Question 1

When Keller and Marian Breland, two psychologists who became animal trainers, decided that it would be cute to have a pig drop a big wooden coin into a box, they found that:
A) food was not an effective reinforcer for the pig and so learning didn't occur.
B) when given edible roots as reinforcers, the pig learned the task in fewer than 10 trials.
C) the pig was difficult to train because it kept dropping the coin, rooting, and throwing the coin in the air.
D) the pig showed intrinsic interest in the task and so reinforcement was unnecessary.

Accepted Answer

The pig displayed a behavior known as instinctual drift, where it reverted to its natural rooting behavior despite being trained to perform a different task, hence the difficulty in training as it kept dropping the coin, rooting, and throwing the coin in the air.

Question 2

Negative reinforcement is best thought of as:
A) reinforcement for an undesirable activity.
B) punishment.
C) something that was predicted to serve as reinforcement but did not do so.
D) stimuli whose termination or removal increases the behavior that precedes it.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement involves the removal or termination of a stimulus to increase the behavior that preceded it. This is different from punishment, which involves the presentation of an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior. Option A is incorrect because negative reinforcement does not reinforce an undesirable behavior; it reinforces a desirable behavior by removing an aversive stimulus. Option C is incorrect because if something was predicted to serve as reinforcement but did not do so, it would not be considered reinforcement at all.

Question 3

Which of the following is a primary reinforcer?
A) food
B) money
C) pain
D) gold stars

Accepted Answer

A primary reinforcer is a reward or stimulus that meets a basic physiological need, such as food, water, or warmth. Out of the given options, only food meets this criteria as a primary reinforcer. Money and gold stars are secondary reinforcers, as their value and significance are learned through association and conditioning. Pain is an aversive stimulus, which is the opposite of a reinforcer.

Question 4

Which of the following is a secondary reinforcer?
A) food
B) pain
C) criticism
D) applause

Accepted Answer

Applause is a secondary reinforcer because it has no inherent value, but is associated with a primary reinforcer (such as praise or social acceptance) and therefore acquires reinforcing properties through that association.

Question 5

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.
A) stimulus distinction
B) extinction
C) spontaneous recovery
D) stimulus generalization

Accepted Answer

Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus, leading to a decrease or eventual extinction of the conditioned response. Choice A (stimulus distinction) refers to the ability to distinguish between similar stimuli, Choice C (spontaneous recovery) refers to the reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response, and Choice D (stimulus generalization) refers to the tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Question 6

In classical conditioning, when the conditioned response is extinguished, but reappears later, the reappearance of the response is called:
A) higher-order conditioning.
B) instinctive drift.
C) spontaneous recovery.
D) stimulus generalization.

Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of the conditioned response after a period of extinction. It is called spontaneous recovery because the response returns without any additional conditioning trials. Choice A and D are incorrect because they describe different concepts in classical conditioning. Higher-order conditioning occurs when a new neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus to create a new conditioned stimulus, while stimulus generalization occurs when stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus also elicit the conditioned response. Choice B is incorrect because it refers to a phenomenon observed in operant conditioning where an animal's genetically programmed behaviors (instincts) interfere with learned behaviors.

Question 7

Phil wants to train his parrot to kick a ball into a soccer net. Which of the following should he do?
A) Wait until the parrot kicks the ball into the net on its own and then give it a food treat.
B) Use negative punishment until the parrot kicks the ball into the net.
C) Begin by reinforcing when the parrot goes near the ball.
D) Use positive punishment until the parrot kicks the ball into the net.

Accepted Answer

The best choice for Phil would be to begin by reinforcing when the parrot goes near the ball. This is because it is a good starting point in shaping the behavior of kicking the ball into the net. Once the parrot is comfortable being near the ball, Phil can start to reinforce movements towards the ball, then touching the ball, and finally kicking the ball into the net. Using punishment (positive or negative) is not recommended as it can cause fear or anxiety in the parrot, making it less likely to want to learn or perform the behavior.

