Question 1

A young boy has been told by his father not to go near the street.The boy looks at his father and then runs toward the busy street.His father catches the young boy before he makes it to the street and spanks him for this misbehavior.The young boy stops going near the street due to the consequence known as
A)negative reinforcement.
B)response cost.
C)positive punishment.
D)negative punishment.

Accepted Answer

Positive punishment is when an aversive stimulus (spanking in this case) is introduced after a behavior (going toward the street) with the intention of decreasing the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future. In this scenario, the young boy stops going near the street because he wants to avoid being spanked again.

Question 2

If you make a snide remark to the school bully and you get "beat up," you will be less likely to make another snide remark to this bully due to the consequence known as
A)negative reinforcement.
B)positive punishment.
C)negative punishment.
D)response cost.

Accepted Answer

The consequence of being beaten up is an example of positive punishment, where a behavior is followed by an aversive stimulus that decreases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future. In this case, the snide remark made to the bully was followed by a physical punishment (being beaten up), and as a result, the person is less likely to make another comment in the future.

Question 3

After receiving several tickets for speeding,Joseph lost his driver's license for several months.When he got his driver's license back,Joseph stopped speeding.The reason he stopped speeding is due to the consequence known as
A)negative reinforcement.
B)positive punishment.
C)negative punishment.
D)response chaining.

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment involves taking away something desirable to decrease a behavior, such as taking away Joseph's driver's license. Joseph's stopping of speeding is due to the negative punishment of losing his driver's license.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of response cost?
A)A child is spanked for breaking an expensive vase.
B)A teenager is grounded for coming in an hour late.
C)A rat learns to run a maze always turning to the right to avoid shock.
D)A woman leaves an abusive marriage in order to save her life.

Accepted Answer

Response cost refers to the removal of a positive stimulus following a behavior in order to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring in the future. Grounding a teenager for coming in late removes the positive stimulus of freedom or social interaction, which fits the definition of response cost.

Question 5

When a stimulus consistently precedes rewarded responses,it tends to elicit a response.When a stimulus consistently precedes non-reward,it tends to inhibit responding.This states the principle of
A)partial reinforcement.
B)variable ratio responding.
C)stimulus control.
D)generalization.

Accepted Answer

This principle is known as stimulus control, which states that the presence of a stimulus can elicit or inhibit a response based on the association between the stimulus and a reward or non-reward. Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe this principle.

Question 6

When a teenager loses his phone privileges or is "grounded," the parent is using
A)negative reinforcement.
B)response chaining.
C)response cost.
D)positive punishment.

Accepted Answer

Response cost is a form of punishment that involves removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior. In this case, taking away phone privileges or grounding a teenager is an example of response cost, as it removes a positive aspect of their environment (access to their phone or freedom) to reduce undesirable behavior.

Question 7

Stimuli that consistently precede a rewarded response tend to influence when and where the response will occur. This is the principle of
A)the partial reinforcement effect.
B)stimulus control.
C)latent learning.
D)the law of effect.

Accepted Answer

The principle being described is stimulus control, which states that stimuli that consistently precede a rewarded response tend to influence when and where the response will occur. The other answer choices (partial reinforcement effect, latent learning, and the law of effect) do not directly address this principle.

Question 8

The best-known form of response cost involves children being removed from situations that normally allow them to gain reinforcement,a procedure known as
A)time out.
B)aversive conditioning.
C)negative shaping.
D)negative reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Response cost involves the removal of a desirable stimulus or the presentation of an undesirable stimulus following an undesirable behavior in order to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. Time out is a common form of response cost where a child is removed from a situation where they could receive reinforcement for a certain amount of time following an undesirable behavior, reducing the likelihood of that behavior. Aversive conditioning involves pairing an undesirable stimulus with an undesirable behavior, while negative shaping involves gradually withholding reinforcement until a desired behavior is shaped. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus following a desired behavior.

Question 9

Concerning the behavioral effects of various consequences,a response that is not followed by a reward will occur less frequently.This defines
A)nonreinforcement.
B)positive punishment.
C)negative reinforcement.
D)respondent conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Nonreinforcement refers to the absence of a reward or punishment following a behavior, which leads to a decrease in the frequency of that behavior. Positive punishment involves the application of an aversive consequence following a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive consequence following a behavior. Respondent conditioning refers to the pairing of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Question 10

In its most basic form,response cost can be described as
A)aversive stimulation.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)a removal of a reinforcer.
D)positive reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Response cost involves the removal of a reinforcer, which could be considered a punishment. It is not considered aversive stimulation as it does not necessarily involve the application of something unpleasant, nor is it positive reinforcement as it involves the removal of a reinforcer rather than the application of one. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus in order to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Question 11

Because Cindy was disruptive during the family game time,she was sent to her room.Being sent to her room and away from the family fun is an example of the behavioral procedure known as
A)time out.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)avoidance learning.
D)negative feedback.

Accepted Answer

Time out is a behavioral procedure where a person is removed from a reinforcing environment after they display inappropriate behavior. In this scenario, Cindy was removed from the family game time, which was a positive and reinforcing environment, and sent to her room as a consequence for her disruptive behavior. This is an example of time out.

Question 12

If the teacher scolds her students for talking and they decrease their talking,the teacher has used
A)negative reinforcement.
B)response cost.
C)positive punishment.
D)negative punishment.

Accepted Answer

Positive punishment involves adding an unpleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior, which in this case is the teacher scolding (adding scolding) to decrease talking.

