Question 1

A teacher wants to encourage her students to work cooperatively with one another as they study classroom subject matter. If she were to use the concept of a setting event to encourage such cooperative behavior, she would:
A) Praise her students when they cooperate with one another.
B) First give students a task in which they can't work with one another.
C) Say "I like how Sally and John are helping one another today" loudly enough that other students can hear.
D) Provide instructional materials that students can use only by working together.

Accepted Answer

Providing instructional materials that require students to work together is a setting event that creates the conditions for cooperative behavior to occur. By structuring the task in this way, the teacher is setting the stage for students to work together and will likely see more cooperative behavior as a result. Praise (A) and modeling (C) can also be effective methods of promoting cooperative behavior, but they are not specific examples of setting events. Giving a task that students can't work on together (B) is not likely to promote cooperative behavior.

Question 2

Sharon has learned that her language arts teacher answers her questions willingly but that her biology teacher discourages questions. Sharon therefore asks questions in language arts but not in biology. In behaviorist terminology, Sharon is:
A) on a differential rate of low responding schedule
B) showing generalization
C) on a fixed interval schedule
D) under stimulus control

Accepted Answer

Sharon's behavior of asking questions is under stimulus control, meaning it is influenced by the presence or absence of certain stimuli (i.e. her teachers' attitudes towards questions).

Question 3

Mandy has learned that whenever her father comes home drunk, he is likely to yell at her, so she usually goes to her friend's house before he has the chance. In this situation, the father's coming home drunk is:
A) Punishment I
B) Punishment II
C) An unconditioned stimulus
D) A pre-aversive stimulus

Accepted Answer

The father coming home drunk is a pre-aversive stimulus because it signals the possible onset of an aversive stimulus (her father yelling at her) which then motivates Mandy to engage in behavior (going to her friend's house) to avoid the potential punishment. It is not a punishment because it is not a consequence of Mandy's behavior, but rather an external event. It is also not an unconditioned stimulus as it did not elicit any response at the start and needs conditioning.

Question 4

An avoidance behavior of a previously aversive situation is particularly difficult to extinguish because:
A) It has typically been reinforced on a fixed ratio schedule.
B) It has typically been reinforced on a variable ratio schedule.
C) It has typically been reinforced on a variable interval schedule.
D) The learner has no opportunity to learn that the situation is no longer aversive.

Accepted Answer

The avoidance behavior is difficult to extinguish because the learner is not given an opportunity to learn that the situation is no longer aversive. In other words, the learner never experiences the aversive consequence that used to follow the behavior, so they never have a chance to learn that the behavior is no longer necessary. This makes it harder to extinguish the behavior compared to behaviors that have been reinforced on a fixed or variable ratio or interval schedule.

Question 5

Martin went to two or three school dances but felt uncomfortable and self-conscious at them. Martin no longer goes to school dances. His lack of attendance is an example of:
A) Passive avoidance learning
B) Active avoidance learning
C) Punishment I
D) Punishment II

Accepted Answer

Martin's lack of attendance at school dances is an example of passive avoidance learning because he is avoiding the situation altogether instead of actively avoiding it in the moment (which would be active avoidance learning). There is no punishment involved in this scenario.

Question 6

In the basement of Marcy's college dormitory is a Coke machine that dispenses a can of Coke whenever someone firmly pounds the side of the machine. Marcy is delighted when she discovers this fact, because she can now get Cokes from the machine without having to pay for them. One morning a repairman fixes the machine. The next time Marcy goes to get a soft drink from the machine, she finds that her usual pounding strategy doesn't yield her the Coke she wants. But rather than insert the required coins to purchase a drink, Marcy begins pounding the side of the machine vigorously for several minutes. In behaviorist terminology, Marcy's behavior at this point can best be described as:
A) an extinction burst
B) discrimination
C) shaping
D) a response reinforced by an activity reinforcer

Accepted Answer

Marcy's behavior can best be described as an extinction burst. An extinction burst is an increase in the frequency or intensity of a behavior when reinforcement is withheld. In this case, Marcy's usual pounding strategy was no longer effective, so she began pounding even more vigorously in an attempt to get a response from the machine.

