Question 1

In a topographic representation:
A) each possible stimulus is represented by its own unique node.
B) stimuli are represented by overlapping pools of nodes.
C) neighboring cortical regions respond to similar stimuli.
D) weights are changed according to the Rescorla-Wagner rule.

Accepted Answer

In a topographic representation, neighboring cortical regions respond to similar stimuli, which is a key feature of how sensory information, such as visual or auditory stimuli, is organized in the brain.

Question 2

Larry is visiting his grandmother and cooking dinner for her. Since his grandmother has a different model of microwave oven than his, he has learned that he needs to push a different sequence of buttons on his grandmother's microwave oven when he wants to use it for cooking. This is an example of:
A) generalization.
B) discrimination.
C) sensory preconditioning.
D) negative patterning.

Accepted Answer

Larry has learned to distinguish between the different sequences of buttons required for different microwave ovens, which is an example of discrimination. Discrimination involves recognizing and responding differently to stimuli that are not identical.

Question 3

The hippocampal region seems to be important for:
A) learning a stimulus-response association.
B) determining what information is allowed to enter memory.
C) maintaining a topographic map of sensory stimuli.
D) encouraging cortical remapping to enhance the response to a stimulus.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampal region is crucial for determining what information is allowed to enter memory, as it plays a key role in the formation of new memories and the regulation of memory encoding processes.

Question 4

A detector for a unique configuration of two cues such as a certain tone and light is known as:
A) similarity-based generalization.
B) acquired equivalence.
C) negative patterning.
D) configural nodes.

Accepted Answer

Configural nodes refer to the concept in psychology where a detector or system is designed to recognize a specific combination or configuration of cues, such as a unique pairing of a tone and a light. This concept is used to explain how organisms can learn to respond to specific combinations of stimuli rather than just individual stimuli.

Question 5

If one tells a person with schizophrenia that both Julie and Stephanie like apples more than oranges, and Julie also likes carrots more than peppers, what would the patient have the MOST trouble with?
A) remembering that Julie prefers apples
B) remembering that Julie prefers carrots
C) inferring that Stephanie prefers carrots
D) inferring that Stephanie prefers peppers

Accepted Answer

Patients with schizophrenia often have difficulty with tasks that require abstract thinking or drawing inferences, such as inferring Stephanie's preferences based on information about Julie's preferences.

Question 6

As a child, Hunter had a favorite pet, a black furry cat that made him very happy. Based on the concept of a generalization gradient, which type of cat would be MOST likely to make Hunter happy now?
A) a dark gray cat
B) a yellow cat
C) a white cat
D) a calico cat

Accepted Answer

The concept of a generalization gradient suggests that stimuli similar to the original stimulus (in this case, a black cat) are more likely to elicit similar responses (happiness). A dark gray cat is more similar to a black cat than the other options, making it the most likely to make Hunter happy.

Question 7

To enable a network to accomplish negative patterning, one can:
A) use combinatorial explosion.
B) include consequential regions.
C) include shared elements.
D) use configural nodes.

Accepted Answer

Configural nodes are used in networks to enable negative patterning by allowing the network to respond to combinations of stimuli rather than to individual stimuli alone. This approach helps in distinguishing between different patterns of input, including those where the absence of a specific stimulus needs to be recognized as part of the pattern.

Question 8

Lucy was bitten by a small white dog and now she has a fear of all dogs, regardless of their size or color. This is an example of:
A) negative patterning.
B) acquired equivalence.
C) generalization.
D) discrimination.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of generalization because Lucy has extended her fear from one specific dog to all dogs, regardless of their differences.

Question 9

Sienna learned that many vegetables tend to be green in color. When she later learned in school that vegetables are healthy, she inferred that foods that are green are healthy. That she made this inference is an example of:
A) acquired equivalence.
B) sensory preconditioning.
C) discrimination training.
D) negative patterning.

Accepted Answer

Sienna's inference that green foods are healthy based on her learning that vegetables are green and healthy is an example of sensory preconditioning. This occurs when one stimulus is conditioned as a predictor of another prior to the second stimulus being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to an association between the two conditioned stimuli.

Question 10

Discrete-component representations provide a good description of:
A) the generalization gradient.
B) how animals learn negative patterning.
C) learning about highly dissimilar stimuli.
D) configural learning in categorization.

Accepted Answer

Discrete-component representations are effective in describing learning about highly dissimilar stimuli because they treat each stimulus as a separate entity, which aligns well with situations where stimuli do not share common features.

Question 11

Preston enjoys listening to piano music, and he enjoys listening to violin music, but he dislikes hearing both instruments played together in a duet. This is an example of:
A) discrimination training.
B) negative patterning.
C) sensory preconditioning.
D) acquired equivalence.

Accepted Answer

Negative patterning involves learning to respond differently to individual stimuli than to their combination. Preston's enjoyment of piano and violin music separately but not together exemplifies this learning process.

Question 12

The mediation of behavior through responses to cues in the world is known as:
A) stimulus sampling theory.
B) distributed representation.
C) discrimination learning.
D) stimulus control.

Accepted Answer

Stimulus control refers to behavior that is influenced or controlled by environmental stimuli, such as cues or signals, that indicate the appropriate response or behavior in a given situation.

Question 13

Lesions to the hippocampus lead to:
A) impaired performance on sensory preconditioning tasks but not on acquired equivalence tasks.
B) impaired performance on acquired equivalence tasks but not on sensory preconditioning tasks.
C) impaired performance on both acquired equivalence and sensory preconditioning tasks.
D) normal performance on both acquired equivalence and sensory preconditioning tasks.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is crucial for various forms of learning and memory, including both sensory preconditioning and acquired equivalence tasks. Lesions to the hippocampus impair the ability to form and retrieve these types of associative memories, leading to impaired performance on both tasks.

Question 14

The primary sensory cortices are involved in determining:
A) which stimuli deserve expanded cortical representation.
B) what consequence has occurred following a response.
C) what information has been received in other sensory modalities.
D) what type of behavioral response should be made to a stimulus.

Accepted Answer

The primary sensory cortices are involved in determining which stimuli deserve expanded cortical representation. They process incoming sensory information and can adjust their sensitivity and processing capacity based on the frequency and importance of the stimuli, hence determining which stimuli get more cortical representation.

Question 15

Martha studied hard for her math test and found that she learned some study habits that helped her study for her physics test. This is an example of:
A) generalization.
B) discrimination.
C) sensory preconditioning.
D) negative patterning.

Accepted Answer

Generalization occurs when a response learned in one context is applied to other similar contexts. In this case, Martha applied the study habits learned from preparing for her math test to studying for her physics test, demonstrating generalization of those study habits across different subjects.

Question 16

A distributed representation is one in which:
A) stimuli are represented by overlapping pools of nodes or stimulus elements.
B) nodes or neurons responding to physically similar stimuli are near each other.
C) a unique node is used to represent each individual stimulus feature.
D) all of the nodes detect unique combinations of cues.

Accepted Answer

Distributed representation involves overlapping pools of nodes or stimulus elements, where each stimulus is represented by a pattern of activity across multiple nodes.

Question 17

In the peak shift effect, discrimination training results in a maximum response to:
A) the nonrewarded stimulus.
B) the rewarded stimulus.
C) a stimulus value that is closer to the nonreinforced stimulus value.
D) a stimulus value that is far away from the nonreinforced stimulus value.

Accepted Answer

The peak shift effect occurs when discrimination training results in a maximum response to a stimulus that is further away from the nonreinforced (nonrewarded) stimulus than the original reinforced (rewarded) stimulus. This happens because the subject learns to avoid the nonrewarded stimulus and anything similar to it, thus shifting the peak of their response towards stimuli that differ more from the nonrewarded one.

Question 18

Howard can tell from the way his baby cries whether she is hungry, needs changing, is sick, or is tired. This is an example of:
A) generalization.
B) discrimination.
C) sensory preconditioning.
D) negative patterning.

Accepted Answer

Howard's ability to distinguish between different types of cries from his baby is an example of discrimination. Discrimination in this context refers to the ability to perceive and respond differently to various stimuli, in this case, the different reasons behind a baby's cry.

Question 19

Jasmine quickly learned that she needed to use different techniques to calm her second child than those that had worked with her first child. This is an example of:
A) generalization.
B) discrimination.
C) sensory preconditioning.
D) negative patterning.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of discrimination because Jasmine is distinguishing between different situations (her two children) and learning that different behaviors (calming techniques) are required for each, rather than assuming one approach fits all scenarios.

Question 20

The transfer of past learning to new situations and problems is known as:
A) negative patterning.
B) acquired equivalence.
C) generalization.
D) discrimination.

Accepted Answer

Generalization refers to the process of applying what has been learned in one context to new contexts. It involves transferring past learning to new situations and problems, indicating an understanding that extends beyond the specific circumstances in which the learning originally occurred.

Quiz 6: Generalization, Discrimination Learning, and Concept Formation Memory Module

In a topographic representation:

Larry is visiting his grandmother and cooking dinner for her. Since his grandmother has a different model of microwave oven than his, he has learned that he needs to push a different sequence of buttons on his grandmother's microwave oven when he wants to use it for cooking. This is an example of:

The hippocampal region seems to be important for:

A detector for a unique configuration of two cues such as a certain tone and light is known as:

If one tells a person with schizophrenia that both Julie and Stephanie like apples more than oranges, and Julie also likes carrots more than peppers, what would the patient have the MOST trouble with?

As a child, Hunter had a favorite pet, a black furry cat that made him very happy. Based on the concept of a generalization gradient, which type of cat would be MOST likely to make Hunter happy now?

To enable a network to accomplish negative patterning, one can:

Lucy was bitten by a small white dog and now she has a fear of all dogs, regardless of their size or color. This is an example of:

Sienna learned that many vegetables tend to be green in color. When she later learned in school that vegetables are healthy, she inferred that foods that are green are healthy. That she made this inference is an example of:

Discrete-component representations provide a good description of:

Preston enjoys listening to piano music, and he enjoys listening to violin music, but he dislikes hearing both instruments played together in a duet. This is an example of:

The mediation of behavior through responses to cues in the world is known as:

Lesions to the hippocampus lead to:

The primary sensory cortices are involved in determining:

Martha studied hard for her math test and found that she learned some study habits that helped her study for her physics test. This is an example of:

A distributed representation is one in which:

In the peak shift effect, discrimination training results in a maximum response to:

Howard can tell from the way his baby cries whether she is hungry, needs changing, is sick, or is tired. This is an example of:

Jasmine quickly learned that she needed to use different techniques to calm her second child than those that had worked with her first child. This is an example of:

The transfer of past learning to new situations and problems is known as: