Which behavior is a consequence of instinctive drift according to conditioning theories?

Instinctive drift refers to the phenomenon where an animal, after undergoing operant conditioning, begins to revert to its innate behaviors or instincts that are more natural for them, rather than continuing with the learned behavior. This occurs because certain intrinsic behaviors are deeply rooted in an organism's biology and may override learned behaviors under specific circumstances.

The correct answer emphasizes that, despite the conditioning that has occurred, the animal may display behaviors that align more closely with their natural instincts. For instance, a raccoon trained to deposit coins into a box for food might revert to raccoon-specific behaviors such as washing or handling the coins, which were instinctual actions prior to the conditioning.

Understanding instinctive drift is crucial as it illustrates the limitations of how conditioning can sometimes be overridden by an animal's natural predispositions. This reversion can impact the effectiveness of training and conditioning in various contexts, particularly in animal training where innate behaviors compete with learned responses.