Question 8

Ivan Pavlov studied the reflexive flow of saliva in dogs. He used meat powder or other food to trigger the salivation. In this instance, the meat powder was the ________.
A) conditioned stimulus
B) unconditioned stimulus
C) conditioned response
D) unconditioned response

Accepted Answer

Ivan Pavlov used meat powder as an unconditioned stimulus to trigger the unconditioned response of salivation in dogs. Later, he used a neutral stimulus (such as a bell) paired with the meat powder to create a conditioned response of salivation to the sound of the bell. Therefore, in the context of this question, the meat powder is the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 9

For classical conditioning to be most effective, the stimulus to be conditioned should:
A) precede the unconditioned stimulus.
B) occur simultaneously with the unconditioned stimulus.
C) follow the unconditioned stimulus.
D) be of greater intensity than the unconditioned stimulus.

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, the conditioned stimulus (the stimulus being conditioned) should precede the unconditioned stimulus (the stimulus that naturally elicits a response). This creates an association between the two stimuli, leading to a conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus alone. If the conditioned stimulus follows the unconditioned stimulus, there is no association formed between the two stimuli. The intensity of the stimuli is not as important as their timing in classical conditioning.

Question 10

________ is an operant-conditioning procedure in which successive approximations of a desired response are reinforced.
A) Shaping
B) Latent learning
C) Stimulus generalization
D) Stimulus discrimination

Accepted Answer

Shaping is an operant-conditioning procedure where smaller steps towards a desired behavior are reinforced until the desired behavior is obtained. This process involves reinforcing “successive approximations” of the desired behavior, and gradually adjusting those criteria so that closer approximations are required to obtain the reinforcement.

Question 11

What must be paired together for classical conditioning to occur?
A) unconditioned stimulus and unconditioned response
B) conditioned response and unconditioned response
C) neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus
D) neutral stimulus and conditioned stimulus

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus, which elicits an unconditioned response. Over time, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, which elicits a conditioned response. Therefore, the correct pairing must be between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. Choice A is incorrect because both stimuli and responses are unconditioned. Choice B is incorrect because the conditioned response is a learned response, not a necessary component for classical conditioning to occur. Choice D is incorrect because the conditioned stimulus is not present at the beginning of classical conditioning - it is the neutral stimulus that becomes the conditioned stimulus over time.

Question 12

Ivan Pavlov studied the reflexive flow of saliva in dogs. He used meat powder or other food to trigger the salivation. It was later observed that the salivation in the dog was triggered when the dog saw its dog dish, even before the food was placed in it. In this instance, the dog dish is the ________.
A) conditioned stimulus
B) unconditioned stimulus
C) conditioned response
D) unconditioned response

Accepted Answer

The dog dish is the conditioned stimulus because it has become associated with the unconditioned stimulus (food) through the process of classical conditioning. The conditioned response is the salivation triggered by the sight of the dog dish.

Question 13

Which of the following statements reflects the difference between classical and operant conditioning?
A) In classical conditioning, the response is reflexive, but in operant conditioning it is typically more complex.
B) In classical conditioning, spontaneous recovery can occur, but in operant conditioning it doesn't.
C) In classical conditioning, the consequence of a response is important, but in operant conditioning it isn't.
D) In classical conditioning, both stimulus generalization and discrimination can occur, but in operant conditioning only stimulus discrimination occurs.

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves associating a stimulus with a response, while operant conditioning involves associating a behavior with a consequence. In classical conditioning, the response is typically a reflexive or involuntary reaction, such as salivating to the sound of a bell. In operant conditioning, the response is typically a more complex and voluntary behavior, such as pressing a lever to receive a reward. Therefore, A is the correct choice because it accurately reflects the difference between classical and operant conditioning.

Question 14

In Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" study, each time the rat was presented to the boy, it was accompanied by a loud noise. In this experiment, Albert's reaction of fear upon hearing the loud noise was the ________.
A) unconditioned response
B) conditioned response
C) latent response
D) counterconditioned response

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned response is the natural response to a stimulus, in this case fear when exposed to the loud noise. The association between the rat and the loud noise is not initially present, so there is no conditioned response yet.

Question 15

Tim yells at his daughter Allison for soiling her pants. He also threatens to spank her if she ever does it again. Next week, she soils her pants again. According to studies on punishment, why did Tim's approach fail?
A) The threat was a reinforcer.
B) The punishment did not tell her how to change her behavior.
C) Allison wasn't punished immediately.
D) Yelling is not a form of punishment.

