Question 1

The key dependent variable measured in operant conditioning studies is
A) the strength of the CR.
B) the strength of the UR.
C) the organism's reinforcement rate.
D) the organism's response rate.

Accepted Answer

In operant conditioning, the key dependent variable is the organism's response rate. This is because operant conditioning focuses on how behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it. The reinforcement or punishment that follows a behavior can influence the rate at which the organism emits that behavior in the future. Therefore, the response rate is the measure of interest in operant conditioning studies.

Question 2

Ken has been conditioned to be afraid of snow.For a number of weeks during November and December snow is repeatedly presented with Santa Claus; now Ken is also fearful of Santa Claus.This example illustrates the classical conditioning process of
A) stimulus generalization.
B) stimulus discrimination.
C) higher order conditioning.
D) spontaneous recovery.

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates the process of higher order conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (snow) becomes associated with a conditioned stimulus (Santa Claus) through repeated pairing, and eventually elicits a conditioned response (fear) on its own.

Question 3

Learning to tie one's shoes is most likely acquired via the process of
A) operant conditioning.
B) reflexive conditioning.
C) spontaneous recovery.
D) classical conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Learning to tie one's shoes is a skill learned through operant conditioning, where behaviors are shaped by rewards or consequences.

Question 4

When Lindsay was nine years old,the neighbor's chihuahua bit her on the ankle.Today Lindsay is still terrified of chihuahuas,but she likes almost all other types of dogs.Lindsay's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of
A) preparedness.
B) stimulus discrimination.
C) stimulus generalization.
D) negative avoidance.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination occurs when a person learns to respond differently to various stimuli, in this case, Lindsay is able to distinguish between chihuahuas and other types of dogs, fearing only chihuahuas.

Question 5

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses,stimulus generalization was shown when Albert showed the fear response to
A) the rabbit.
B) the rat.
C) the loud noise.
D) his mother.

Accepted Answer

Albert showed a fear response not only to the white rat but also to similar stimuli, such as a rabbit, demonstrating stimulus generalization.

Question 6

When an organism responds to a specific stimulus or conditioned stimulus and doesn't respond to another stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus,it is referred to as
A) stimulus generalization.
B) stimulus discrimination.
C) extinction.
D) spontaneous recovery.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination refers to the ability of an organism to distinguish between similar stimuli and respond only to the conditioned stimulus. This is in contrast to stimulus generalization, which occurs when an organism responds to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus, and extinction, which occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer associated with the unconditioned stimulus and the response is weakened. Spontaneous recovery occurs when the conditioned response reappears after a period of extinction.

Question 7

If a dog salivates to a blue light and not to a yellow light,the dog is showing evidence of
A) spontaneous recovery.
B) conditioned emotional reactions.
C) stimulus generalization.
D) stimulus discrimination.

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes stimulus discrimination, where the dog is able to differentiate between the blue and yellow light and only salivates to the blue one.

Question 8

Recent research suggests that panic disorder may result in part from the process of
A) stimulus discrimination.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) conditioned stimulation.
D) constrained conditioning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recent research suggests that panic disorder may...

Question 9

April wants to teach her cat not to claw at the arms of her couch.She will be most successful in reducing the cat's scratching behavior if she uses
A) classical conditioning.
B) higher-order conditioning.
C) observational learning.
D) operant conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is the most effective method for teaching a cat to stop unwanted behavior such as scratching furniture. By using positive reinforcement, such as treats or praise, when the cat refrains from scratching the couch and negative reinforcement, such as a loud noise or spray of water, when the cat begins to scratch the couch, the cat will learn to associate not scratching with positive consequences and will be more likely to repeat that behavior in the future.

Question 10

Dillon is four years old,and his parents want to teach him to say "please" and "thank you." They will be most successful in altering Dillon's behavior if they use
A) classical conditioning
B) higher-order conditioning
C) non-contingent reinforcement
D) operant conditioning

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is the best choice for teaching Dillon to say "please" and "thank you." Operant conditioning involves using rewards and punishments to alter behavior. In this case, Dillon's parents can give him praise or a small reward when he says "please" or "thank you" to reinforce that behavior. Over time, Dillon should learn that saying "please" and "thank you" results in positive consequences and will be more likely to continue using those manners.

Question 11

Classical conditioning is to ____ responses; as operant conditioning is to ____.
A) voluntary; involuntary
B) reflexive; involuntary
C) involuntary; reflexive
D) reflexive; voluntary

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves reflexive responses, which are automatic and involuntary, while operant conditioning involves voluntary responses, where behavior is influenced by consequences.

Question 12

Six-year-old Kristen is afraid of balloons because a balloon once popped in her face while she was holding it.Last week she went to the circus and there was a clown holding a huge assortment of helium balloons.Now she is also afraid of clowns,even though none of the balloons the clown was holding popped.Kristen's fear of clowns illustrates the classical conditioning process of
A) higher-order conditioning.
B) preparedness.
C) spontaneous recovery.
D) the renewal effect.

Accepted Answer

Kristen's fear of clowns is an example of higher-order conditioning, where a previously neutral stimulus (clowns) becomes associated with a feared stimulus (balloons) through its association with another conditioned stimulus (the clown holding the balloons). This is also known as second-order conditioning, where a conditioned stimulus becomes a signal for the appearance of another conditioned stimulus.

Question 13

Which of the following statements regarding stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination is correct?
A) the more similar the new stimulus is to the original CS, the greater the likelihood of stimulus discrimination
B) the more dissimilar the new stimulus is from the original CS, the greater the likelihood of stimulus generalization
C) for stimulus discrimination to occur, the organism needs experience with both the original CS and the new stimulus
D) for stimulus generalization to occur, the organism needs experience with both the original CS and the new stimulus

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination requires the organism to distinguish between the original conditioned stimulus (CS) and a new stimulus, which typically involves experience with both stimuli.

Question 14

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which
A) responses come to be controlled by their consequences.
B) an organism's responding is influenced by the observation of others' behavior.
C) involuntary responses are slowly replaced by voluntary responses.
D) a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to elicit a response that was originally elicited by another stimulus.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning involves learning through consequences, where behaviors are shaped based on their outcomes. In other words, an organism learns to associate a behavior with its consequences, and will either increase or decrease that behavior depending on whether the consequences are reinforcing or punishing.

Question 15

Pavlov conditioned a dog to salivate to the sound of a tone.He then paired a light with the tone until the dog salivated to the light alone.This is an example of
A) stimulus generalization.
B) stimulus discrimination.
C) spontaneous recovery.
D) higher-order conditioning.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of higher-order conditioning because the light stimulus was paired with the conditioned stimulus (tone) to elicit a conditioned response (salivating), without the need for an unconditioned stimulus (food) present.

Question 16

Continuing to pair a specific CS and US,but periodically presenting stimuli similar to the CS and not pairing them with the US,should result in
A) stimulus discrimination.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) extinction.
D) response attenuation.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns to respond differently to various stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS) but are not paired with the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Question 17

In higher-order conditioning ____ now functions as if it were ____.
A) a conditioned stimulus; an unconditioned stimulus
B) an unconditioned stimulus; a conditioned stimulus
C) a conditioned response; an unconditioned response
D) an unconditioned response; a conditioned response

Accepted Answer

In higher-order conditioning, a neutral stimulus is associated with a previously conditioned stimulus, which results in the neutral stimulus becoming a conditioned stimulus. As a result, the neutral stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus in the presence of a new neutral stimulus. Therefore, in higher-order conditioning, a conditioned stimulus functions as if it were an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 18

A dog is first conditioned to salivate to a tone.Then,a light is paired with the tone for a number of trials.Finally,the light is presented alone,and the dog responds.This procedure is known as
A) chaining
B) higher-order conditioning.
C) compound conditioning.
D) sensory preconditioning.

Accepted Answer

This procedure described is an example of higher-order conditioning, which occurs when a conditioned stimulus (the light in this case) is paired with a previously established conditioned stimulus (the tone) to produce a new conditioned response.

Question 19

In the 1930s learning that is influenced by stimuli that follow the response was christened "operant conditioning" by
A) Ivan Pavlov.
B) John Watson.
C) B. F. Skinner.
D) Edward Thorndike.

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner coined the term "operant conditioning" in the 1930s to describe learning influenced by reinforcement and punishment.

Question 20

The type of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences is
A) observational learning.
B) classical conditioning.
C) operant conditioning.
D) reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

The type of learning described is operant conditioning, which involves learning through consequences such as rewards and punishments. Observational learning involves learning by watching others, classical conditioning involves learning associations between stimuli, and reinforcement is a part of operant conditioning.

Quiz 6: Learning

The key dependent variable measured in operant conditioning studies is

Ken has been conditioned to be afraid of snow.For a number of weeks during November and December snow is repeatedly presented with Santa Claus; now Ken is also fearful of Santa Claus.This example illustrates the classical conditioning process of

Learning to tie one's shoes is most likely acquired via the process of

When Lindsay was nine years old,the neighbor's chihuahua bit her on the ankle.Today Lindsay is still terrified of chihuahuas,but she likes almost all other types of dogs.Lindsay's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses,stimulus generalization was shown when Albert showed the fear response to

When an organism responds to a specific stimulus or conditioned stimulus and doesn't respond to another stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus,it is referred to as

If a dog salivates to a blue light and not to a yellow light,the dog is showing evidence of

Recent research suggests that panic disorder may result in part from the process of

April wants to teach her cat not to claw at the arms of her couch.She will be most successful in reducing the cat's scratching behavior if she uses

Dillon is four years old,and his parents want to teach him to say "please" and "thank you." They will be most successful in altering Dillon's behavior if they use

Classical conditioning is to responses; as operant conditioning is to .

Which of the following statements regarding stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination is correct?

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which

Pavlov conditioned a dog to salivate to the sound of a tone.He then paired a light with the tone until the dog salivated to the light alone.This is an example of

Continuing to pair a specific CS and US,but periodically presenting stimuli similar to the CS and not pairing them with the US,should result in

In higher-order conditioning now functions as if it were .

A dog is first conditioned to salivate to a tone.Then,a light is paired with the tone for a number of trials.Finally,the light is presented alone,and the dog responds.This procedure is known as

In the 1930s learning that is influenced by stimuli that follow the response was christened "operant conditioning" by

The type of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences is