Question 1

Olivia is punished for spilling her cereal. Her parents give her a spanking and send her to her room, where she cries. Later, her puppy makes a mess on the floor. Olivia kicks her puppy and puts it out in the yard where it whines sadly. Which of the following statements explains her behavior toward the puppy?

Accepted Answer

Olivia is modeling the aggressive behavior that her parents demonstrated to her. This suggests that she is learning from her parents and emulating their behavior.

Question 2

Punishment is MOST effective ________.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that punishment is most effective when it occurs immediately after the undesired behavior. This is because humans and animals are more likely to associate the punishment with the behavior if there is little delay. In addition, punishment that is too severe or intense can actually be counterproductive, leading to negative emotions or avoidance behaviors. Finally, punishment is not always the most effective form of behavior modification, with alternative approaches such as positive reinforcement often yielding better long-term results.

Question 3

An expert on parenting is addressing parents at the local grade school. When the topic of punishment is discussed, what is one outcome of punishment the expert is likely to note for the parents to consider?

Accepted Answer

Punishment can have unintended consequences, such as the child becoming more aggressive. This is important for parents to consider before resorting to punishment as a disciplinary method. B, C, and D are not likely outcomes of punishment.

Question 4

A stimulus presented to a person or animal that decreases the probability of a particular response is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Positive punishment involves presenting a stimulus (such as a loud noise or physical punishment) in order to decrease the likelihood of a certain behavior. Option B) punishment by removal involves removing a rewarding stimulus in order to decrease a behavior. Option C) negative reinforcement involves increasing the likelihood of a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus. Option D) negative expectation is not a recognized term in behavioral psychology.

Question 5

Secondary reinforcers differ from primary reinforcers in that secondary reinforcers ________.

Accepted Answer

Primary reinforcers are innate and satisfy a physical need (such as food, water, or shelter), whereas secondary reinforcers are learned and do not inherently satisfy physical needs. However, they are still effective in reinforcing and shaping behavior through association with primary reinforcers or other secondary reinforcers.

Question 6

A negative reinforcer is a stimulus that is ___________ and thus ________ the probability of a response.

Accepted Answer

A negative reinforcer is a stimulus that is removed, which increases the probability of a response. For example, taking away a loud alarm after pressing a button would increase the likelihood of pressing the button again in the future.

Question 7

Little Tommy hit his sister. As a result, he is grounded from playing outside for the rest of the day. This best represents which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment involves taking away a pleasant stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future. In this case, Little Tommy is being punished by having a positive stimulus (playing outside) taken away from him as a consequence of his hitting his sister.

Question 8

A school issues tokens to the children for good behavior. This issue of a token is an example of ___________.

Accepted Answer

The issuance of tokens for good behavior is an example of behavior modification, a technique used to encourage desirable behaviors through rewards or consequences. This method is often used in educational and therapeutic settings to reinforce positive behavior and discourage negative behavior.

Question 9

Fred is afraid of spiders. He won't even watch a nature show on TV about them. When he sees a picture of a spider, he has a panic attack, but when he avoids looking at the image, his panic goes away. Fred's avoidance of spiders is being __________________.

Accepted Answer

Fred's avoidance of spiders is a form of negative reinforcement because he is rewarded or his anxiety goes down when he avoids looking at images of spiders.

Question 10

A _____________________ reinforcer is any reward that satisfies a basic, biological need, such a hunger, thirst, or touch.

Accepted Answer

A primary reinforcer is a reward that satisfies a basic, biological need, such as hunger, thirst, or touch. It is considered primary because it does not depend on any learned associations or higher-order cognitive processes. Instead, it directly satisfies an innate drive or need within the individual. Examples of primary reinforcers include food, water, warmth, and physical contact.

Question 11

Ellen, a mentally retarded adult, has just received a "token." Based on this information, it is most reasonable to assume that Ellen ________.

Accepted Answer

In behavior therapy, a token is a symbol that represents a reward or reinforcement for specific desired behaviors. Given that Ellen is a mentally retarded adult, it is reasonable to assume that she may be participating in a behavior therapy program that uses tokens as a system of positive reinforcement. Therefore, option B is the most likely choice.

Question 12

Which of the following criteria helps to increase the effectiveness of punishment?

Accepted Answer

Swift punishment is more effective because it provides immediate consequences for behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will decrease in the future. Inconsistent punishment, on the other hand, can lead to confusion and uncertainty about the consequences of behavior, making it less effective. Classical conditioning and vicarious punishment may also have some impact on behavior but are not as universally effective as swift punishment.

Question 13

Which of the following statements concerning punishment is true?

Accepted Answer

Some punishments, especially those that are inconsistent, may actually reinforce the behavior they were intended to eliminate. This is known as the "punishment trap." Additionally, research suggests that positive reinforcement is generally more effective than punishment alone. A and C are incorrect because punishment does not necessarily eliminate behavior or create fear. D is incorrect because punishment and reinforcement used together are generally more effective than punishment alone.

Question 14

Carolyn desperately wants to lose weight, but finds it so difficult to resist the temptation of snack foods. Her difficulty in losing weight probably stems from the powerful effects of ________.

Accepted Answer

Carolyn's difficulty in losing weight is most likely due to the immediate reinforcement she receives from eating snack foods. The pleasure she experiences from the taste of the snack provides an immediate reward, making it difficult for her to resist the temptation to continue eating them. Delayed reinforcement (choice C) would not be applicable in this situation as weight loss is a long-term goal. Shaping (choice A) and discrimination (choice B) are not relevant to this scenario.

Question 15

________ is an example of a primary reinforcer, whereas ________ is an example of a secondary reinforcer.

Accepted Answer

A primary reinforcer is a stimulus that is inherently rewarding or satisfying, such as food or water. A cupcake would fall under this category. A secondary reinforcer, on the other hand, is a stimulus that has become associated with a primary reinforcer through classical or operant conditioning. For example, a certificate of achievement given to a student may be associated with the primary reinforcers of praise and recognition, making it a secondary reinforcer.

Question 16

Behavior modification is an operant technique that helps change behavior through the use of ________ reinforcers.

Accepted Answer

Behavior modification is based on the principles of operant conditioning, which uses consequences (reinforcers and punishers) to modify behavior. Secondary reinforcers (also known as conditioned reinforcers) are stimuli that become reinforcing through their association with primary reinforcers (such as food, water, or sleep). In behavior modification, secondary reinforcers such as praise, attention, or tokens are often used to encourage desired behavior. Therefore, choice (D) - secondary - is the best answer.

Question 17

Of the following, ________ would serve as a primary reinforcer for most people.

Accepted Answer

Food is a primary reinforcer because it satisfies a basic physiological need for survival. Praise, money, and attention are all examples of secondary reinforcers, meaning they become reinforcing through their association with primary reinforcers or other reinforcing stimuli.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of negative punishment?

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment is when a desired stimulus is removed to decrease the probability of a behavior. Losing telephone privileges (a desired stimulus) for breaking curfew would be an example of negative punishment, as it decreases the likelihood of the behavior happening again. The other options are examples of positive punishment, as an aversive stimulus is introduced to decrease the likelihood of a behavior.

Question 19

Reinforcement is to punishment as ________.

Accepted Answer

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again, while punishment decreases it.

Question 20

When Joe thinks about his sorely missed girlfriend he drinks alcohol, which helps dull his feelings. This best illustrates ________.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. In this case, the aversive stimulus is Joe's feelings of missing his girlfriend and the behavior being reinforced is drinking alcohol to remove those feelings.

Quiz 4: Learning: How Experience Changes US