Question 1

Matt classically conditions his dog, Wally, to salivate when he strums the G chord on his guitar by providing food after the chord is played. After some time, Matt notices that Wally salivates even when other chords are strummed although the chords were not followed by food. This phenomenon is known as ________.
A) stimulus generalization
B) stimulus discrimination
C) higher-order conditioning
D) instinctive drift

Accepted Answer

This is an example of stimulus generalization, where Wally responds to similar stimuli (other chords) in the same way he responded to the conditioned stimulus (the G chord).

Question 2

Which of the following fears can be easily conditioned in human beings?
A) fear of flowers
B) fear of butterflies
C) fear of toasters
D) fear of spiders

Accepted Answer

Fear of spiders (arachnophobia) is one of the most common and easily conditioned fears in humans. This is because humans have evolved to instinctively fear spiders and other potentially dangerous creatures as a survival mechanism. On the other hand, fears of flowers, butterflies, and toasters are not innate and are less likely to be easily conditioned.

Question 3

Ayden is afraid of swings. To overcome this fear, his father places him on a swing and gives Ayden an ice pop to eat while gently pushing it. This is an example of ________.
A) latent learning
B) counterconditioning
C) spontaneous recovery
D) operant conditioning

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of counterconditioning, where Ayden is encouraged to associate the previously feared stimulus (swings) with a positive and pleasurable experience (eating an ice pop). By gradually exposing Ayden to the swing in a positive context, his fear may decrease through the principles of classical conditioning. Latent learning refers to learning that occurs without a clear demonstration of that learning, spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of previously extinct behavior, and operant conditioning involves modifying behavior through the use of rewards and punishments.

Question 4

A variation of the counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones has been used to treat adult phobias. This variation is called:
A) positive reinforcement.
B) intermittent reinforcement.
C) systematic desensitization.
D) shaping.

Accepted Answer

The variation of counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones that is used to treat adult phobias is called systematic desensitization. Positive reinforcement, intermittent reinforcement, and shaping are all other techniques commonly used in behavior modification, but they are not specifically related to the variation of counterconditioning used in the treatment of phobias.

Question 5

Individuals being treated for cancer may develop nausea when they arrive at the place where they have been receiving chemotherapy. In this case, the conditioned stimulus is ________.
A) chemotherapy
B) nausea
C) the place where therapy takes place
D) avoidance by cancelling the appointment

Accepted Answer

The conditioned stimulus is the place where therapy takes place, as it is associated with the nausea that the individual experiences during and after chemotherapy. This association becomes stronger over time and leads to the development of a conditioned response (nausea) triggered by the place where therapy takes place (conditioned stimulus). The other options (A, B, and D) are not the conditioned stimulus because they do not play a role in eliciting the learned response (nausea) in the presence of the conditioned stimulus (place of therapy).

Question 6

Thorndike was known for his work with:
A) puzzle boxes.
B) modelling.
C) monkeys.
D) a Skinner box.

Accepted Answer

Thorndike is well-known for his work with puzzle boxes, which were used to study animal learning and behavior. He would place animals, such as cats, in these boxes, and they would have to figure out how to escape in order to receive a reward. Through this research, Thorndike developed his law of effect, which stated that behaviors that lead to positive outcomes will become more likely to occur again in the future.

Question 7

Matt classically conditions his dog, Wally, to salivate when he strums the G chord on his guitar by providing food after the chord is played. He notices that Wally does not salivate to a D chord. Wally's lack of a response to the D chord illustrates the phenomenon of ________.
A) counterconditioning
B) stimulus discrimination
C) stimulus generalization
D) instinctive drift

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns to respond differently to various stimuli that are similar but not identical, as in Wally's lack of response to the D chord.

Question 8

In Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" study, each time the rat was presented to the boy it was accompanied by a loud noise. In this experiment, Albert's reaction of fear upon hearing the loud noise was the ________.
A) unconditioned response
B) conditioned response
C) latent response
D) counterconditioned response

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned response is an automatic, natural response to a stimulus, which in this case was fear when Albert heard the loud noise. The conditioned response would be fear of the rat alone, which is developed through repeated pairings of the rat and noise. The latent response refers to a response that is present but not immediately observable, and the counterconditioned response is when a previously learned response is changed through conditioning.

