Question 1

When Beth tried to take the bone away from her dog, Jack, he bared his teeth and growled threateningly. Beth quickly pulled her hand back. Jack growled even more threateningly the next time Beth reached for the bone, and she again pulled her hand away. Eventually, Beth gave up and she now lets Jack chew on bones for as long as he wants. Jack's behavior of baring his teeth and growling served to _________ Beth's behavior of trying to take the bone away from him. Beth's behavior of pulling her hand away served to _________ Jack's behavior of growling.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Beth tried to take the bone...

Question 2

Reinforcers and punishers are defined entirely by their _________ on behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Reinforcers and punishers are defined entirely by...

Question 3

Over time, Jim gradually becomes more and more efficient at cleaning his apartment. This improvement is most likely a result of
A) intermittent reinforcement.
B) stimulus control.
C) shaping.
D) an FR schedule of reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Shaping is a process in behavioral psychology where successive approximations of a desired behavior are reinforced. In Jim's case, as he becomes more efficient at cleaning his apartment, it's likely that he is experiencing shaping, where small improvements and more efficient behaviors in cleaning are being reinforced over time, leading to an overall improvement in his cleaning skills.

Question 4

For a male Betta splendens , the sight of another male can act as a
A) releasing stimulus.
B) positive reinforcer.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of For a male Betta splendens , the...

Question 5

An event is a punisher if it _________ a behavior and the future probability of that behavior _________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An event is a punisher if it...

Question 6

The sound of a click can be an effective tool for shaping after it has been paired with _____, thereby making it a _____.
A) food; secondary reinforcer
B) shock; primary punisher
C) food; primary reinforcer
D) shock; secondary punisher

Accepted Answer

The sound of a click becomes a secondary reinforcer after it has been paired with food (a primary reinforcer), because it signals that a reward is coming, thereby motivating the behavior to occur again.

Question 7

According to Thorndike's _________, behaviors that lead to a(n) _________ state of affairs are strengthened, while behaviors that lead to a(n) _________ state of affairs are weakened.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Thorndike's _________, behaviors that lead...

Question 8

Compared to most elicited behaviors, operant behaviors seem (more/less) _________ automatic and reflexive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to most elicited behaviors, operant behaviors...

Question 9

Operant behaviors are usually defined as a(n) _________ of emitted responses, all of which are capable of producing certain _________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Operant behaviors are usually defined as a(n)...

Question 10

A discriminative stimulus is a stimulus that signals that a(n) _________ is available. It is said to "_________" for the behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A discriminative stimulus is a stimulus that...

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of shaping?
A) Reinforcing the behavior of lever-pressing
B) Reinforcing gradual approximations to lever-pressing
C) Sudden reinforcement to receive food
D) Reinforcing a rat to keep its previous behavior unchanged

Accepted Answer

Shaping involves reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the desired behavior. In this case, reinforcing gradual approximations to lever-pressing is an example of shaping, as it rewards steps that are increasingly similar to the target behavior.

Question 12

At the zoo one day, you notice a zookeeper coaxing a camel into a pen by blowing a whistle. In this scenario, it is probable that the whistle has been paired with _____ and is now functioning as a(n) _____.
A) food; punisher
B) food; unconditioned stimulus
C) food; secondary reinforcer
D) shock; primary punisher

Accepted Answer

The whistle likely has been paired with food, a primary reinforcer, and through classical conditioning, it has become a secondary reinforcer. This means the camel has learned to associate the sound of the whistle with receiving food, motivating it to move into the pen.

Question 13

Shaping is the:
A) reinforcement of new operant behavior.
B) gradual reinforcement of new operant behavior.
C) reinforcement of gradual approximations to an existing behavior to create a new behavior.
D) creation of new behavior through sudden reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Shaping involves the reinforcement of gradual approximations to a desired behavior until the new behavior is achieved, making it a process of gradually training an organism to perform a specific action by reinforcing any behaviors that are closer to the desired behavior.

Question 14

Which of the following is true of the use of contrived reinforcers in a clinical setting?
A) It is important to consistently maintain them within that setting.
B) An attempt will often be made to withdraw them over time.
C) It is hoped that the behavior will eventually become trapped by the natural contingencies in that environment.
D) Both b and c are correct.

Accepted Answer

Contrived reinforcers are often used initially to encourage the development of new behaviors or to strengthen existing ones. Over time, the goal is to reduce or eliminate these artificial reinforcers as the behavior becomes maintained by natural contingencies in the environment, indicating that both B and C are correct.

Question 15

For a male Betta splendens , potential reinforcers include
A) the sight of another male.
B) food.
C) a cold stream of water.
D) Both a and b are correct.

Accepted Answer

Male Betta splendens, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are highly territorial and aggressive towards other males, so the sight of another male can stimulate them and act as a reinforcer for aggressive or display behaviors. Additionally, food is a primary reinforcer for most animals, including Betta splendens, as it satisfies a basic biological need.

Question 16

Over time, we are likely to become more and more efficient at washing dishes. This is most likely the result of
A) primary punishment.
B) positive punishment.
C) chaining.
D) shaping.

Accepted Answer

Shaping involves reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior. Over time, as we practice washing dishes, we get better at it because we refine our technique based on past experiences and incremental improvements, which is a form of shaping.

Question 17

Enjoying yourself at a party is a(n) _____ reinforcer for going to the party.
A) contrived
B) natural
C) extrinsic
D) Both a and b are correct.

Accepted Answer

Natural reinforcers are rewards that directly follow an activity or behavior, such as the enjoyment one gets from attending a party, making "natural" the correct choice.

Question 18

The process of creating a new behavior by reinforcing gradual approximations to a present behavior is known as _____.
A) chaining
B) shaping
C) graduated reinforcement
D) fading

Accepted Answer

Shaping is the process where new behaviors are taught by reinforcing successive approximations toward the desired behavior. This technique is often used in both human and animal training.

Question 19

For a male Betta splendens , the sight of another male elicits _____ behavior and functions as a(n) _____.
A) aggressive; punisher
B) aggressive; reinforcer
C) avoidance; punisher
D) avoidance; reinforcer

Accepted Answer

The sight of another male Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) typically elicits aggressive behavior, which functions as a reinforcer, encouraging the fish to display dominance and territorial behaviors.

Question 20

The advantages of using a click or a whistle as a secondary reinforcer during shaping include that
A) it can be delivered immediately following the correct behavior.
B) satiation will take longer to occur.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Accepted Answer

Clicks or whistles as secondary reinforcers can be delivered immediately, ensuring timely reinforcement, and they are less likely to lead to satiation compared to primary reinforcers like food, making both A and B correct.

Quiz 6: Operant Conditioning Introduction

Reinforcers and punishers are defined entirely by their _________ on behavior.

Over time, Jim gradually becomes more and more efficient at cleaning his apartment. This improvement is most likely a result of

For a male Betta splendens , the sight of another male can act as a

An event is a punisher if it _ a behavior and the future probability of that behavior _.

The sound of a click can be an effective tool for shaping after it has been paired with _, thereby making it a _.

According to Thorndike's _____, behaviors that lead to a(n) _ state of affairs are strengthened, while behaviors that lead to a(n) _____ state of affairs are weakened.

Compared to most elicited behaviors, operant behaviors seem (more/less) _________ automatic and reflexive.

Operant behaviors are usually defined as a(n) _ of emitted responses, all of which are capable of producing certain _.

A discriminative stimulus is a stimulus that signals that a(n) _ is available. It is said to "_" for the behavior.

Which of the following is an example of shaping?

At the zoo one day, you notice a zookeeper coaxing a camel into a pen by blowing a whistle. In this scenario, it is probable that the whistle has been paired with _ and is now functioning as a(n) _.

Shaping is the:

Which of the following is true of the use of contrived reinforcers in a clinical setting?

For a male Betta splendens , potential reinforcers include

Over time, we are likely to become more and more efficient at washing dishes. This is most likely the result of

Enjoying yourself at a party is a(n) _____ reinforcer for going to the party.

The process of creating a new behavior by reinforcing gradual approximations to a present behavior is known as _____.

For a male Betta splendens , the sight of another male elicits _ behavior and functions as a(n) _.

The advantages of using a click or a whistle as a secondary reinforcer during shaping include that