Deck 5: Conditioning, Reinforcement, Punishment, and Learning

Question 1

Which of the following psychologists is NOT associated with the study of classical conditioning?

A) Skinner
B) Pavlov
C) Watson
D) none of these options

Answer 1

Skinner

Question 2

Pavlov's initial interest in classical conditioning was stimulated when he observed his research dogs salivating at the sight of

A) food.
B) the experimenter.
C) saliva.
D) other dogs.

Answer 2

the experimenter.

Question 3

In Pavlov's study, the UCS was _______; the neutral stimulus was _________; and, finally, the CS was_________.

A) food; the bell; food
B) food; the bell; the bell
C) the bell; food; food
D) food; food; the bell

Answer 3

food; the bell; the bell

Question 4

Which of the following responses is probably learned through classical conditioning?

A) inserting coins in a vending machine
B) feeling anxious before a test
C) playing a slot machine
D) a child having a tantrum when his parents say "no" to a request

Question 5

In Watson's experiment with Little Albert, the unconditioned stimulus was

A) a rat.
B) symptoms of fear.
C) a loud noise.
D) Watson.

Question 6

John experiences a strong craving for roasted turkey in early October. His craving, triggered by the time of year, would be considered a(n)

A) reflex.
B) classical response.
C) unconditioned response.
D) conditioned response.

Question 7

Irrational fears that may be caused by classical conditioning are called

A) habituations.
B) stimulus generalizations.
C) phobias.
D) avoidance behaviours.

Question 8

Rosa is afraid of needles and becomes anxious when she enters the examination room at the clinic before a blood test. This illustrates

A) classical conditioning.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) operant conditioning.
D) stimulus discrimination.

Question 9

Melissa is afraid of needles and she also squirms when she views injections on television. This example illustrates

A) classical conditioning.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) operant conditioning.
D) stimulus discrimination.

Question 10

After Little Albert was conditioned by Watson and Rayner to fear a white rat; he also displayed fear responses to a white rabbit and a white coat. This is an example of

A) stimulus generalization.
B) stimulus discrimination.
C) superstitious behaviour.
D) spontaneous recovery.

Question 11

If your dog was classically conditioned to run to the door when you pick up a leash to go for a walk, what might extinguish this behaviour?

A) You cannot extinguish this behaviour.
B) Use operant conditioning to teach him to recognize the word "walk."
C) Take him for a walk without the leash.
D) Pick up the leash without taking him for a walk.

Question 12

A Skinner box is

A) like a blue box from Tiffany's, but less upscale.
B) a cage where lab animals are kept when they are not being used in experiments.
C) a controlled environment to study conditioning in lab animals.
D) None of these

Question 13

Amanda was trying to train her dog to sit using operant conditioning. Every time her dog sat, she immediately said "good dog." However, the dog did not sit on command. Which of the following is the best explanation for this?

A) Amanda should have delayed reinforcement.
B) The CS did not match the CR.
C) Amanda used inconsistent reinforcement.
D) Saying "good dog" was not reinforcing to her dog.

Question 14

Josh's paycheque is a(n) _________ reinforcer.

A) positive
B) primary
C) unconditioned
D) intermittent

Question 15

Marcie sometimes punishes her toddler's misbehaviour and has made the following statements: (1) "Just you wait until your father gets home." (2) "I got so mad I slapped her." (3) "Why should I reward her for doing what she's supposed to?"Based on these statements, which principle(s) of effective punishment does Marcie seem to violate?

A) Punishment should immediately follow behaviour.
B) Physical punishment should be avoided.
C) Punishment should be used in conjunction with reinforcement.
D) She seems to violate all of these principles.

Question 16

Vending machine is to slot machine as ____________ reinforcement is to __________reinforcement.

A) primary; secondary
B) secondary; primary
C) partial; intermittent
D) intermittent; continuous

Question 17

According to your text, one reason that people play slot machines so enthusiastically is because

A) the reinforcement-the payoff-is not delivered following the lever-pulling behaviour.
B) the reinforcement-the payoff-is delivered frequently following the lever-pulling behaviour.
C) the reinforcement-the payoff-is delivered immediately following the lever-pulling behaviour.
D) the reinforcement-the payoff-is delivered continuously following the lever-pulling behaviour.

