Question 1

The neurons in the pleasure centres of the brain,especially those in the nucleus accumbens,secrete _____,a neurotransmitter usually associated with positive emotions.

Accepted Answer

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter usually associated with positive emotions and is secreted by neurons in the pleasure centres of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens. Serotonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine are also neurotransmitters, but they are not as closely associated with pleasure and reward as dopamine.

Question 2

When the Brelands tried to teach pigs and raccoons to drop a coin into a box,the animals:

Accepted Answer

The pigs and raccoons had difficulty learning the trick because it competed with their biological tendencies, such as rooting in the case of pigs and washing their food in the case of raccoons, which interfered with the intended operant conditioning process.

Question 3

In the classic Bobo doll experiment,after watching adults be punished for hitting the Bobo doll,children:

Accepted Answer

The classic Bobo doll experiment found that after watching adults be punished for hitting the Bobo doll, children behaved less aggressively towards the doll. This suggests that punishment can effectively reduce aggressive behavior in children.

Question 4

When Tom's sister burned herself playing with matches,she cried for a long time.A by-product of this experience was that Tom also learned not to play with matches.Tom's learning experience is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Tom's learning by observing his sister's experience is an example of observational learning. He learned the consequences of playing with matches without having to go through the experience himself. Classical conditioning would involve pairing a neutral stimulus with a reflexive response, such as Pavlov's dogs learning to salivate at the sound of a bell. Operant conditioning would involve the consequences of an individual's behavior shaping their future behavior, such as a rat learning to press a lever to receive food. Intermittent reinforcement would involve reinforcing a behavior only sometimes, which can make the behavior more resistant to extinction. None of these apply to Tom's learning experience in this scenario.

Question 5

Some research suggests that drugs given to enhance dopamine levels in patients with Parkinson's disease may cause patients to become more:

Accepted Answer

Drugs that enhance dopamine levels in patients with Parkinson's disease can cause impulsive behavior, such as compulsive gambling, binge eating, or hypersexuality. This is because dopamine also plays a role in reward-seeking behavior and decision-making.

Question 6

Drugs such as cocaine,amphetamines,and opiates are reinforcing because they:

Accepted Answer

Drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates are reinforcing because they stimulate the release of dopamine in the medial forebrain bundle. This area is known to be responsible for the reward and reinforcement pathways in the brain, and the release of dopamine triggers a pleasurable response that reinforces drug use.

Question 7

Brain imaging studies of rats given food or water have revealed increased dopaminergic activity in the:

Accepted Answer

Brain imaging studies have revealed increased dopaminergic activity in the nucleus accumbens of rats when they are hungry or thirsty, indicating the role of this brain region in the motivation to seek food or water.

Question 8

Research on reward prediction errors suggests that dopamine is involved in the _____ of a reward.

Accepted Answer

Reward prediction errors involve a discrepancy between expected and actual rewards, and dopamine is known to be involved in the encoding and processing of reward prediction errors. Therefore, dopamine is involved in the expectation of a reward, rather than its enjoyment, evaluation, or memory.

Question 9

A rat in a complicated maze with many arms,some of which are baited with food,will:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A rat in a complicated maze with...

Question 10

A hungry monkey's lever-pressing behaviour is reinforced with a banana-flavoured treat.Which occurrence would produce the MOST dopamine activity?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine release is highest when there is an unexpected reward or reinforcement. In this scenario, the monkey does not expect a treat upon the first press, making it the most unexpected and therefore producing the most dopamine activity. As the behaviour becomes more reinforced and expected, dopamine release decreases.

Question 11

Research has shown that dopamine-blocking drugs:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that dopamine-blocking drugs decrease the reinforcing value of cocaine. This is because dopamine plays a crucial role in the brain's reward system, and drugs like cocaine increase dopamine release, leading to a reinforcing effect. By blocking dopamine, the reinforcing effects of cocaine are reduced. A and B are incorrect as dopamine-blocking drugs actually decrease the reinforcing value, not increase it. D is incorrect as dopamine is involved in many types of learning, and blocking it would not prevent all learning.

Question 12

_____ conducted the Bobo doll study of observational learning.

Accepted Answer

Albert Bandura conducted the Bobo doll study of observational learning in which children observed an adult model behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll, and then imitated the behavior themselves.

Question 13

Brain imaging studies have revealed increased dopaminergic activity in the _____ when heterosexual men look at pictures of attractive women and in individuals who think that they are about to receive money.

Accepted Answer

The nucleus accumbens is a key component of the brain's reward circuitry and is known to be activated by both the anticipation and receipt of rewards, including money and attractive stimuli. Dopaminergic activity in this region has been linked to the experience of pleasure and the motivation to seek out rewards, making it a likely candidate for the observed activity during exposure to these stimuli. The pons and cerebellum are not typically associated with reward processing, while the prefrontal cortex has been implicated in a wide range of cognitive processes but not specifically in response to these types of stimuli.

Question 14

James Olds (1956)discovered that rats would ignore food,water,and other life-sustaining necessities for hours if they were able to control stimulation of certain parts of the brain.He called these areas of the brain:

Accepted Answer

Olds called these areas of the brain "pleasure centers" because the rats seemed to experience pleasure or reward from the stimulation, leading them to ignore other basic needs. Receptors are sensory cells that detect stimuli, reinforcers are stimuli that increase the likelihood of a behavior recurring, and addiction centers are not a scientific term for specific brain areas.

Question 15

A study put rats in a typical T-maze that ended with two different directions.The study found that,if a rat found food in one arm on the first trial of the day,it typically looked in the other arm on the very next trial.This is BEST explained by:

Accepted Answer

This behavior is best explained by the rat's evolutionary preparedness for foraging, as it suggests an innate tendency to explore new areas for food rather than returning to a recently depleted source.

Question 16

Observational learning challenges an operant account of learning because:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning theory states that learning occurs through the consequences of behavior (reinforcement or punishment). Observational learning, on the other hand, occurs through watching and imitating the behavior of others. In these cases, the learner's behavior is not necessarily being directly reinforced, challenging the operant account of learning.

Question 17

Observational learning is:

Accepted Answer

Observational learning is a key process for learning our culture and plays an important role in how we acquire language, social norms, and other cultural practices. It is not unique to humans, as it has been observed in animals as well. It can be an efficient means of learning, depending on the situation and the learner's goals. Therefore, option A is the most suitable choice.

Question 18

A reward prediction error is the difference between the:

Accepted Answer

A reward prediction error is the difference between the reward that was expected and the reward that was actually received. This can be positive (reward was better than expected) or negative (reward was worse than expected). Therefore, choice C is the correct answer as it accurately describes the difference between the expected and received reward.

Question 19

Which structure is NOT involved in the reward centre of the brain?

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is not directly involved in the reward center of the brain. Instead, it is primarily involved in motor coordination and balance. The hypothalamus, medial forebrain bundle, and nucleus accumbens are all related to the reward center of the brain.

Question 20

When the Brelands tried to teach raccoons to drop a coin into a box by using food reinforcement for doing so,the raccoons:

Accepted Answer

The Brelands found that the raccoons became fixated on manipulating the coin with their front paws rather than dropping it into the box as desired. This behavior, known as a displacement activity, is a common response when animals are unsure of how to respond to a training task.

Quiz 7: Learning