Question 7

A physics teacher wants her students to work on several difficult physics problems that involve calculating velocity, acceleration, or time using the formula v = a $\times$ t. The teacher first has her students work on a few easy problems involving the formula. She then presents the more difficult problems; when she does so, she finds that her students are reasonably persistent in working at the problems, and most of them eventually solve the problems correctly. By using the easy problems to promote persistence in her students during the more difficult ones, the teacher is, in behaviorist terminology, using the concept of:
A) cueing
B) behavioral momentum
C) a DRL schedule
D) a DRH schedule

Accepted Answer

Behavioral momentum refers to the idea that behavior that has been reinforced in the past is more likely to continue in the future. By starting with easy problems and reinforcing the behavior of persistence in her students, the teacher is building up behavioral momentum that makes it more likely for her students to persist even when faced with more difficult problems. Cueing refers to providing prompts or signals to elicit a behavior, and DRL and DRH schedules are specific types of reinforcement schedules that involve rewarding behaviors that occur at certain rates or in certain patterns. Neither of these concepts accurately describes the teacher's use of easy problems to promote persistence in her students during more difficult ones.

Question 8

A teacher claps his hands together loudly three times as a way of reminding his students that they need to talk more quietly during their free time at the end of the day. In behaviorist terminology, his strategy can best be described as:
A) cueing
B) an intermittent schedule
C) negative reinforcement
D) a setting event

Accepted Answer

The teacher is using a cue (the clapping of hands) to prompt the behavior he wants (quieter talking). This is a common behaviorist technique. Intermittent schedules involve rewarding behavior on a less predictable schedule, negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior, and a setting event refers to a circumstance that affects the likelihood of a behavior occurring but is not immediately related to the behavior in question.

Question 9

Which one of the following alternatives best describes instrumental conditioning?
A) Learning to use man-made tools in order to accomplish difficult tasks more easily
B) Learning to behave in ways that either bring pleasure or reduce the likelihood of aversive events
C) Learning that certain stimuli in one's environment often bring either physical or psychological pain
D) Learning complex sequences of psychomotor behaviors e.g., dribbling and then shooting a basketball)

Accepted Answer

Instrumental conditioning (also known as operant conditioning) is a form of learning in which behavior is shaped through the consequences that follow it. In instrumental conditioning, an animal or person learns to behave in ways that either bring pleasure or reduce the likelihood of aversive events. For example, a rat in a skinner box might learn to press a lever in order to receive a food pellet or avoid an electric shock.

Question 10

Which one of the following is the best example of punishment as behaviorists define it?
A) Kelly has been acting up in the classroom all year. Her teacher's frequent reprimands haven't made much of a difference in Kelly's behavior.
B) Leo is a real distraction to his classmates, often burping in a way that makes other students laugh. His teacher places him in a corner where others can't hear him burping.
C) Whenever Marvin has trouble sitting still, his teacher has him run up and down the hall three times to release pent-up energy.
D) After Nora spends a few minutes in the time-out room for hurting a classmate's feelings, she is more careful not to hurt her peers' feelings in the future.

Accepted Answer

Punishment, as defined by behaviorists, is an action that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. Therefore, the best example of punishment is D, where Nora's time-out experience leads to a decrease in the behavior of hurting her classmates' feelings in the future. Choices A, B, and C do not necessarily result in a decrease in the likelihood of the undesired behavior being repeated.

Question 11

George has learned that if he pesters his father about using the family Cadillac enough times, his father will eventually break down and give George the keys to the Cadillac. George's "pestering" behavior is apparently being reinforced on a ___________ schedule.
A) variable ratio
B) variable interval
C) fixed interval
D) differential rate of low responding

Accepted Answer

In a variable ratio schedule, reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable number of responses, which leads to high rates of responding and persistence in the behavior. George's behavior of pestering his father is being reinforced on a variable ratio schedule because he doesn't know how many times he needs to ask before getting the keys to the Cadillac. This uncertainty makes him persist in his behavior, hoping it will eventually lead to reinforcement.