Question 18

Which of the following reflects successful applications of behaviour modification?

A) It has helped people lose weight.
B) It has helped people quit smoking.
C) It has helped severely mentally retarded people begin to take care of themselves.
D) All of these

Question 19

Studies on latent learning involving maze learning in rats found that rats acquired a mental representation of the spatial layout of the maze called a(n)

A) mental map
B) cognitive map
C) cognition
D) belief

Question 20

You walk around the mall most weekends. When a mother with a small child asks you where the toy store is, you give her exact directions to its location. This is an example of

A) observational learning.
B) latent learning.
C) insight learning.
D) subconscious learning.

Question 21

Observational learning is important from a practical standpoint because

A) it offers a way to instruct complex behaviours in those instances in which shaping is not feasible.
B) it alerts us to the potential effect of media aggression on human behaviour.
C) Both A and B
D) Neither A nor B

Question 22

According to one study, players of violent video games were more likely to have:

A) reduced academic achievement.
B) behaved aggressively.
C) been involved in delinquent behaviours.
D) All of these

Question 23

By which of the following mechanisms might exposure to media violence contribute to an increase in real-life aggressive behaviour?

A) It may lower inhibitions against performing aggressive acts.
B) It may predispose one to view others' behaviour as aggressive, even when it is not.
C) It may desensitize one to violence.
D) All of these

Question 24

While Watson and Raynor showed that classical conditioning can be used to evoke fear, researchers from McGill University found that classical conditioning can impact which of the following?

A) personality
B) self-esteem
C) aggressive behaviour
D) fear

Question 25

Which prominent psychologist worked in advertising after leaving the university where he conducted the famous Little Albert experiment?

A) Skinner
B) Pavlov
C) Watson
D) none of the above

Question 26

What did Dr. Jonathan Freedman from the University of Toronto determine was true regarding exposure to media violence and violent behaviour?

A) Exposure to media violence causes violent behaviour
B) Exposure to media violence does not cause violent behaviour
C) Exposure to media violence causes violent behaviour about 50% of the time
D) More research needs to be completed to determine the effects media violence has on violent behaviour.

Question 27

The term _________ refers to a relatively permanent change in behaviour resulting from experience.

Question 28

Adaptation refers to the diminished response of sensory receptors after prolonged stimulation. Similarly, __________ is a decline in the behavioural response following repeated exposure to the same stimulus.

Question 29

In Pavlov's study, the bell is both a __________ and a __________ stimulus.

Question 30

Along with Rosalie Rayner, _________ demonstrated the conditioning of fear in an 11-month-old infant.

Question 31

Irrational fears called _________ are thought to be caused by classical conditioning.

Question 32

According to Skinner's principle of __________, the emphasis is on forming associations betweenbehaviour and consequences.

Question 33

__________ is defined as increase in the probability of a behaviour following the delivery of astimulus.

Question 34

________ reinforcers satisfy a biological need.

Question 35

The likelihood that a previous response will occur again is decreased by _________.

Question 36

A researcher examines the speed with which participants acquire an association between a neutral stimulus and a pleasant facial expression on the one hand or a hostile expression on the other. In such an investigation, facial expression is the _________ variable.

Question 37

Researchers from McGill University found that participants who were exposed to smiling faces had________ levels of implicit self-esteem compared to participants who were not exposed to the smilingfaces.

Question 38

Dr. Jeffery Rosenthal from the University of Toronto suggests your chances of winning Lotto 649 are about 1 in __ million.

Question 39

Observational learning research suggests that seeing others reinforced for particular behaviours may encourage our own acquisition of similar behaviours. To what extent is exposure to media violence associated with the acquisition of aggressive behaviour? Support your answer with reference to empirical research. Describe two or three specific mechanisms by which exposure to media violence might increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviour.