Question 1

The mental image of an area,such as a maze or the floor plan of a building,is called _____________.

Accepted Answer

A cognitive map is a mental representation of an area or environment, including its spatial relationships. This mental image can be used for navigation and orientation within the environment. The other options are not related to mental images of areas or environments.

Question 2

Peggy wanted to teach her dog how to roll over.She tried giving him instructions,but it didn't work.She tried waiting for him to roll over so she could reinforce the behavior,but she had to go to bed before the dog rolled.Finally,she began reinforcing the dog when it made behaviors that more closely resembled rolling over.At last,using _______,she was able to teach the dog to do the trick.

Accepted Answer

Shaping is the process of reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior. In this scenario, Peggy began reinforcing the dog's behaviors that were closer to rolling over, gradually shaping the behavior she wanted. Positive reinforcement (B) and positive reinforcers (C) are both forms of rewards given for a behavior, but they do not necessarily involve shaping. Secondary reinforcers (D) are learned reinforcers, such as money or praise, that acquire their reinforcing value through association with a primary reinforcer (such as food).

Question 3

An example of a behavior that is learned through operant conditioning is _____________.

Accepted Answer

Studying in order to get a teacher's approval is an example of behavior that is learned through operant conditioning. The behavior (studying) is reinforced by the reward (teacher's approval), leading to an increased likelihood of the behavior occurring in the future. The other options are not examples of operant conditioning as they are either reflex responses (blinking and sneezing) or instinctual (pulling one's hand away from a flame).

Question 4

Changing behavior through the reinforcement of partial responses is called _______.

Accepted Answer

Shaping is the process of changing behavior through the reinforcement of partial responses that progress toward a desired, more complex goal behavior. Modeling is observing and imitating the behavior of others. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior. Classical conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a meaningful stimulus to elicit a response.

Question 5

What do we call learning that has taken place but is not demonstrated?

Accepted Answer

Latent learning refers to learning that has taken place but is not demonstrated until there is motivation or reinforcement to do so. It is often described as "hidden" or "invisible" learning. Option A (insight learning) refers to sudden problem-solving that involves a clear "aha!" moment. Option B (serial enumeration) refers to the process of counting items or events in a sequence. Option D (shaping) is a behavior modification technique where successive approximations towards a desired behavior are reinforced.

Question 6

Reinforcing behaviors that more closely resemble a final,terminal behavior is called:

Accepted Answer

Shaping involves reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to a desired final behavior. Positive reinforcement involves providing a reward or positive consequence to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Positive reinforcers and secondary reinforcers are types of rewards used in positive reinforcement.

Question 7

Learning that depends on mental processes that are not able to be observed directly is called _________ learning.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive learning refers to the mental processes that happen inside the learner's mind and are not directly observable. This type of learning includes knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, perception, and memory. Autonomic learning is related to automatic or involuntary responses, primary learning refers to the initial stage of learning new information, and secondary learning is the reinforcement of previously learned information.

Question 8

Which type of learning occurs when we observe other people act?

Accepted Answer

Observational learning occurs when we observe other people act, and we learn from their behavior and experiences. This is also known as social learning or model learning.

Question 9

A procedure used to teach a whole behavior by first training its parts is called:

Accepted Answer

The procedure described is shaping, which involves reinforcing successive approximations towards the target behavior. Higher order conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a previously conditioned stimulus. Modeling involves observing and imitating a behavior modeled by others. Response generalization is when a behavior spreads to other situations or stimuli that share similar characteristics to the trained behavior.

Question 10

The concept of latent learning was developed by __________.

Accepted Answer

Latent learning was developed by Edward Tolman through his studies on rats' behavior in mazes.

Question 11

In a study on learning,the psychologist conducting the study seeks to explain the inner needs and desires that made learners pursue their goals.She is interested in the inner processes that result in learning.She is studying ___________.

Accepted Answer

The psychologist's interest in the inner processes that result in learning suggests a focus on cognitive learning, which emphasizes mental processes such as attention, memory, and problem-solving.

Question 12

To teach a tiger to jump through a flaming hoop,the tiger is first reinforced for jumping up on a certain pedestal,then for leaping from that pedestal to another.Next the tiger has to jump through a hoop between the pedestals to get the reward.Finally,the hoop is set afire and the tiger must jump through it to get the reward.This is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

The process described is shaping, which involves reinforcing successive approximations towards a desired behavior. In this case, the desired behavior is jumping through a flaming hoop, which is achieved through reinforcing the tiger for jumping on a pedestal, then jumping between pedestals, then jumping through an unlit hoop, and finally jumping through a flaming hoop. There is no indication of modeling or negative reinforcement playing a role in this process. Secondary learning is not a relevant concept in this scenario.

Question 13

Emitted,voluntary behavior is BEST modified by _____________.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning involves modifying behavior by changing the consequences of that behavior. This method is most effective in modifying voluntary behaviors, where an individual's behavior is emitted rather than elicited by a stimulus. Through the use of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, and extinction, operant conditioning can modify voluntary behavior by either increasing or decreasing the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future.

Question 14

Operant conditioning assumes that:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is based on the premise that the consequences or events that follow a behavior will affect how likely the behavior is to be repeated in the future. This is sometimes referred to as the principle of reinforcement. The other options are not accurate descriptions of operant conditioning.

Question 15

A young girl is just learning to dress herself.At first,the parents call her a "big girl" just for putting on her clothes "frontwards," even if they are not buttoned.Then,they call her a "big girl" if she tries to button them--even if the buttons are not in the right holes.Then,they call her a "big girl" only if she buttons them correctly.They have been using:

Accepted Answer

The parents have been using successive approximation, which involves reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the desired behavior until the desired behavior is achieved. In this case, they are reinforcing the girl's attempts to dress herself, even if they are not perfect, and gradually increasing the level of accuracy they expect from her.

Question 16

Shaping is achieved through:

Accepted Answer

Shaping is the process of reinforcing successive approximations to a desired behavior. This means that the individual is rewarded for getting closer and closer to the desired behavior. Discrimination training, generalization, and higher-order conditioning are all techniques used in classical and operant conditioning but do not specifically refer to the process of shaping.

Question 17

In Bandura's classic (1965)study of children exposed to a film of an adult hitting a Bobo doll,__________.

Accepted Answer

In Bandura's study, children who saw the model rewarded learned to be more aggressive than children who saw the model punished. Specifically, in a free play situation, these children were more likely to imitate the aggressive behavior they had witnessed towards the Bobo doll.

Question 18

Learning that occurs but is not immediately reflected in a behavior change is called __________.

Accepted Answer

Latent learning refers to learning that is not immediately reflected in a behavior change, but may become apparent at a later time when a relevant situation arises.

Question 19

The idea that for classical conditioning to occur,the presentation of the conditioned stimulus must tell you something about whether the unconditioned stimulus is going to occur is called ___________ theory.

Accepted Answer

The contingency theory of classical conditioning proposes that for conditioning to occur, the presentation of the conditioned stimulus must reliably predict the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus. This is also known as the stimulus-response contingency. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 20

The type of learning that involves a sudden coming together of the elements of a situation so that the solution to a problem is instantly clear is __________.

Accepted Answer

This type of learning is called insight, which involves suddenly realizing the solution to a problem without any prior trial-and-error or gradual acquisition of knowledge. Choices A, B, and C describe different types of learning, but do not involve the sudden realization of a solution.

Quiz 5: A: Learning