Question 1

Suppose a child frequently throws temper tantrums in school. According to the text, what might this be a good example of?

Accepted Answer

This is a good example of the effects of social reinforcers such as attention. The child may be throwing tantrums to get attention from their peers or teachers, which can reinforce the behavior and lead to it being repeated in the future.

Question 2

What's the greatest delay you can have between the response and the reinforcer in order for reinforcement to be effective?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Though something is a reinforcer for one person, it might not be a reinforcer for another person.

Accepted Answer

This is true because people have different preferences, experiences, and values that influence their response to stimuli. What one person finds motivating or rewarding may not have the same effect on another person.

Question 4

PoB shows that the best way to make sure you have a true reinforcer is to ask the person whose behavior you'll be trying to reinforce.

Accepted Answer

Preference assessments, including asking the person, are valuable but not definitive for determining true reinforcers. Observing the effect of the potential reinforcer on the behavior (i.e., does it increase the behavior it follows) is the most accurate method to identify a true reinforcer.

Question 5

The sight of the disruptive spectacle is probably the reinforcer for the people staring at Eric while he tantrums.

Accepted Answer

The disruptive spectacle (Eric's tantrum) is likely to capture the attention of onlookers and act as a form of reinforcement for those who are staring. This is because their attention serves as a reward for Eric's behavior, increasing the likelihood that he will continue to act out in the future in order to receive more attention.

Question 6

The dead-man test applies to reinforcers.

Accepted Answer

The dead-man test applies to safety systems, not to reinforcers. The test is used to determine whether a system is designed to automatically shut down or stop if the operator becomes incapacitated or is unable to maintain control.

Question 7

The text (PoB) uses response and behavior almost interchangeably.

Accepted Answer

Throughout the text, the terms response and behavior are used interchangeably to refer to how an individual reacts or acts in a certain situation.

Question 8

According to PoB, what's a likely positive reinforcer for classroom tantruming?

Accepted Answer

Attention is the most likely positive reinforcer for classroom tantruming as it provides the child with the desired attention and may lead to increased behavior in the future. Food and escape from psychic stress are unlikely to be the reinforcers for tantruming behavior in the classroom setting.

Question 9

According to the authors, tantrumming results from deep-seated feelings of insecurity.

Accepted Answer

The statement is not universally true as tantrums can result from various factors, not solely deep-seated feelings of insecurity.

Question 10

According to the principle of the delay gradient, the longer the person delays their response, the small the reinforcer you should give them

Accepted Answer

The principle of the delay gradient actually suggests that the effectiveness of a reinforcer decreases as the delay between the desired response and the delivery of the reinforcer increases, not that the size of the reinforcer should be reduced with longer delays.

Question 11

It's starting to rain is contingent on your going outside

Accepted Answer

The statement "It's starting to rain" is not contingent on whether or not someone goes outside. It means rain is beginning to fall, regardless of whether or not someone is there to witness it.

Question 12

Enriching the environment is NOT the best way to increase productive behavior.

Accepted Answer

Enriching the environment is one of the best ways to increase productive behavior.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a stimulus, event or condition that is not a reinforcer, but is helpful for your health?

Accepted Answer

Vitamins can be helpful for one's health, but they do not necessarily function as reinforcers. Reinforcers are stimuli that increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future.

Question 14

We show a child a set of toys to play with and note the one that he or she selects several times. What is this called?

Accepted Answer

The process of showing a child a set of toys and noting which one they select multiple times is known as a reinforcer assessment. This helps identify what toys or activities serve as reinforcers for the child and can be used to encourage positive behaviors or as rewards for good behavior.

Question 15

According to PoB, Jimmy's arm flapping, head rolling, eye squinting, and full-body rocking is probably a result of

Accepted Answer

Jimmy's repetitive behaviors (arm flapping, head rolling, eye squinting, and full-body rocking) are likely a result of automatic reinforcement. This means that he engages in these behaviors because they produce a pleasurable or otherwise reinforcing sensation or experience for him, regardless of any social or environmental contingencies. This is a common feature of many individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental conditions.

