Question 1

When Diana was three years old, she became terrified when the neighbor's budgie bird kept flying near her head. Today, she is afraid of all birds, including robins, pigeons, and blue jays. Diana's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of
A)preparedness.
B)stimulus generalization.
C)stimulus discrimination.
D)negative avoidance.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization occurs when a response that is conditioned to one stimulus is elicited by other, similar stimuli. Diana's initial fear response to the budgie bird has generalized to all birds, illustrating this process.

Question 2

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses, the conditioned stimulus was the
A)rabbit.
B)rat.
C)loud noise.
D)fear reaction.

Accepted Answer

In the Little Albert experiment conducted by John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner, the conditioned stimulus was a white rat. Initially, Albert showed no fear of the rat, but after the rat was repeatedly paired with a loud noise (the unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicited a fear response), Albert began to show fear of the rat by itself.

Question 3

In higher-order conditioning a(n) _____ functions as if it were a(n) _____.
A)conditioned stimulus; unconditioned stimulus
B)unconditioned stimulus; conditioned stimulus
C)conditioned response; unconditioned response
D)unconditioned response; conditioned response

Accepted Answer

In higher-order conditioning, a conditioned stimulus (CS) takes on the properties of an unconditioned stimulus (US), allowing it to produce a conditioned response (CR) even without the direct presence of the US. This occurs when a CS from one learning phase is paired with a new neutral stimulus, turning the latter into another CS.

Question 4

When an organism responds to a specific 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 occurs when an organism learns to respond differently to various stimuli based on their specific characteristics, distinguishing between a conditioned stimulus and other similar stimuli.

Question 5

Research on spontaneous recovery suggests that ​
A)classical conditioning can only be used to condition biologically meaningful responses.
B)once a conditioned response has been extinguished, a person will also stop responding to other stimuli that are similar.
C)extinction does not erase a learned association, it only suppresses or interferes with a conditioned response.
D)when a conditioned response is extinguished, higher-order responses replace the original response.

Accepted Answer

Extinction in classical conditioning does not completely erase the learned association between the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. Instead, it suppresses the conditioned response, which can re-emerge later in a phenomenon known as spontaneous recovery. This indicates that the original learning is not unlearned but is merely inhibited by the extinction process.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves learning to associate an involuntary, reflexive response with a new stimulus, while operant conditioning involves learning to associate a voluntary behavior with a consequence (either reinforcement or punishment).

Question 7

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 8

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

Lindsay's fear is specific to Chihuahuas, the type of dog that bit her, and does not extend to other types of dogs. This specificity in her fear response demonstrates stimulus discrimination, where she reacts fearfully only to the specific stimulus (Chihuahuas) that was associated with the negative experience, and not to other similar stimuli (other types of dogs).

Question 9

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)noncontingent reinforcement.
D)operant conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is the most effective method for teaching specific behaviors like saying "Please" and "Thank you" because it involves reinforcing desired behaviors with rewards or consequences, which can directly influence and modify Dillon's behavior.

Question 10

Stimulus generalization occurs when ​
A)there is a temporal association between two stimuli.
B)an organism fails to respond to stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus used in conditioning.
C)an unconditioned stimulus fails to elicit the unconditioned response.
D)an organism responds to new stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization occurs when an organism responds to new stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus, indicating that the response has been generalized beyond the specific stimulus used during conditioning.

Question 11

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 most likely acquired through operant conditioning, which involves learning through the consequences of behavior, such as rewards and punishments. This process encourages the repetition of desired behaviors, like successfully tying shoes, through positive reinforcement.

Question 12

When Luis was a child, he really liked the smell of the rose-scented perfume his mother used to wear. He came to associate that scent with snuggles and hugs from his mom. As an adult, Luis likes any floral scent, including the smell of lilacs and wildflowers. This example illustrates the classical conditioning process of ​
A)stimulus generalization.
B)stimulus discrimination.
C)preparedness.
D)spontaneous recovery.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization occurs when a response is conditioned to one stimulus and then elicited by similar stimuli. In this case, Luis's positive response to the rose-scented perfume generalized to other floral scents.

