Question 1

These neurons fire when an animal observes the behavior of another animal and that behavior stimulates imitative behavior in the first animal.
A)Interneurons
B)Catecholamines
C)Mirror neurons
D)Motor neurons

Accepted Answer

Mirror neurons are a type of neuron that fires when an animal observes the behavior of another animal and that behavior stimulates imitative behavior in the first animal. This phenomenon has been observed in primates, including humans, and is believed to play a role in social learning and empathy. Interneurons are neurons that transmit signals between other neurons in the central nervous system. Catecholamines are a class of neurotransmitters that includes dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Motor neurons are neurons that transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles or glands, causing them to contract or secrete.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true of shaping?
A)It uses the technique of positive punishment.
B)It is used solely to teach simple behaviors.
C)It reinforces progressive steps toward the behavioral goal.
D)It extinguishes learned or conditioned behaviors.

Accepted Answer

Shaping reinforces progressive steps toward the behavioral goal. This means that instead of trying to teach the entire behavior all at once, small steps or approximations are reinforced until the target behavior is achieved. This method is used to shape complex and even novel behaviors. Positive punishment, on the other hand, is not a technique used in shaping.

Question 3

Biofeedback training, behavior modification, and programmed learning are all applications of__________.
A)latent learning
B)classical conditioning
C)operant conditioning
D)observational learning

Accepted Answer

Biofeedback training, behavior modification, and programmed learning are all applications of operant conditioning, which is a type of learning where behaviors are shaped by the consequences that follow them.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about punishment is TRUE?
A)Punishment is not another term for negative reinforcement.
B)Positive punishment is when an organism receives a small, but pleasant, reward.
C)The effects of punishment are preferred over reinforcement.
D)Negative punishment is receiving an aversive stimulus.

Accepted Answer

Punishment and negative reinforcement are different concepts in behavior psychology. Punishment involves introducing an unpleasant outcome or removing a pleasant one to decrease a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.

Question 5

In the context of behavior therapy methods, which of the following statements is true of flooding?
A)It overrides the principle of extinction.
B)It involves continuous exposure to fear-evoking stimuli.
C)It is based on principles of operant conditioning.
D)It is pleasant but ineffective.

Accepted Answer

Flooding involves continuous exposure to fear-evoking stimuli, usually in a controlled therapeutic setting. It is based on the principle of exposure therapy, which is a type of desensitization that gradually exposes an individual to fear-provoking stimuli. This approach is effective in treating phobias, PTSD and anxiety disorders. It does not override the principle of extinction, as it aims to diminish the fear response through intense exposure. It is not based on principles of operant conditioning, which focuses on the relationship between behavior and reinforcement. Flooding can be unpleasant for the individual, but it is an effective therapeutic method.

Question 6

According to ________, when we see modeled behavior being reinforced, we are vicariously reinforced.
A)the conflict theory
B)observational learning
C)the contact hypothesis
D)systematic desensitization

Accepted Answer

Observational learning, also known as social learning theory, suggests that when we see modeled behavior being reinforced, we are vicariously reinforced. This means that we are more likely to imitate behavior that we see being rewarded or praised.

Question 7

Walda's father is a gardener. She has been watching her father work for many years. She now has her own garden. Though she has never been taught the art of gardening, she is very good at it. In this scenario, Walda acquired gardening skills by the process of ________.
A)systemic desensitization
B)cognitive mapping
C)observational learning
D)free association

Accepted Answer

Walda acquired gardening skills by the process of observational learning. She watched her father work for many years and learned from his actions and techniques. This process of learning by observing others is known as observational learning.

Question 8

With a ________, an organism's response rate falls off after each reinforcement and then picks up again as the time when reinforcement will occur approaches.
A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-interval schedule
C)variable-ratio schedule
D)fixed-interval schedule

Accepted Answer

This is describing the pattern of behavior seen in a fixed-interval schedule, where the response rate typically drops off immediately following reinforcement and increases as the next reinforcement becomes imminent. None of the other options describe this specific pattern of behavior.