Question 9

After "Little Albert" acquired a conditioned fear of a rat, Watson and Rayner wanted to see how he would react to a rabbit, cotton wool, and a Santa Claus mask. They were studying whether or not _______________ had occurred.
A) extinction
B) stimulus generalization
C) counterconditioning
D) stimulus discrimination

Accepted Answer

Watson and Rayner were studying stimulus generalization, which is the tendency for a learned response to occur in response to stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus (in this case, the rat). The rabbit, cotton wool, and Santa Claus mask are all similar stimuli to the rat, so observing Little Albert's reaction to them would provide insight into whether or not he generalized his fear response.

Question 10

Individuals being treated for cancer may develop nausea when they arrive at the place where they have been receiving chemotherapy. In this case, the unconditioned stimulus is ________.
A) chemotherapy
B) nausea
C) the place where therapy takes place
D) the sound of the nurse's voice

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus is the chemotherapy. It is the stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers the response of nausea.

Question 11

________ founded American behaviourism and recognized the real-life implications of classical conditioning.
A) John B. Watson
B) Jean Piaget
C) Ivan Pavlov
D) B. F. Skinner

Accepted Answer

John B. Watson is considered the founder of American behaviourism and is known for recognizing the real-life implications of classical conditioning in everyday life. Jean Piaget is known for his work in cognitive development, Ivan Pavlov is known for his research on classical conditioning, and B.F. Skinner is known for developing the concept of operant conditioning.

Question 12

In classical conditioning, ________ is the process of pairing a conditioned stimulus with a stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with an unwanted conditioned response.
A) extinction
B) stimulus discrimination
C) counterconditioning
D) stimulus generalization

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is counterconditioning, which involves pairing the conditioned stimulus with a new stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with the unwanted conditioned response. This can help to reduce or eliminate the unwanted response over time. Extinction involves repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus, which eventually leads to a weakening of the conditioned response. Stimulus discrimination involves learning to respond differently to different stimuli that are similar but not identical. Stimulus generalization involves responding in the same way to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Question 13

For classical conditioning to be most effective, the stimulus to be conditioned should:
A) precede the unconditioned stimulus.
B) occur simultaneously with the unconditioned stimulus.
C) follow the unconditioned stimulus.
D) be of greater intensity than the unconditioned stimulus.

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, the conditioned stimulus needs to be presented prior to the unconditioned stimulus in order for the association between the two to be made. This is known as temporal contiguity. Option B is incorrect because the stimuli cannot occur simultaneously as the association between them cannot be made. Option C is incorrect because presenting the conditioned stimulus after the unconditioned stimulus would not allow for the necessary association to be made. Option D is incorrect because the intensity of the unconditioned stimulus should be greater than that of the conditioned stimulus in order for the association to be made.

Question 14

Graham is a 5-year-old who has a conditioned fear of furry and hairy things. He is fond of a snack of milk and chocolate cookies and associates pleasant feelings with it. Psychologists pair a cat with the snack that Graham enjoys until his fear of the cat goes away. This is an example of ________.
A) counterconditioning
B) stimulus discrimination
C) instinctive drift
D) spontaneous recovery

Accepted Answer

This is an example of counterconditioning because the fear of furry and hairy things is being replaced by a positive association with the snack. The cat is being paired with something that Graham enjoys in order to change his conditioned response.

Question 15

Based on his observations of cats in puzzle boxes, Thorndike concluded that:
A) behaviour modification does not work.
B) animals can learn from watching others model behaviour.
C) behaviour is controlled by its consequences.
D) there are biological limits to what behaviours an animal can learn.

Accepted Answer

Thorndike's observations of cats in puzzle boxes led him to conclude that behavior is controlled by its consequences, which is the basis of operant conditioning. The cats learned to escape the box more quickly and efficiently each time they were put in, indicating that they were being reinforced by the reward of escaping. This concept has been widely applied to training and modifying behaviors in both animals and humans.

Question 16

Robert Rescorla said that a stimulus must reliably _______________ an unconditioned stimulus for the stimulus to begin eliciting conditioned responding.
A) block
B) follow
C) predict
D) cause

Accepted Answer

According to Robert Rescorla, in order for a stimulus to begin eliciting conditioned responding, it must reliably predict the occurrence of an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 17

Research discussed in your textbook suggests that a specific drug can speed up the extinction of a phobia (fear of heights) if taken during virtual reality treatments. This drug is believed to enhance a certain type of receptor in the _________.
A) frontal lobe
B) hypothalamus
C) amygdala
D) olfactory gland

Accepted Answer

The drug discussed in the textbook enhances a certain type of receptor in the amygdala, which is the brain region associated with processing fear and anxiety.