Question 12

Mark's previous girlfriend always told him how handsome he looked whenever he wore his green sweater. Tonight Mark is going out with a new girlfriend and puts on the same green sweater. In behaviorist terminology, Mark is:
A) on a differential rate of low responding schedule
B) showing generalization
C) on a fixed interval schedule
D) showing stimulus discrimination

Accepted Answer

Mark is exhibiting generalization by wearing the same green sweater because he associates it with receiving compliments from his previous girlfriend. He is generalizing that the same outcome will occur with his new girlfriend. The other options do not apply to this scenario.

Question 13

Tiffany is a hyperactive child who rarely sits still for more than 30 seconds at a time. Ms. Garcia decides to use positive reinforcement to help Tiffany learn to sit quietly in her seat during class time. Which one of the following approaches will bring about the fastest change in Tiffany's behavior?
A) a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement
B) a variable interval schedule of reinforcement
C) continuous reinforcement
D) a fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement, where Tiffany would receive a reward every single time she exhibits the desired behavior (sitting quietly), is likely to bring about the fastest change in her behavior. This approach provides immediate and consistent feedback for the specific behavior, making it easier and quicker for Tiffany to make the connection between sitting quietly and receiving a positive outcome.

Question 14

Which one of the following accurately describes the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?
A) Negative reinforcement is essentially the same as punishment, but without the negative connotations that punishment has.
B) Negative reinforcement increases the frequency of behavior, whereas punishment decreases it.
C) Negative reinforcement always decreases the frequency of behavior, whereas punishment often increases it.
D) Both consequences decrease behavior, but punishment is more likely to make students angry and defiant.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement involves removing a negative consequence in response to a behavior, which increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. Punishment involves introducing a negative consequence in response to a behavior, which decreases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. Therefore, choice B accurately describes the difference between the two.

Question 15

John and Bill have both learned that when they whine and complain, their teacher will hurry over to see what's wrong. John's teacher gives him attention every time he complains. However, Bill's teacher gives him attention only on some of the occasions he complains. Both teachers eventually realize that they are reinforcing the boys for inappropriate behavior and so both stop attending to the boys when they whine and complain. From a behaviorist perspective, we can predict that:
A) Both boys will whine and complain even more than before.
B) Both boys will stop their whining and complaining almost immediately.
C) Bill's complaining will decrease more rapidly than John's.
D) John's complaining will decrease more rapidly than Bill's.

Accepted Answer

Since John's teacher consistently gives him attention when he complains, he has likely become more strongly reinforced for that behavior than Bill has. This means that John's complaining behavior may take longer to decrease than Bill's, but once it does start to decrease it will likely decrease more rapidly.

Question 16

DeeDee is upset that she has been taken off the basketball team because of a failing grade in her history class. The consequence of DeeDee's failure in history is an example of:
A) Positive reinforcement
B) Negative reinforcement
C) Punishment I
D) Punishment II

Accepted Answer

Punishment II is a consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior by removing something pleasant. In this case, DeeDee being taken off the basketball team is a consequence that is unpleasant and is likely to decrease the likelihood of her failing history in the future.

Question 17

Which one of the following statements best describes behaviorists' two-step theory of avoidance learning?
A) Avoidance of the aversive stimulus is negatively reinforced by the presence of the pre-aversive stimulus.
B) Remaining in the situation is punished by the aversive stimulus; avoiding it is positively reinforced by the pre-aversive stimulus.
C) Fear of the pre-aversive stimulus is classically conditioned, and escape from that stimulus is negatively reinforced.
D) Escape responses occur prior to avoidance responses.

Accepted Answer

Behaviorists' two-step theory of avoidance learning posits that fear of a pre-aversive stimulus is classically conditioned first, and then the action of escaping or avoiding that feared stimulus is negatively reinforced because it reduces or eliminates the fear, thus reinforcing the avoidance behavior.

