Question 1

Joseph,a three-year-old boy,is afraid of the doctor who gave him a shot and made him cry.Consequently,whenever Joseph sees a person in a white laboratory coat,he starts crying.In this scenario,Joseph's behavior best exemplifies
A)spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning.
B)extinction in classical conditioning.
C)generalization in operant conditioning.
D)discrimination in operant conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Joseph's behavior of crying when he sees anyone in a white lab coat is an example of generalization in operant conditioning. Generalization occurs when a response similar to the original conditioned response is produced by a similar stimulus. In this case, the white lab coat is a similar stimulus to the doctor who gave Joseph the shot and made him cry, and so he responds to it with fear and crying.

Question 2

Which of the following is true of continuous reinforcement in operant conditioning?
A)Continuous reinforcement is particularly resistant to extinction.
B)Continuous reinforcement does not bring about changes in behavior.
C)In continuous reinforcement,a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.
D)In continuous reinforcement,a behavior is reinforced only a portion of the time.

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement involves reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs. This can be an effective way to establish a new behavior, but it can also lead to rapid extinction if reinforcement is later discontinued.

Question 3

Carol is training her dog to sit on command.Each time he sits in response to her command,she gives him a treat.In the context of operant conditioning,Carol is using a _____ to train her dog.
A)secondary reinforcer
B)partial reinforcement schedule
C)negative reinforcer
D)continuous reinforcement schedule

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement schedule is when a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs. In this scenario, Carol rewards her dog every time he sits in response to her command, which makes it an example of continuous reinforcement.

Question 4

In the context of operant conditioning,a reinforcer that acquires its positive value through an organism's experience is a _____ reinforcer.
A)primary
B)secondary
C)tertiary
D)negative

Accepted Answer

A secondary reinforcer is a reinforcer that has gained its value through association with other reinforcers or events. It is also known as a conditioned reinforcer. In contrast, a primary reinforcer is a naturally reinforcing stimulus such as food, water, or other basic needs. Tertiary reinforcers are also conditioned, but they gain their value through association with secondary reinforcers rather than primary ones. Negative reinforcers are stimuli that increase the likelihood of a behavior when they are removed or avoided, but they are not related to the development of value or positive reinforcement through experience. Therefore, option B is the best choice, as it describes a reinforcer that has acquired its positive value through experience or conditioning.

Question 5

Dale works for a publishing company.Every time he writes a good article,he gets lots of fan mail expressing support to him.In the context of operant conditioning,the mails that Dale receives are called a
A)neutral stimulus.
B)unconditioned stimulus.
C)secondary reinforcer.
D)primary reinforcer.

Accepted Answer

The fan mails are not something that naturally or automatically triggers a response from Dale (like how an unconditioned stimulus would), but they have become associated with reinforcement (i.e. the positive feeling of receiving support and recognition) through repeated pairing. Therefore, they function as a secondary reinforcer that strengthens the behavior of writing good articles.

Question 6

In operant conditioning,discrimination occurs when
A)a behavior is no longer reinforced and decreases in frequency.
B)an organism responds appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.
C)an organism performs a reinforced behavior in a different situation.
D)an organism reverts to instinctive behavior that interferes with learning.

Accepted Answer

Discrimination in operant conditioning refers to an organism's ability to respond appropriately to different stimuli that signal whether a behavior will be reinforced or not. For example, a rat may learn to press a lever for food only when a green light is on and not when a red light is on. This ability to discriminate between different stimuli can be important in learning and behavior modification.

Question 7

The _____ schedule in operant conditioning reinforces a behavior after a set number of behaviors.
A)fixed-ratio
B)variable-ratio
C)fixed-interval
D)variable-interval

Accepted Answer

The fixed-ratio schedule reinforces a behavior after a set number of behaviors, which means the reinforcement is contingent upon the completion of a specific number of responses. For example, a rat may receive food pellet after every tenth lever press. This type of reinforcement schedule tends to produce high and steady rates of response.

Question 8

Continuous reinforcement in operant conditioning
A)is particularly resistant to extinction.
B)characterizes most life experiences.
C)is the type of reinforcement in which organisms learn rapidly.
D)is the type of reinforcement in which a reinforcer follows a behavior only a portion of the time.

