Question 1

Theorists who promote classical conditioning differ from theorists who promote operant conditioning in their beliefs about the source of learned behavior. Which of these statements is true?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning theorists believe that learned behavior results from the association between one stimulus and another, which is often facilitated by reinforcement. Operant conditioning theorists, on the other hand, emphasize the role of past reinforcement in shaping behavior.

Question 2

Johnny is 12 years old and has been aggressive toward his siblings and peers by hitting, kicking, and calling them names. Johnny's parents are worried about these new acts of aggression and consult with a psychologist, who suggests that this aggression could be a result of watching too many violent movies and playing too many violent video games. The psychologist's explanation for the aggression is consistent with _____.

Accepted Answer

The psychologist's suggestion that Johnny's aggression is a result of exposure to violent movies and video games is consistent with the principles of behaviorism, which emphasize the role of environmental factors (such as reinforcement or punishment) in shaping behavior.

Question 3

Tammy grew up watching her parents fight. Now that Tammy is an adult, she does not want to fight all the time with her romantic partners. Which of the following explains how Tammy learned that she did not want a relationship filled with conflict?

Accepted Answer

Tammy learned through observation of her parents' behavior and the consequences of their actions, which is the basis of social learning theory. She observed the negative effects of constant fighting and decided that she did not want that in her own relationships. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning involve learning through stimulus-response associations and reinforcement, respectively, which do not entirely explain Tammy's aversion to conflict. Cognitive theory emphasizes the role of mental processes in learning, which may contribute to Tammy's decision-making but does not fully explain her learned preference for low-conflict relationships.

Question 4

Jimmy watches his friend kick a soccer ball into the goal. Later that day, Jimmy finds a soccer ball and proceeds to kick it into the goal. Jimmy most likely engaged in the same behavior as his friend due to _____.

Accepted Answer

Modeling is when an individual observes and imitates the behavior of others. In this scenario, Jimmy observed his friend successfully kicking a soccer ball into the goal, and later imitated that same behavior. Classical conditioning involves learning through pairing of stimuli, operant conditioning involves learning through consequences, and reinforcement is a consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior. These options do not fit with the scenario described.

Question 5

According to Piaget, intellectual advancement occurs because of cognitive _____.

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that intellectual advancement occurs because of mental processes that maintain a balance between existing knowledge and new experiences, which he called cognitive equilibrium. When new experiences challenge existing knowledge, individuals experience cognitive disequilibrium and must adjust their understanding to restore equilibrium. This process of adaptation results in intellectual advancement.

Question 6

A person observes the actions of others and copies them. Social learning theorists would call this an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Social learning theorists emphasize the important role of modeling or observational learning in the acquisition of behavior. This process involves observing the actions of others and copying them, without necessarily receiving direct reinforcement or punishment.

Question 7

A state of mental balance in which people are not confused because they can use their existing thought processes to understand current experiences and ideas is called _____.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive equilibrium refers to a state of mental balance where existing thought processes can be effectively employed to comprehend new experiences and thoughts without confusion or conflict. Social learning, conflict resolution, and information processing are related concepts, but they do not directly relate to the specific definition given in the question.

Question 8

Ingrid's parents discovered that she had skipped school and met up with her friends. In response, they restricted her from spending time with her friends. Two days later, they discovered that Ingrid had snuck out to meet her friends. Although they intended the restriction as a punishment, Ingrid interpreted it as a reward. How can you tell?

Accepted Answer

Ingrid's repeated behavior indicates that she did not see the restriction as a punishment and instead saw it as a reward.

Question 9

Jenny has never seen a pear before today. As her mom hands one to Jenny, she says, "This is a pear. It is a fruit." Jenny knows that apples and bananas are fruits and that she likes eating them, so she has a reference for this new experience. Jenny is experiencing _____.

Accepted Answer

Jenny is experiencing cognitive equilibrium as she is integrating new information (a pear being a fruit) into her existing knowledge (apples and bananas are fruits) without any conflict or confusion.

Question 10

Sally has a dog at home, so she knows about dogs. She is walking down the street and sees an animal walking toward her. The animal has four legs, fur, a tail, and is barking. Sally knows that these are characteristics of a dog, given her knowledge of dogs. She quickly concludes that this animal is a dog. This example illustrates the Piagetian concept of _____.

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates the Piagetian concept of assimilation, where Sally uses her existing knowledge of dogs and applies it to a new situation to quickly conclude that the animal in front of her is a dog.

Question 11

Which of these is the correct sequential order of Piaget's four stages of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's four stages of cognitive development are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. This means that the correct sequential order would be starting with the sensorimotor stage, then moving on to preoperational, concrete operational, and finally formal operational. Option C is the only one that presents the correct order.

Question 12

Social learning theory focuses on learning that occurs from _____.

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory emphasizes the role of observation and imitation of others in the learning process.

Question 13

With regard to cognitive development, Piaget argued that _____.

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that cognitive development involved changes in how children think and reason with experience and maturation over time. He identified four stages of cognitive development that individuals progress through from infancy to adolescence.

Question 14

The foundation of cognitive theory is _____.

Accepted Answer

The foundation of cognitive theory is a person's thoughts and expectations, which shape their behavior and emotions. The theory posits that how people perceive and interpret events, situations, and experiences influences how they react to them. Observable behaviors, inner drives and motives, and observations are important factors in behaviorism, psychodynamic theory, and social learning theory, respectively.

Question 15

Observational learning is also called _____.

Accepted Answer

Observational learning is also known as modeling, as individuals learn by observing the actions and behaviors of others. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are forms of associative learning, while cognition is a broad term that refers to mental processes such as thinking and problem-solving.

Question 16

Any consequence that follows a behavior and makes the person more likely to repeat that behavior is called a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

The term that describes a consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated is reinforcement. Punishment is a consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, while a condition or observation may not necessarily affect the behavior at all. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 17

The boss praised his hourly employees for their good work. The boss hopes that the praise encourages the employees to continue to work hard. In this example, the reinforcement is _____.

Accepted Answer

The reinforcement is the boss's praise, as it is intended to encourage the employees to continue their good work.

Question 18

The modeling of behavior is more likely to occur when the model is _____.

Accepted Answer

Modeling behavior is more likely to occur when the model holds a position of power or influence within a group, as individuals tend to imitate those they see as successful or authoritative.

Question 19

Which of the following was a cognitive theorist?

Accepted Answer

Piaget was a cognitive theorist who developed the theory of cognitive development, which focuses on how children actively construct their understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions. Freud was a psychoanalytic theorist, Watson was a behaviorist, and Maslow was a humanistic theorist.

Question 20

According to Piaget, when new experiences are reinterpreted to fit into old ideas, it is called _____.

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, when new experiences are reinterpreted to fit into old ideas, it is referred to as assimilation. Option A, learning, refers to the acquisition of new knowledge or skills. Option C, equilibrium, refers to the balance between an individual's cognitive schema (mental structures used to organize information) and their experiences. Lastly, option D, accommodation, refers to when an individual adapts their cognitive schemes to fit new information or experiences.

Quiz 2: Theories