Question 18

Mr. McDonald wants his students to ask him for help on their geometry problems only after they have tried to solve the problems independently for at least five minutes. Mr. McDonald should reinforce students' help-seeking behavior on a ___________ schedule.
A) fixed ratio
B) variable ratio
C) differential rate of low responding
D) differential rate of high responding

Accepted Answer

Mr. McDonald is looking to reinforce a behavior (asking for help) only after a specific condition is met (trying independently for at least five minutes), which aligns with a differential rate of low responding (DRL). DRL schedules are used to encourage low rates of a behavior, in this case, asking for help immediately, by only reinforcing the behavior after a certain amount of time has passed since the last behavior. This encourages students to attempt solving problems on their own before seeking help.

Question 19

Lori has learned that when she wants to say something in class, she must raise her hand before doing so. At home, however, she speaks without ever raising her hand ahead of time. We can say that the classroom has become an) ____ for Lori's hand-raising behavior.
A) generalized stimulus
B) antecedent stimulus
C) positive stimulus
D) negative reinforce

Accepted Answer

The classroom acts as an antecedent stimulus for Lori's hand-raising behavior, signaling when the behavior is appropriate or expected.

Question 20

At the beginning of the school year, Mr. Webber is concerned that Frances rarely does her independent seatwork. He begins praising Frances for each seatwork assignment she completes, and by January she is completing her assignments regularly. To make sure that the behavior continues in the years to come, what would behaviorists tell Mr. Webber to do now?
A) Praise her more often than before.
B) Praise her for only some of her completed assignments.
C) Punish Frances when she doesn't complete an assignment.
D) Switch from a social reinforcer to an activity reinforcer.

Accepted Answer

Behaviorists would tell Mr. Webber to gradually reduce the frequency of praise to shape Frances into being intrinsically motivated to complete seatwork independently. By only praising her for some of her completed assignments, Frances will learn that completing the seatwork is important and rewarding, but not every completed assignment is tied to external praise. This will encourage her to continue completing seatwork independently without needing constant praise or external rewards.

Quiz 3: Behaviorist Principles and Theories

A teacher wants to encourage her students to work cooperatively with one another as they study classroom subject matter. If she were to use the concept of a setting event to encourage such cooperative behavior, she would:

Sharon has learned that her language arts teacher answers her questions willingly but that her biology teacher discourages questions. Sharon therefore asks questions in language arts but not in biology. In behaviorist terminology, Sharon is:

Mandy has learned that whenever her father comes home drunk, he is likely to yell at her, so she usually goes to her friend's house before he has the chance. In this situation, the father's coming home drunk is:

An avoidance behavior of a previously aversive situation is particularly difficult to extinguish because:

Martin went to two or three school dances but felt uncomfortable and self-conscious at them. Martin no longer goes to school dances. His lack of attendance is an example of:

A teacher claps his hands together loudly three times as a way of reminding his students that they need to talk more quietly during their free time at the end of the day. In behaviorist terminology, his strategy can best be described as:

Which one of the following alternatives best describes instrumental conditioning?

Which one of the following is the best example of punishment as behaviorists define it?

George has learned that if he pesters his father about using the family Cadillac enough times, his father will eventually break down and give George the keys to the Cadillac. George's "pestering" behavior is apparently being reinforced on a ___________ schedule.

Mark's previous girlfriend always told him how handsome he looked whenever he wore his green sweater. Tonight Mark is going out with a new girlfriend and puts on the same green sweater. In behaviorist terminology, Mark is:

Which one of the following accurately describes the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?

DeeDee is upset that she has been taken off the basketball team because of a failing grade in her history class. The consequence of DeeDee's failure in history is an example of:

Which one of the following statements best describes behaviorists' two-step theory of avoidance learning?

Mr. McDonald wants his students to ask him for help on their geometry problems only after they have tried to solve the problems independently for at least five minutes. Mr. McDonald should reinforce students' help-seeking behavior on a ___________ schedule.

Lori has learned that when she wants to say something in class, she must raise her hand before doing so. At home, however, she speaks without ever raising her hand ahead of time. We can say that the classroom has become an) ____ for Lori's hand-raising behavior.