Question 1

Skinner's teaching machines presented the student with some information, then asked a question. The reinforcer for answering correctly was _________.

Accepted Answer

Skinner's teaching machines were designed to reinforce correct responses with the opportunity to move on to the next frame or set of materials, allowing students to receive instant feedback and move at their own pace. There was no mention of praise, extra credit points, or cash rewards as reinforcers.

Question 2

Edward Taub's treatment of people with paralyzed limbs emerged from research with ___________.

Accepted Answer

Edward Taub's treatment for people with paralyzed limbs, known as constraint-induced movement therapy, emerged from his research with monkeys.

Question 3

Your text describes the use of _______ to get a bull elephant to cooperate with having his toenails trimmed.

Accepted Answer

The text describes the use of shaping, which is a type of positive reinforcement training that involves rewarding an animal for small steps towards the desired behavior. In this case, the elephant was rewarded for lifting his foot, then allowing his toenail to be touched, then allowing it to be trimmed. Physical restraint, chaining, and episodic training were not mentioned as being used in this specific example.

Question 4

Jack is a homeless man who lives on the streets of New York City. One cold January night he takes up a position outside a fancy restaurant and starts shouting, "God has ordered an equestrian invasion of
Long Island." The restaurant owner calls the police and they take Jack to a hospital, where he spends
A quiet night. You look into Jack's medical history and find that he _____________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that Jack has been hospitalized for bizarre behavior in the winter more than in other seasons suggests that he may suffer from a seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or another condition that is exacerbated by the winter months. This could explain his unusual behavior outside the restaurant on a cold January night. Options A, B, and C are not supported by the information given.

Question 5

A highly effective web-based instructional program designed to teach reading that makes use of reinforcement and shaping is called _______.

Accepted Answer

Headsprout is specifically designed to use reinforcement and shaping techniques to teach reading effectively. Options A, B, and C do not refer to a program that uses these techniques in the same manner.

Question 6

Wesley Becker suggests that parents should think of themselves as _________.

Accepted Answer

Wesley Becker suggests that parents should think of themselves as teachers, focusing on guiding and educating their children.

Question 7

Charles Madsen and his colleagues asked a teacher to _______ . This change in teacher behavior produced a marked reduction in misconduct .

Accepted Answer

Ignoring misbehavior and praising students when they behaved well is a strategy that shifts focus from negative to positive behavior, encouraging more of the latter and leading to a reduction in misconduct.

Question 8

Hopkins and Conard found that when teachers made a few simple changes in how they taught, changes that included a shift from reprimands and threats to praise and positive feedback, students advanced at ______ the normal rate in reading.

Accepted Answer

Hopkins and Conard's study indicated that when teachers shifted their approach to include more praise and positive feedback, students advanced at more than twice the normal rate in reading.

Question 9

Tarpley and Schroeder attempted to reduce face-slapping in an 8-year-old boy by providing food when the boy played with a ball. The result was that face-slapping __________.

Accepted Answer

Tarpley and Schroeder's intervention of providing food as a positive reinforcement for playing with a ball instead of engaging in face-slapping behavior was effective, resulting in a significant decrease in the behavior, specifically by 90% in 40 minutes. This demonstrates the effectiveness of positive reinforcement in modifying behavior.

Question 10

John gets into fights on a regular basis, always with formidable opponents. He has often been injured in these fights and knows that he runs the risk of sustaining serious brain damage or other permanent injuries, yet he continues to fight. John is a very successful professional boxer. This example illustrates that bizarre behavior _________.

Accepted Answer

John's behavior is bizarre, but it makes sense when you understand that he is being reinforced by the financial rewards of his success as a professional boxer. The fact that he continues to fight despite the risk of serious injury suggests that the rewards are strong enough to outweigh the risks. Thus, the behavior is less puzzling when the reinforcers maintaining it are known.

Question 11

Research suggests that bonuses based on employee performance can improve productivity ________.

Accepted Answer

Bonuses based on employee performance can improve productivity and reduce company costs by motivating employees to work harder and more efficiently.

Question 12

Hal __________ pioneered the use of operant procedures to improve the quality of life of captive wild animals.

Accepted Answer

Hal Markowitz is known for pioneering the use of operant conditioning techniques to enhance the environment and welfare of captive animals, particularly in zoos, by engaging them in activities that stimulate their natural behaviors.

Question 13

Lovaas and Simmons used punishment to reduce self-injurious behavior in a boy. Before treatment, this boy would hit himself at a rate of up to _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lovaas and Simmons used punishment to reduce...

Question 14

___________ is the idea that any problem behavior that is eliminated through learning-based treatment will be replaced by a new problem behavior.

Accepted Answer

Symptom substitution is the idea that when a problem behavior is eliminated through learning-based treatment, it may be replaced by a new problem behavior. This is not always the case, but it is a possibility that should be considered by therapists and patients. Recidivism refers to the tendency for a person to relapse and return to their previous problem behavior. Spontaneous replacement is not a recognized term in psychology, and spontaneous recovery refers to the natural healing process that occurs after an injury or illness.

Question 15

Problem behavior in children can usually be dealt with effectively through ___________.

Accepted Answer

Differential reinforcement involves reinforcing desired behaviors and ignoring or redirecting undesired behaviors. This approach has been found to be effective in addressing problem behavior in children. Waiting, explaining why their behavior is bad, and instruction may not be as effective or may require additional strategies.

Question 16

Brad Alford's study of the man who thought he was followed by a witch is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Brad Alford's study of the man who...

Question 17

In the treatment of long-standing self-injurious behavior, punishment is often ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the treatment of long-standing self-injurious behavior,...

Question 18

Carr and McDowell found that Jim's scratching was reinforced mainly by _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Carr and McDowell found that Jim's scratching...

Question 19

A study by John Austin and colleagues increased safe practices in roofers by providing those who followed safe practices at least 80% of the time with ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A study by John Austin and colleagues...

Question 20

Skinner devised a mechanical teaching machine that divided the material to be learned into short segments called ________.

Accepted Answer

Skinner's mechanical teaching machine divided the material into short segments called "frames," which allowed for step-by-step learning and immediate reinforcement.

Quiz 9: Operant Applications