-threatening stimuli, such as snakes or heights, due to their evolutionary history, which provides a survival advantage. This contrasts with scenarios where they might not readily learn to associate benign stimuli, like a flower, with danger or discomfort.

In other contexts, while observational learning focuses on learning by observing others, cognitive maps pertain to the mental representations of physical spaces, and fixed-action patterns involve instinctive, stereotypical behaviors triggered by specific stimuli, they do not encapsulate the predisposition aspect tied to evolutionary adaptations like preparedness does.