Question 9

Justin is teaching young children to play soccer. Each time they make a good move, he praises them.. In this scenario, Justin is training the children by _________.
A)counterconditioning
B)flooding
C)systematic desensitization
D)shaping

Accepted Answer

Justin is using shaping to train the children by reinforcing good moves with praise. Shaping involves reinforcing closer and closer approximations of a desired behavior until the desired behavior is fully learned.

Question 10

In Pavlov's experiment, he conditioned his dog to salivate when it was shown a circle. Later, the dog salivated when it was shown other closed geometric figures including squares. Through his experiment, Pavlov demonstrated _________.
A)discrimination
B)general adaptation
C)generalization
D)spontaneous recovery

Accepted Answer

Pavlov's experiment demonstrated generalization, where the dog showed the same response of salivating to similar stimuli (other closed geometric figures) as it did to the original conditioned stimulus (the circle). Discrimination refers to the ability to distinguish between different similar stimuli, general adaptation refers to the body's ability to adjust to different environments or stimuli over time, and spontaneous recovery refers to the reappearance of a response after it has been extinguished.

Question 11

________ are defined as stimuli that increase the frequency of behavior.
A)Unpleasant stimuli
B)Punishments
C)Aversive stimuli
D)Reinforcers

Accepted Answer

Reinforcers are stimuli that increase the frequency of behavior. Punishments and aversive stimuli decrease the frequency of behavior, while unpleasant stimuli can be either reinforcing or punishing depending on the individual's response.

Question 12

Teachers can learn to use __________ to reinforce children when they are behaving appropriately and, when possible, to extinguish misbehavior by ignoring it.
A)systematic desensitization
B)regularization
C)countertransference
D)behavior modification

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization is a technique used to help individuals overcome fears and anxiety; regularization refers to implementing rules and routines; countertransference is a phenomenon that can occur in therapy when the therapist has unresolved personal issues that affect their interactions with clients. Behavior modification, on the other hand, is a teaching strategy that involves reinforcing desired behaviors and ignoring or minimizing the reinforcement of undesired behaviors. Thus, behavior modification is the most appropriate option for teachers to use in reinforcing positive behavior and discouraging misbehavior.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is true of classical conditioning?
A)It involves attaching consequences to behavior.
B)It is involuntary, automatic learning.
C)It is a complex form of learning that uses reinforcement.
D)It focuses on what organisms do about their environments.

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning is a form of learning that is automatic and involuntary. It involves the pairing of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to create a conditioned response. It does not involve attaching consequences to behavior or using reinforcement, and it focuses on how organisms respond to stimuli in their environments.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true in the context of classical conditioning?
A)An unconditioned stimulus cannot elicit a response prior to conditioning.
B)Reflexes cannot be unlearned.
C)An unconditioned response is a learned response to a stimulus.
D)Reflexes can be learned by association.

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves the learning of reflexive responses, also known as reflexes, by associating an unconditioned stimulus with a previously neutral stimulus (which becomes the conditioned stimulus). Therefore, reflexes can be learned through classical conditioning. Option A is incorrect because an unconditioned stimulus can elicit a response even before conditioning. Option B is incorrect because reflexes can be unlearned or modified through various forms of learning. Option C is incorrect because an unconditioned response is an automatic or reflexive response to an unconditioned stimulus, which is not learned but rather naturally occurs.

Question 15

In the context of reinforcement schedules, if you were only paid for every individual webpage that you create you are being paid on a __________.
A)variable-interval schedule
B)fixed-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-ratio schedule

Accepted Answer

In a fixed-ratio schedule, reinforcement is delivered after a fixed number of responses. In this scenario, the reinforcement (payment) is only delivered after a fixed number of webpages have been created.

Question 16

Julie was attempting to teach her boyfriend manners. In the beginning, she would complement him if he was near her car door. After a period of time she would only praise him if he would wait patiently outside of her door. Eventually, she would only pay him compliments if he opened her door. In this scenario, Julie reinforces _________ of the goal.
A)the extinction
B)successive approximations
C)free associations
D)the regularization

Accepted Answer

Julie is using successive approximations to reinforce behavior. She is gradually increasing the expectations of her boyfriend by only providing praise for more advanced versions of the behavior. This is a technique commonly used in behaviorism and operant conditioning.