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement in operant conditioning is the type of reinforcement in which every occurrence of the operant response (desired behavior) is reinforced, leading to rapid learning.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of a variable-ratio schedule in operant conditioning?
A)It produces high,steady rates of behavior that are more resistant to extinction.
B)It makes behavior slow and consistent.
C)It rewards behavior each time it occurs.
D)It is determined by the time elapsed since the last behavior was rewardeD.

Accepted Answer

Variable-ratio schedules reinforce behavior after an unpredictable number of responses, which leads to high, steady rates of behavior that are more resistant to extinction. This is because the individual cannot predict when the next reward will come, and therefore continues to engage in the behavior in the hopes of receiving a reward.

Question 10

In operant conditioning,_____ occurs when a behavior is no longer reinforced and decreases in frequency.
A)extinction
B)acquisition
C)discrimination
D)preparedness

Accepted Answer

Extinction is the process in operant conditioning where a behavior that was previously reinforced is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in its frequency. This can happen in various ways, such as withholding rewards or punishments or removing incentives.

Question 11

In operant conditioning,_____ means performing a reinforced behavior in a different situation.
A)generalization
B)renewal
C)discrimination
D)preparedness

Accepted Answer

Generalization in operant conditioning refers to the tendency to perform a reinforced behavior in a similar situation or context. This means that the behavior is not limited to a specific setting or circumstance, but can be generalized to other situations as well.

Question 12

A _____ schedule in operant conditioning rewards behaviors an average number of times on an unpredictable basis.
A)variable-ratio
B)fixed-ratio
C)variable-interval
D)fixed-interval

Accepted Answer

A variable-ratio schedule rewards behavior after an average number of responses, but on an unpredictable basis. This type of schedule tends to be the most resistant to extinction, as the subject doesn't know when they will be rewarded, so they keep performing the behavior.

Question 13

Henry,a five-year-old boy,knows that when he goes out with his mother and throws a tantrum,he will not get a treat.However,when he goes out with his father and throws a tantrum,he will get a treat.Henry's learning in this scenario exemplifies
A)generalization in operant conditioning.
B)renewal in classical conditioning.
C)discrimination in operant conditioning.
D)extinction in classical conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Discrimination in operant conditioning refers to the ability to distinguish between situations where the behavior will or will not be reinforced. In this scenario, Henry has learned to discriminate between going out with his mother (where throwing a tantrum leads to no treat) and going out with his father (where throwing a tantrum leads to a treat).

Question 14

Which of the following is true of a variable-interval schedule in operant conditioning?
A)It reinforces the first behavior after a fixed amount of time has passed.
B)It rewards behaviors an average number of times but on an unpredictable basis.
C)It reinforces a behavior after an inconsistent and unpredictable amount of time has elapsed.
D)It reinforces a behavior after a set number of behaviors.

Accepted Answer

A variable-interval schedule reinforces a behavior after an inconsistent and unpredictable amount of time has elapsed. This means that the reinforcement is not tied to a fixed amount of time passing, but rather varies randomly, making it more difficult for the individual to anticipate when the reinforcement will occur.

Question 15

Which of the following is true of a fixed-ratio schedule in operant conditioning?
A)It reinforces a behavior after a set number of behaviors.
B)It reinforces a behavior after a fixed amount of time has passed.
C)It produces high,steady rates of behavior that are more resistant to extinction than the other schedules.
D)It is determined by the time elapsed since the last behavior was rewardeD.

Accepted Answer

A fixed-ratio schedule reinforces a behavior after a specific number of behaviors. For example, every third time a behavior is performed, it is reinforced. This schedule produces a high rate of behavior because the individual knows they need to perform the behavior a set number of times before they receive a reward.

Question 16

Which of the following is true of partial reinforcement?
A)In partial reinforcement,a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.
B)Partial reinforcement does not characterize most life experiences.
C)Partial reinforcement is particularly resistant to extinction.
D)In partial reinforcement,extinction takes place quickly when reinforcement stops.

Accepted Answer

Partial reinforcement is when a behavior is not reinforced every time it occurs, which is the case in most life experiences. This type of reinforcement is particularly resistant to extinction, meaning that the behavior reinforced through partial reinforcement will persist even when reinforcement stops, compared to behaviors that are fully reinforced, which will become extinct more quickly when reinforcement stops. Therefore, option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because reinforcement does not occur every time behavior is displayed in partial reinforcement. Option B is incorrect because partial reinforcement is a common occurrence in life experiences. Option D is incorrect because extinction is slower in partial reinforcement than in full reinforcement.

