Frank buys his daughter a computerized toy that is teaching her to read. As she reads the text of a book, the computer asks her questions, which she answers by pointing to the answers with a specialized stylus. If she gets the answers correct, the computer applauds. If she gets the answer wrong, the computer requests another answer. This toy is analogous to ____.
A) the experiment Pavlov did with his dogs
B) the experiment J. B. Watson did on little Albert
C) a Skinner box
D) taste aversion with disulfiram

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The computerized toy is teaching through a form of operant conditioning, where the correct answers are reinforced with praise. This is similar to a Skinner box, which is a controlled environment where animals learn through operant conditioning. It is not similar to Pavlov's classical conditioning with dogs or Watson's experiment on little Albert, where they both used classical conditioning techniques. Taste aversion with disulfiram is a different type of learning, where a negative experience with a particular stimulus (in this case, a medication that causes unpleasant side effects when combined with alcohol) leads to an aversion or avoidance of that stimulus in the future.

Frank Buys His Daughter a Computerized Toy That Is Teaching