Question 17

__________ is Robert Rescorla's viewpoint that suggests that learning occurs only when a conditioned stimulus (CS) provides information about an unconditioned stimulus (US).
A)Consistency paradox
B)Contingency theory
C)Contact hypothesis
D)Conflict theory

Accepted Answer

Robert Rescorla's viewpoint is known as the contingency theory. It suggests that learning only occurs when a conditioned stimulus (CS) is reliably predictive of an unconditioned stimulus (US). In other words, the CS must provide information about the occurrence of the US for conditioning to take place. This idea contradicts the consistency paradox, which suggests that learning occurs more when the CS and US are always paired, regardless of the predictability of the relationship between them. The contact hypothesis is a social psychology concept, and conflict theory is a sociological perspective.

Question 18

_________ states that pleasant events stamp in responses, and unpleasant events stamp them out.
A)Thorndike's law of effect
B)Bandura's social learning theory
C)Kelly's attribution theory
D)Pavlov's law of conditioning

Accepted Answer

Thorndike's law of effect states that behaviors that are followed by pleasant consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated. This concept of "stamping in" and "stamping out" responses is central to his theory of operant conditioning.

Question 19

Behavior that is rewarded by partial reinforcement is ________ resistant to extinction.
A)completely
B)more
C)less
D)not

Accepted Answer

Behavior that is rewarded by partial reinforcement is more resistant to extinction compared to behavior that is rewarded by continuous reinforcement. This is because the individual is not sure when the reward will come and thus, will persist in the behavior for a longer period of time.

Question 20

Consider an experiment in which a pigeon is placed in a Skinner box with a button on the wall. The cage contains a small green light that is turned on and off intermittently throughout the day. When the pigeon pecks the button when the green light is on, the behavior is reinforced with food. When it pecks the button when the green light is off, the behavior is not reinforced. The pigeon soon learns that button pecking will be rewarded only when the green light is on. In this scenario, the green light is a(n) __________.
A)unconditioned stimulus
B)discriminative stimulus
C)unlearned stimulus
D)aversive stimulus

Accepted Answer

The green light serves as a discriminative stimulus, a stimulus that signals when a behavior is likely to be followed by reinforcement. The pigeon has learned to discriminate between when it is and is not appropriate to peck the button based on the presence or absence of the green light.

Quiz 5: Learning

These neurons fire when an animal observes the behavior of another animal and that behavior stimulates imitative behavior in the first animal.

Which of the following statements is true of shaping?

Biofeedback training, behavior modification, and programmed learning are all applications of__________.

Which of the following statements about punishment is TRUE?

In the context of behavior therapy methods, which of the following statements is true of flooding?

According to ________, when we see modeled behavior being reinforced, we are vicariously reinforced.

Walda's father is a gardener. She has been watching her father work for many years. She now has her own garden. Though she has never been taught the art of gardening, she is very good at it. In this scenario, Walda acquired gardening skills by the process of ________.

With a ________, an organism's response rate falls off after each reinforcement and then picks up again as the time when reinforcement will occur approaches.

Justin is teaching young children to play soccer. Each time they make a good move, he praises them.. In this scenario, Justin is training the children by _________.

In Pavlov's experiment, he conditioned his dog to salivate when it was shown a circle. Later, the dog salivated when it was shown other closed geometric figures including squares. Through his experiment, Pavlov demonstrated _________.

________ are defined as stimuli that increase the frequency of behavior.

Teachers can learn to use __________ to reinforce children when they are behaving appropriately and, when possible, to extinguish misbehavior by ignoring it.

Which of the following statements is true of classical conditioning?

Which of the following statements is true in the context of classical conditioning?

In the context of reinforcement schedules, if you were only paid for every individual webpage that you create you are being paid on a __________.

__________ is Robert Rescorla's viewpoint that suggests that learning occurs only when a conditioned stimulus (CS) provides information about an unconditioned stimulus (US) .

_________ states that pleasant events stamp in responses, and unpleasant events stamp them out.

Behavior that is rewarded by partial reinforcement is ________ resistant to extinction.