Which of the following statements would be rejected by a strict behaviourist?
A) Primary reinforcers and punishers can be very powerful, but they also have drawbacks.
B) The sooner a reinforcer follows a response, the greater its effect on the response.
C) In studying the consequences of behaviour, the words reinforcer and reward are synonyms.
D) No matter how pleasurable a stimulus is, unless it increases responses, it is not a reinforcer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A strict behaviourist would not accept the use of words that suggest mental processes or internal states, such as reward, in explaining behaviour. They would prefer to use objective terms like reinforcer or punisher to describe the consequences of behaviour.

Answer: A
 Strict behaviourists acknowledge the power of primary reinforcers and punishers, but they would argue that they do not have any inherent value. They would argue that the value of a stimulus or event is determined by its consequences in terms of increasing or decreasing the likelihood of a behaviour occurring in the future.

Answer: D
 This statement reflects the strict behaviourist view that the value of a stimulus or event is determined solely by its ability to increase or decrease responses. They would argue that the subjective experience of pleasure or pain is irrelevant to explaining behaviour.

Therefore, answer choices B and C would be accepted by strict behaviourists.

Which of the Following Statements Would Be Rejected by a Strict