Question 13

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

Higher-order conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through association with an already established conditioned stimulus. In Kristen's case, the clown (initially a neutral stimulus) became a conditioned stimulus that now triggers fear, due to its association with the balloons (the original conditioned stimulus that caused fear).

Question 14

Recent research suggests that panic disorder may be associated with ​
A)stimulus generalization.
B)stimulus discrimination.
C)noncontingent reinforcement.
D)extinction.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus generalization is a process where a person begins to respond with anxiety to stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus that triggered the panic, leading to a broader range of situations causing panic. This is why panic disorder may be associated with stimulus generalization, as individuals may start to experience panic in a variety of situations that resemble, even slightly, the context of their initial panic attacks.

Question 15

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 salivates. This procedure is known as
A)chaining .
B)higher-order conditioning.
C)compound conditioning.
D)sensory preconditioning.

Accepted Answer

This procedure is known as higher-order conditioning, where a stimulus that was previously neutral (the light) is paired with a conditioned stimulus (the tone that already elicits salivation) until the neutral stimulus alone can elicit the response (salivation), without the original conditioned stimulus being presented.

Question 16

Bart developed a fear of flying when he was piloting a small plane through some severe turbulence. He has been seeing a therapist, and it appears that his fear response has been successfully extinguished. The therapist used a flight simulator to help Bart practice his piloting skills in a safe setting. However, the first time Bart stepped back into a real plane, his fear returned. This example illustrates the phenomenon known as
A)second-order conditioning.
B)the renewal effect.
C)unblocking.
D)stimulus generalization.

Accepted Answer

The renewal effect describes the phenomenon where a response (like fear) that has been extinguished in one context (e.g., a flight simulator) reappears when the individual is placed in a different context (e.g., a real plane). This is what happened to Bart, making the renewal effect the correct answer.

Question 17

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

The dog is demonstrating stimulus discrimination by differentiating between the blue light (to which it salivates) and the yellow light (to which it does not), indicating it has learned to respond differently to two stimuli.

Question 18

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses, the unconditioned stimulus was the
A)rabbit.
B)rat.
C)loud noise.
D)fear reaction.

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus in the Little Albert experiment was the loud noise, which naturally elicited a fear response from Albert without any prior conditioning.

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 is credited with coining the term "operant conditioning," which refers to a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Skinner's work expanded on the earlier theories of Edward Thorndike, emphasizing the influence of consequences on the strength of behavior.

Question 20

If a classically conditioned response undergoes extinction in an environment that is different from the one in which the response was acquired, the extinguished response will often reappear if the individual is returned to the original environment where acquisition took place. This phenomenon is called ​
A)second-order conditioning.
B)the renewal effect.
C)stimulus generalization.
D)vicarious conditioning.

Accepted Answer

The renewal effect describes the phenomenon where a response that has been extinguished in a different context from where it was learned reappears when the individual is returned to the original learning environment. This highlights the impact of context on memory and learning processes.

Quiz 6: Learning

When Diana was three years old, she became terrified when the neighbor's budgie bird kept flying near her head. Today, she is afraid of all birds, including robins, pigeons, and blue jays. Diana's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses, the conditioned stimulus was the

In higher-order conditioning a(n) _ functions as if it were a(n) _.

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

Research on spontaneous recovery suggests that

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

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

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

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

Stimulus generalization occurs when

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

Recent research suggests that panic disorder may be associated with

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 salivates. This procedure is known as

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

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses, the unconditioned stimulus was the

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

Quiz 6: Learning

When Diana was three years old, she became terrified when the neighbor's budgie bird kept flying near her head. Today, she is afraid of all birds, including robins, pigeons, and blue jays. Diana's fear illustrates the classical conditioning process of

In the Little Albert experiment on conditioned emotional responses, the conditioned stimulus was the

In higher-order conditioning a(n) _____ functions as if it were a(n) _____.

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

Research on spontaneous recovery suggests that ​

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

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