Accepted Answer

Tim's punishment only served as a threat and did not provide Allison with any information on how to stop soiling her pants. Punishment must clearly communicate how to change the behavior in question in order to be effective.

Question 16

A variation of the counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones has been used to treat adult phobias. This variation is called:
A) positive reinforcement.
B) intermittent reinforcement.
C) systematic desensitization.
D) shaping.

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization involves gradual exposure to a feared object or situation while maintaining relaxation in order to overcome the phobia. It is a variation of the counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones, which involved pairing a feared object with a pleasant stimulus to eliminate the phobia. While positive reinforcement, intermittent reinforcement, and shaping are all principles of operant conditioning, they are not directly related to the treatment of phobias.

Question 17

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when a stimulus that resembles the conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response.
A) stimulus discrimination
B) stimulus generalization
C) acquisition
D) extinction

Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization occurs when a stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response. This can result in similar reactions to multiple stimuli that share characteristics with the original conditioned stimulus.

Question 18

A basic principle governing operant conditioning is that:
A) conditioned stimuli must precede unconditioned stimuli.
B) behaviors are controlled by their consequences.
C) animals can only be conditioned to perform behaviors that appear spontaneously.
D) behaviors are controlled by thoughts and mental processes.

Accepted Answer

The basic principle governing operant conditioning is that behaviors are controlled by their consequences. This means that a behavior may increase or decrease in frequency depending on the positive or negative consequences that follow it.

Question 19

Which of the following is true about the use of extrinsic versus intrinsic rewards?
A) Extrinsic rewards should never be used.
B) Extrinsic rewards should be used carefully and not overdone.
C) Intrinsic rewards should never be used.
D) Intrinsic rewards should be used carefully and not overdone.

Accepted Answer

Extrinsic rewards can be effective in motivating employees, but they should be used carefully and not overdone. Overuse of extrinsic rewards can lead to a decrease in intrinsic motivation and a reliance on external rewards. On the other hand, intrinsic rewards (such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose) are generally more effective in promoting long-term motivation and engagement. However, it is important to recognize that both types of rewards can have value and should be used appropriately in different situations.

Question 20

Margaret gives her son a quarter every time he makes his bed; she is using ________.
A) continuous reinforcement
B) negative punishment
C) intermittent reinforcement
D) scheduled reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement occurs when a reward follows every instance of a desired behavior, which is what Margaret is doing by giving her son a quarter every time he makes his bed.

Quiz 7: Learning and Conditioning

When Keller and Marian Breland, two psychologists who became animal trainers, decided that it would be cute to have a pig drop a big wooden coin into a box, they found that:

Negative reinforcement is best thought of as:

Which of the following is a primary reinforcer?

Which of the following is a secondary reinforcer?

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

In classical conditioning, when the conditioned response is extinguished, but reappears later, the reappearance of the response is called:

Phil wants to train his parrot to kick a ball into a soccer net. Which of the following should he do?

Ivan Pavlov studied the reflexive flow of saliva in dogs. He used meat powder or other food to trigger the salivation. In this instance, the meat powder was the ________.

For classical conditioning to be most effective, the stimulus to be conditioned should:

________ is an operant-conditioning procedure in which successive approximations of a desired response are reinforced.

What must be paired together for classical conditioning to occur?

Which of the following statements reflects the difference between classical and operant conditioning?

In Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" study, each time the rat was presented to the boy, it was accompanied by a loud noise. In this experiment, Albert's reaction of fear upon hearing the loud noise was the ________.

Tim yells at his daughter Allison for soiling her pants. He also threatens to spank her if she ever does it again. Next week, she soils her pants again. According to studies on punishment, why did Tim's approach fail?

A variation of the counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones has been used to treat adult phobias. This variation is called:

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when a stimulus that resembles the conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response.

A basic principle governing operant conditioning is that:

Which of the following is true about the use of extrinsic versus intrinsic rewards?

Margaret gives her son a quarter every time he makes his bed; she is using ________.