Question 17

In operant conditioning,extinction occurs when
A)a behavior is no longer reinforced and decreases in frequency.
B)an organism responds appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.
C)an organism performs a reinforced behavior in a different situation.
D)a desired behavior receives reinforcements in successive approximations.

Accepted Answer

Extinction occurs in operant conditioning when a behavior is no longer reinforced and subsequently decreases in frequency.

Question 18

In operant conditioning,_____ means responding appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.
A)generalization
B)renewal
C)discrimination
D)preparedness

Accepted Answer

Discrimination in operant conditioning refers to the ability to respond appropriately to stimuli that signal whether a behavior will or will not be reinforced. This ability to discriminate between different stimuli helps to shape and maintain specific behaviors. Generalization refers to the tendency to respond to similar stimuli in the same way, while renewal refers to the recovery of a behavior that has been extinguished in a different context. Preparedness refers to the innate predisposition of certain species to learn certain behaviors.

Question 19

In operant conditioning,generalization occurs when
A)a behavior is no longer reinforced and decreases in frequency.
B)an organism responds appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.
C)an organism performs a reinforced behavior in a different situation.
D)an organism reverts to instinctive behavior that interferes with learning.

Accepted Answer

Generalization in operant conditioning occurs when an organism performs a reinforced behavior in a different situation or context than it was originally learned. For example, a dog may learn a command to sit in the living room, but also generalize the behavior and continue to sit in the kitchen or outside. This is different from discrimination, which occurs when an organism responds appropriately to stimuli that signal whether a behavior will or will not be reinforced. Option A describes extinction, not generalization, while option D describes interference rather than any specific concept within operant conditioning.

Question 20

In the context of operant conditioning,a _____ schedule is one in which a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.
A)partial reinforcement
B)continuous reinforcement
C)vicarious reinforcement
D)vicarious punishment

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement schedule is one in which a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs. This means that the behavior is consistently and immediately reinforced, which leads to high rates of responding and fast learning. Other schedules, such as partial reinforcement schedules, involve reinforcing behaviors only some of the time, which can lead to slower learning but more resistance to extinction.

Quiz 6: Learning

Joseph,a three-year-old boy,is afraid of the doctor who gave him a shot and made him cry.Consequently,whenever Joseph sees a person in a white laboratory coat,he starts crying.In this scenario,Joseph's behavior best exemplifies

Which of the following is true of continuous reinforcement in operant conditioning?

Carol is training her dog to sit on command.Each time he sits in response to her command,she gives him a treat.In the context of operant conditioning,Carol is using a _____ to train her dog.

In the context of operant conditioning,a reinforcer that acquires its positive value through an organism's experience is a _____ reinforcer.

Dale works for a publishing company.Every time he writes a good article,he gets lots of fan mail expressing support to him.In the context of operant conditioning,the mails that Dale receives are called a

In operant conditioning,discrimination occurs when

The _____ schedule in operant conditioning reinforces a behavior after a set number of behaviors.

Continuous reinforcement in operant conditioning

Which of the following is true of a variable-ratio schedule in operant conditioning?

In operant conditioning,_____ occurs when a behavior is no longer reinforced and decreases in frequency.

In operant conditioning,_____ means performing a reinforced behavior in a different situation.

A _____ schedule in operant conditioning rewards behaviors an average number of times on an unpredictable basis.

Henry,a five-year-old boy,knows that when he goes out with his mother and throws a tantrum,he will not get a treat.However,when he goes out with his father and throws a tantrum,he will get a treat.Henry's learning in this scenario exemplifies

Which of the following is true of a variable-interval schedule in operant conditioning?

Which of the following is true of a fixed-ratio schedule in operant conditioning?

Which of the following is true of partial reinforcement?

In operant conditioning,extinction occurs when

In operant conditioning,_____ means responding appropriately to stimuli that signal that a behavior will or will not be reinforced.

In operant conditioning,generalization occurs when

In the context of operant conditioning,a _____ schedule is one in which a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.