Deck 6: Reinforcement Schedules: Experimental Analyses and Applications

Question 1

Playing the lottery is an example of behavior maintained by a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)variable-interval schedule
D)concurrent schedule

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Performance on a reinforcement schedule can be greatly affected by

A)the rate of reinforcement
B)the quality of reinforcement
C)the amount of effort required to make the response
D)all of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A behavior is likely to have strong momentum if

A)the reinforcement rate is high
B)the reinforcement rate is low
C)the behavior is disrupted by some external event
D)it is a contingency-shaped behavior

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Rapid,steady responding is most typical of performance on a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 5

In a random-ratio 60 schedule,the maximum number of responses that might be required for reinforcement is

A)60
B)120
C)180
D)not predictable

Question 6

On a variable-interval schedule,reinforcement is most likely after

A)a short interresponse time
B)a long interresponse time
C)rapid responding
D)steady responding

Question 7

If a parent gives a child a special privilege every time the child successfully completes five homework assignments,this is an example of a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 8

In a typical laboratory situation,the post-reinforcement pause on a FR schedule is primarily a function of

A)fatigue
B)satiation
C)the number of responses remaining before the next reinforcer
D)none of the above

Question 9

Extinction is usually slowest after reinforcement on a

A)continuous reinforcement schedule
B)fixed-ratio schedule
C)variable-ratio schedule
D)fixed-interval schedule

Question 10

A stop-and-go pattern of responding is most typical of performance on a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 11

Behavioral momentum can be measured as a behavior's

A)forcefulness
B)duration
C)rate of occurrence
D)resistance to change

Question 12

According to the generalization decrement hypothesis,extinction after partial reinforcement is slow because

A)the animal continues to respond out of frustration
B)the conditions of extinction are fairly similar to conditions in which the animal has been reinforced in the past
C)the animal cannot discriminate any change from the previous reinforcement condition
D)all of the above

Question 13

If a telemarketer makes many call and occasionally gets someone to buy his product,this is an example of a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 14

A chained schedule of reinforcement always makes use of

A)two or more distinctly different responses
B)two or more distinctly different discriminative stimuli
C)two or more primary reinforcers
D)all of the above

Question 15

Suppose a pigeon is trained on a multiple schedule consisting of FR 10 when the response key is red and FR 100 when the response key is blue.If in the middle of one session the pigeon experiences the sequence FR 10,FR 100,FR 10,we would expect to see the longest post-reinforcement pause

A)before the first FR 10
B)before the FR 100
C)after the FR 100
D)after the second FR 10

Question 16

An accelerating pattern of responding is most typical of behavior on a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 17

In a cumulative record,a straight diagonal line,going up from left to right,indicates

A)no responding
B)an increasing response rate
C)a steady response rate
D)a decreasing response rate

Question 18

In a fixed-interval 60-second schedule,the delivery of a reinforcer

A)depends only on the passage of time
B)occurs only if the subject responds rapidly
C)requires at least one response
D)always occurs precisely 60 seconds after the last reinforcer

Question 19

If a person working at her computer keeps checking her email and occasionally gets a message from a friend,this is similar to a

A)fixed-ratio schedule
B)variable-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question 20

If a person's performance on a fixed-interval schedule is controlled by rule-governed behavior,the person

A)will wait until the interval has elapsed,then make just one response
B)will exhibit an accelerating response pattern
C)will respond as rapidly as possible
D)might exhibit any of the above patterns,depending on what rule they were following

Question 21

Evidence from laboratory experiments on why responding is faster on VR than VI schedules has favored

A)the molar theory
B)the molecular theory
C)the fatigue theory
D)the generalization decrement theory

Question 22

If an animal doubles its response rate on a variable-interval schedule,the rate of reinforcement

A)will double
B)will not change
C)will usually increase slightly
D)will decrease

Question 23

To be effective,a token reinforcement system

A)must provide the patient with tokens that are physical objects,such as poker chips
B)should only allow the tokens to purchase desired activities,not physical objects
C)should be terminated abruptly once a patient's behavior has improved
D)none of the above

Question 24

To help an autistic child learn to say the word ball,the therapist might use his hand to guide the child's mouth and lips into the proper position.This is an example of

A)shaping
B)prompting
C)fading
D)partial reinforcement

Question 25

Behavioral marital therapy usually does not involve

A)measuring and recording the behaviors of one's spouse
B)learning how to punish a spouse's bad behaviors
C)learning communication and problem-solving skills
D)creating a written contract between spouses

Question 26

Behavioral marital therapy can include

A)a contingency contract
B)behavior exchange
C)training in communication and problem-solving skills
D)all of the above

Question 27

On a variable-ratio schedule,reinforcement is most likely after

A)a long interresponse time
B)a pause in responding
C)one reinforcer has just been delivered
D)none of the above

Question 28

Unlike many attempts of ordinary people to change another individual's behavior,with behavior modification

A)the rules for reinforcement are always applied consistently
B)primary reinforcers are always used
C)continuous reinforcement is always used
D)all of the above