Question 1

To reduce Mary Ann's fear of birds, a behavior therapist had her relax and think of a bird. Then she showed Mary Ann a picture of some birds, after which they both watched the Hitchcock movie about birds. After a few sessions, she took Mary Ann to the aviary. This is an example of what type of behavior therapy?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of systematic desensitization, where the therapist gradually exposes the patient to the feared stimulus in a controlled manner while the patient is in a relaxed state.

Question 2

A student's preference for a grade of "A" rather than "F" is most likely the result of

Accepted Answer

The preference for a grade of "A" rather than "F" is most likely the result of operant conditioning, in which a behavior (studying, working hard, etc.) is strengthened or weakened by the consequences that follow it (receiving a good or bad grade). The student has learned that receiving an "A" is desirable and will likely result in positive consequences such as praise, rewards, or a higher GPA, while receiving an "F" is undesirable and may result in negative consequences such as disappointment, a lower GPA, or even academic probation. This reinforces the behavior necessary for the desired outcome.

Question 3

An involuntary response is to classical conditioning as a voluntary response is to

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves learning through the association of two stimuli, where one stimulus elicits an involuntary response. In contrast, operant conditioning involves learning through the association of a behavior and its consequence, where a voluntary response is emitted to obtain a reward or avoid punishment. Therefore, the best choice is A, operant conditioning.

Question 4

To reduce Patty's fear of horses, a behavior therapist took her immediately to the nearby horse farm. She instructed Patty to stand in the stables, where she was surrounded by 20 horses. This is an example of what kind of behavior therapy?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of flooding, which is a behavior therapy where the individual is exposed to the feared stimulus in a controlled environment until their fear subsides. In this case, Patty was immediately taken to the horse farm and placed in an environment with many horses, which is an overwhelming situation designed to reduce her fear.

Question 5

During World War II, B. F. Skinner was to head up "Project Pigeon," where

Accepted Answer

B. F. Skinner was tasked with training pigeons to guide missiles to their targets. He believed that pigeons were capable of accurately pecking at screens to control the direction of a missile. However, the project was ultimately abandoned in favor of more advanced technologies such as radar.

Question 6

One major difference between the Skinner box and Thorndike's puzzle box is

Accepted Answer

In Thorndike's puzzle box, the animal's "correct" response would allow it to escape and avoid being recaptured. In contrast, in the Skinner box, the animal's response wouldn't permit them to escape, hence they would have to be recaptured. This is a significant difference between the two experimental designs.

Question 7

You are absolutely terrified of dogs. Your behavior therapist is taking you to a kennel where you will be surrounded by 10 dogs. This therapeutic approach is known as

Accepted Answer

Flooding is a therapeutic technique used to treat phobias and anxiety disorders by exposing the patient to their fear at full intensity. The therapist exposes the patient to a large amount of the feared object or situation until the anxiety begins to decrease. In this scenario, being surrounded by 10 dogs when one has a severe fear of dogs is an example of flooding, aiming to help the person overcome their fear by direct and intense exposure.

Question 8

Behavior therapists prefer systematic desensitization to flooding as a behavior therapy to reduce fears because

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization allows for a more pleasant experience for the client as it involves gradually exposing them to the feared stimuli while incorporating relaxation techniques. Flooding, on the other hand, exposes the individual to the fear-evoking stimuli all at once, which can be overwhelming and unpleasant. Therefore, behavior therapists prefer systematic desensitization over flooding.

Question 9

Which of the following best illustrates operant conditioning, according to Skinner?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following best illustrates operant...

Question 10

This psychologist used cats in puzzle boxes to develop his understanding of behavior.

Accepted Answer

Edward Thorndike used puzzle boxes and cats to develop his understanding of animal behavior and learning. He created the "law of effect," which states that an action followed by a desirable outcome is more likely to be repeated, whereas an action followed by an undesirable outcome is less likely to be repeated. His work laid the foundation for behaviorism and operant conditioning.

Question 11

Tim repeatedly placed his pigeon in a cage, with birdseed just outside the cage door. The only way the pigeon could reach the birdseed was to peck a button fixed on one of the walls. This opened the door and allowed the pigeon to reach the seed. According to the law of effect, which of the following would most likely occur?