Question 16

Doubting Thomas gave Shy Shirley a raisin (Thomas' favorite food) every time Shirley said anything in their training session. But Shirley failed to become more talkative; she didn't even eat the raisins. So Thomas concluded that behavior analysis didn't work. What did Thomas fail to do?

Accepted Answer

Thomas failed to check the assumed reinforcer, which was the raisin. The lack of response from Shirley indicates that either the raisin wasn't actually reinforcing for her or that she didn't understand that her behavior was being reinforced by receiving a raisin. Without checking the effectiveness of the assumed reinforcer, it's impossible to know whether the behavior analysis was working or not.

Question 17

Suppose a child frequently throws temper tantrums in school. According to the text, what might this be a good example of?

Accepted Answer

The frequent temper tantrums in school may be a good example of the effects of social reinforcers such as attention. The child may be behaving this way to receive attention from their peers or teachers, even if it is negative attention.

Question 18

The reinforcer for the behavior of starring at Eric while he tantrums is the sight of the disruptive spectacle (the tantrums)

Accepted Answer

The reinforcer for a behavior is something that follows that behavior and increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future. In this case, the reinforcer for staring at Eric while he tantrums is the sight of the disruptive spectacle of the tantrums. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 19

The sleazy, middle-aged man pulled an envelope out of his pocket and slipped it into the hand of the tall, lean, young woman. Then he spoke without looking her in the eye and without removing the cigarette from the corner of his mouth. His left eyebrow twitched as he said, "The odds are 5 to 1 in favor of your team's winning the NCAA volleyball championship. Mr. Big has bet a lot of money on your team's losing. So here's $10,000 for you to throw the game." Is this a good example of reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

This scenario is not a good example of reinforcement because reinforcement involves rewarding desired behavior to increase the likelihood of it happening again. In this case, the man is offering a bribe for the woman to engage in undesired behavior, which goes against the principles of reinforcement.

Question 20

Would you believe it: it's possible to get a reluctant kid to have bowel movements by giving him bubblegum when he does!

Accepted Answer

This may sound strange, but it is actually true. This technique is known as "bubblegum therapy" and has been used successfully by pediatricians to help children who are experiencing constipation or withholding their bowel movements. The idea is that the child will associate the enjoyable experience of chewing bubblegum with the act of having a bowel movement, which may encourage them to do so more regularly. However, it is important to note that this technique should only be used under the guidance of a healthcare professional, as it may not be appropriate for every child or situation.

Quiz 6: Positive Reinforcement

Suppose a child frequently throws temper tantrums in school. According to the text, what might this be a good example of?

What's the greatest delay you can have between the response and the reinforcer in order for reinforcement to be effective?

Though something is a reinforcer for one person, it might not be a reinforcer for another person.

PoB shows that the best way to make sure you have a true reinforcer is to ask the person whose behavior you'll be trying to reinforce.

The sight of the disruptive spectacle is probably the reinforcer for the people staring at Eric while he tantrums.

The dead-man test applies to reinforcers.

The text (PoB) uses response and behavior almost interchangeably.

According to PoB, what's a likely positive reinforcer for classroom tantruming?

According to the authors, tantrumming results from deep-seated feelings of insecurity.

According to the principle of the delay gradient, the longer the person delays their response, the small the reinforcer you should give them

It's starting to rain is contingent on your going outside

Enriching the environment is NOT the best way to increase productive behavior.

Which of the following is an example of a stimulus, event or condition that is not a reinforcer, but is helpful for your health?

We show a child a set of toys to play with and note the one that he or she selects several times. What is this called?

According to PoB, Jimmy's arm flapping, head rolling, eye squinting, and full-body rocking is probably a result of

Doubting Thomas gave Shy Shirley a raisin (Thomas' favorite food) every time Shirley said anything in their training session. But Shirley failed to become more talkative; she didn't even eat the raisins. So Thomas concluded that behavior analysis didn't work. What did Thomas fail to do?

Suppose a child frequently throws temper tantrums in school. According to the text, what might this be a good example of?

The reinforcer for the behavior of starring at Eric while he tantrums is the sight of the disruptive spectacle (the tantrums)

Would you believe it: it's possible to get a reluctant kid to have bowel movements by giving him bubblegum when he does!