Question 18

Initially, when John Watson and his colleague, Rosalie Rayner, showed "Little Albert" a live white rat, Albert:
A) began to whimper and tremble.
B) liked the rat and seemed delighted.
C) tried to crawl away and escape.
D) didn't react to the rat, one way or another.

Accepted Answer

Initially, "Little Albert" showed no fear of the white rat and seemed delighted by it. The fear response was conditioned later through the experiment by pairing the presence of the rat with loud, frightening noises.

Question 19

Which of the following statements reflects the difference between classical and operant conditioning?
A) In classical conditioning, the response is reflexive, but in operant conditioning it is typically more complex.
B) In classical conditioning, spontaneous recovery can occur, but in operant conditioning it doesn't.
C) In classical conditioning, the consequence of a response is important, but in operant conditioning it isn't.
D) In classical conditioning, both stimulus generalization and discrimination can occur, but in operant conditioning only stimulus discrimination occurs.

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a biologically relevant stimulus to elicit a reflexive response. The response is typically simple and automatic, such as salivation or fear. In contrast, operant conditioning involves reinforcement or punishment of a voluntary behavior to increase or decrease its frequency. The response in operant conditioning can be complex and may involve problem-solving or decision-making.

Question 20

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when a stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus fails to evoke the conditional response.
A) counterconditioning
B) acquisition
C) stimulus generalization
D) stimulus discrimination

Accepted Answer

Stimulus discrimination is the ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and respond only to the conditioned stimulus. When a similar stimulus fails to evoke the conditioned response, it is known as discrimination.

Quiz 7: Learning and Conditioning

Which of the following fears can be easily conditioned in human beings?

Ayden is afraid of swings. To overcome this fear, his father places him on a swing and gives Ayden an ice pop to eat while gently pushing it. This is an example of ________.

A variation of the counterconditioning procedure developed by Watson and Jones has been used to treat adult phobias. This variation is called:

Individuals being treated for cancer may develop nausea when they arrive at the place where they have been receiving chemotherapy. In this case, the conditioned stimulus is ________.

Thorndike was known for his work with:

Matt classically conditions his dog, Wally, to salivate when he strums the G chord on his guitar by providing food after the chord is played. He notices that Wally does not salivate to a D chord. Wally's lack of a response to the D chord illustrates the phenomenon of ________.

In Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" study, each time the rat was presented to the boy it was accompanied by a loud noise. In this experiment, Albert's reaction of fear upon hearing the loud noise was the ________.

After "Little Albert" acquired a conditioned fear of a rat, Watson and Rayner wanted to see how he would react to a rabbit, cotton wool, and a Santa Claus mask. They were studying whether or not _______________ had occurred.

Individuals being treated for cancer may develop nausea when they arrive at the place where they have been receiving chemotherapy. In this case, the unconditioned stimulus is ________.

________ founded American behaviourism and recognized the real-life implications of classical conditioning.

In classical conditioning, ________ is the process of pairing a conditioned stimulus with a stimulus that elicits a response that is incompatible with an unwanted conditioned response.

For classical conditioning to be most effective, the stimulus to be conditioned should:

Graham is a 5-year-old who has a conditioned fear of furry and hairy things. He is fond of a snack of milk and chocolate cookies and associates pleasant feelings with it. Psychologists pair a cat with the snack that Graham enjoys until his fear of the cat goes away. This is an example of ________.

Based on his observations of cats in puzzle boxes, Thorndike concluded that:

Robert Rescorla said that a stimulus must reliably _______________ an unconditioned stimulus for the stimulus to begin eliciting conditioned responding.

Research discussed in your textbook suggests that a specific drug can speed up the extinction of a phobia (fear of heights) if taken during virtual reality treatments. This drug is believed to enhance a certain type of receptor in the _________.

Initially, when John Watson and his colleague, Rosalie Rayner, showed "Little Albert" a live white rat, Albert:

Which of the following statements reflects the difference between classical and operant conditioning?

In classical conditioning, ________ occurs when a stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus fails to evoke the conditional response.