Accepted Answer

According to the law of effect, behaviors that are followed by satisfying consequences (in this case, access to food) are more likely to be repeated in the future. Therefore, over time, the pigeon would learn to associate pecking the button with getting the food and would become more efficient at doing so.

Question 12

According to the law of effect,

Accepted Answer

The law of effect states that behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes or reinforcement are strengthened and more likely to occur in the future. Conversely, behaviors that are followed by negative outcomes or punishment are weakened and less likely to occur in the future. Therefore, choice A is the best answer as it accurately describes the law of effect. Choice B is incorrect as the law of effect is related to operant conditioning, not classical conditioning (which involves the CS and CR). Choice C is partially true, but only describes the process of acquisition (when the CR is first learned), not extinction (when the CR disappears). Choice D is also incorrect as the rat will only press the lever if it is previously associated with some type of reinforcement.

Question 13

Anything that increases the probability of a response is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a response occurring again in the future, while punishment decreases the likelihood. Operant refers to behavior that is shaped by its consequences, and a shaper is a method used to shape behavior by reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior.

Question 14

In operant conditioning, behavior is a result of its

Accepted Answer

In operant conditioning, behavior is shaped by its consequences. This means that if a behavior leads to a favorable outcome, it is more likely to be repeated in the future. If a behavior leads to an unfavorable outcome, it is less likely to be repeated in the future.

Question 15

Your dog is upset and agitated around your new cat. Your new cat is not particularly happy around your dog, either. Then you start to feed them together, side by side. They begin to like each other (or at least tolerate each other). This happened in accordance with the principle of

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes counterconditioning, which involves pairing a previously negative stimulus (the presence of the other animal) with a positive stimulus (food) in order to change the association and create a positive response. Through the process of counterconditioning, the dog and cat learn to tolerate each other's presence and may eventually even become friends. Fear hierarchy conditioning (A) is a type of systematic desensitization therapy that is used to treat phobias and anxiety disorders in humans, and would not necessarily apply to this situation. Backward conditioning (C) and trace conditioning (D) are both forms of classical conditioning, but neither is applicable in this scenario.

Question 16

Gradually exposing someone to fear-inducing stimuli while they are in a relaxed state is called

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization is a type of therapy that gradually exposes a person to fear-inducing stimuli while they are in a relaxed state. The process helps to reduce the fear response and anxiety associated with the stimulus over time. Flooding involves exposing a person to the entire fear-inducing stimulus all at once, which can be overwhelming and may not be as effective as systematic desensitization. Extinction therapy involves the removal of a positive reinforcement previously associated with a fear-inducing stimulus, and reverse conditioning involves changing the person's emotional response to the feared stimulus by pairing it with a positive stimulus.

Question 17

Kate hated to be sticky. She had a phobia about it. Her therapist put her in a room and covered her with orange juice and Pepsi, and she had to stay there for six hours. This type of therapy is called

Accepted Answer

The therapy Kate received is an example of flooding, which involves exposing the individual to their fear or phobia in a highly intensive manner until they no longer experience excessive anxiety in response to the trigger. Systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing the individual to their fear or phobia, while extinction therapy and reverse conditioning are not applicable in this scenario.

Question 18

Behavior followed by a positive outcome will be repeated while behavior followed by a negative outcome will not. This is called

Accepted Answer

Thorndike's law of effect states that behavior followed by a positive outcome will be repeated while behavior followed by a negative outcome will not. This law was formulated by psychologist Edward Thorndike in the early 1900s and is a basic principle of operant conditioning, which is the process by which behavior is shaped through reinforcement and punishment. The other options listed (A, C, and D) do not accurately describe this principle.

Question 19

After studying cats in the puzzle box, __________ came up with the "law of effect."

Accepted Answer

Edward Thorndike came up with the "law of effect" after studying cats in the puzzle box.

Question 20

The major difference between counterconditioning and flooding is that counterconditioning

Accepted Answer

Counterconditioning involves repeatedly pairing a pleasant or positive stimulus with the fear-evoking stimulus to change the client's response to the fear-evoking stimulus. On the other hand, flooding exposes the client to the feared stimulus in a high-intensity situation until they habituate to the stimulus and the fear response diminishes. Counterconditioning is an effective technique used by behavior therapists.

Quiz 5: Learning