Question 13

Preschoolers Jordan and Dennis were throwing sticks at other students on the playground,so their teacher made them sit on the sidewalk for five minutes,taking them away from the fun activities on the playground.Their teacher was using
A)negative reinforcement.
B)aversive conditioning.
C)positive punishment.
D)negative punishment.

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment involves taking away a desirable stimulus (in this case, participation in fun activities on the playground) in order to decrease the occurrence of a behavior (throwing sticks at other students).

Question 14

When Lamont acts silly while his family is watching television,he receives no attention from the family.Lamont's silly behavior decreases due to his family's use of
A)nonreinforcement.
B)positive punishment.
C)negative reinforcement.
D)respondent conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Nonreinforcement refers to the lack of any reinforcement, positive or negative, after a particular behavior. In this case, Lamont's silly behavior is not being reinforced (i.e. he is not receiving any attention) which causes his behavior to decrease.

Question 15

Stimuli effective in the stimulus control of behavior often influence
A)whether a response will occur initially.
B)the frequency a response will occur over long periods of time.
C)the intensity of a response when it does occur.
D)when and where a response will occur.

Accepted Answer

Stimuli that are effective in stimulus control influence when and where a response will occur, such as a traffic light prompting a driver to stop at an intersection. They do not necessarily affect whether a response will occur initially or the frequency or intensity of a response over time.

Question 16

We pick up phones that are ringing,but rarely answer phones that are silent.This is an example of
A)stimulus generalization.
B)stimulus control.
C)systematic extinction.
D)resistance to extinction.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of stimulus control, as our behavior of picking up ringing phones is controlled by the stimulus of the ringing sound. It is not stimulus generalization, as we are responding specifically to the sound of the ringing phone and not other similar stimuli. It is not systematic extinction, as this would involve actively withholding our response to ringing phones after previously picking them up. It is not resistance to extinction, as there is no indication that our behavior of picking up ringing phones is persisting despite lack of reinforcement.

Question 17

Little Cory was disruptive during the family game time,so he was sent to his room.Being sent to "time out" is an example of
A)negative reinforcement.
B)aversive conditioning.
C)positive punishment.
D)response cost.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Little Cory was disruptive during the family...

Question 18

The phenomenon of stimulus control makes it clear that stimuli that affect operant responding
A)are those that elicit a genetically predisposed response.
B)always occur after the response.
C)may occur before the response.
D)are those that satisfy basic biological needs.

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon of stimulus control refers to the idea that the presence of certain stimuli can increase or decrease the likelihood of a particular behavior occurring. This means that stimuli may occur before the response and still have an effect on operant responding. Therefore, choice C is the best answer. Choices A and D are incorrect because they suggest that stimuli that affect operant responding are limited to genetically predisposed responses or basic biological needs, which is not necessarily true. Choice B is also incorrect because it suggests that stimuli always occur after the response, which is not the case with stimulus control.

Question 19

Tristan and his brother Ian are fighting over the video game.So,Mom takes the video game system away from them for an hour.Mom has used
A)response cost.
B)aversive conditioning.
C)negative reinforcement.
D)positive punishment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Tristan and his brother Ian are fighting...

Question 20

A second type of punishment in which a reinforcer or positive state of affairs is removed,such as the loss of privileges,is called
A)response chaining.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)positive punishment.
D)negative punishment.

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment involves the removal of a positive reinforcer, such as the loss of privileges, as a consequence for undesirable behavior. Response chaining refers to the process of teaching a complex behavior by breaking it down into smaller, simpler components. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus as a consequence for desirable behavior. Positive punishment involves the addition of an aversive stimulus as a consequence for undesirable behavior.

Quiz 30: Conditioning and Learning: Operant Conditioning

If you make a snide remark to the school bully and you get "beat up," you will be less likely to make another snide remark to this bully due to the consequence known as

After receiving several tickets for speeding,Joseph lost his driver's license for several months.When he got his driver's license back,Joseph stopped speeding.The reason he stopped speeding is due to the consequence known as

Which of the following is an example of response cost?

When a stimulus consistently precedes rewarded responses,it tends to elicit a response.When a stimulus consistently precedes non-reward,it tends to inhibit responding.This states the principle of

When a teenager loses his phone privileges or is "grounded," the parent is using

Stimuli that consistently precede a rewarded response tend to influence when and where the response will occur. This is the principle of

The best-known form of response cost involves children being removed from situations that normally allow them to gain reinforcement,a procedure known as

Concerning the behavioral effects of various consequences,a response that is not followed by a reward will occur less frequently.This defines

In its most basic form,response cost can be described as

Because Cindy was disruptive during the family game time,she was sent to her room.Being sent to her room and away from the family fun is an example of the behavioral procedure known as

If the teacher scolds her students for talking and they decrease their talking,the teacher has used

Preschoolers Jordan and Dennis were throwing sticks at other students on the playground,so their teacher made them sit on the sidewalk for five minutes,taking them away from the fun activities on the playground.Their teacher was using

When Lamont acts silly while his family is watching television,he receives no attention from the family.Lamont's silly behavior decreases due to his family's use of

Stimuli effective in the stimulus control of behavior often influence

We pick up phones that are ringing,but rarely answer phones that are silent.This is an example of

Little Cory was disruptive during the family game time,so he was sent to his room.Being sent to "time out" is an example of

The phenomenon of stimulus control makes it clear that stimuli that affect operant responding

Tristan and his brother Ian are fighting over the video game.So,Mom takes the video game system away from them for an hour.Mom has used

A second type of punishment in which a reinforcer or positive state of affairs is removed,such as the loss of privileges,is called