Question 1

Why is dopamine believed to be involved in reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine release is associated with both primary reinforcers (like food and water) and secondary reinforcers (like money or social rewards), indicating its role in the reinforcement process.

Question 2

Behavioral addictions:

Accepted Answer

Behavioral addictions activate the brain's reward system similarly to how drug addictions do, involving pathways related to reinforcement and pleasure.

Question 3

Research on addiction to romantic love has shown that:

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that viewing pictures of a romantic partner can activate the brain's reward centers, similar to the effects seen with addiction to substances, highlighting the intense emotional and physiological response involved in romantic love.

Question 4

A person has been working for 2 years and was told that he would receive a $2.00 raise and only received 25 cents. The _____ is responsible for reducing the motivation in this time of situation.

Accepted Answer

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is involved in processing negative feedback and is associated with motivational aspects of behavior, such as detecting discrepancies between expected and received outcomes, which can reduce motivation.

Question 5

A man would be considered to have a pathological addiction to alcohol if he:

Accepted Answer

A pathological addiction to alcohol, also known as alcohol use disorder, is characterized by an individual's inability to manage their drinking habits to the extent that it causes harm or distress, which can manifest as medical conditions caused by alcohol use. Choices A, C, and D describe behaviors that could be associated with excessive drinking but do not necessarily indicate a pathological addiction on their own.

Question 6

One suggestion regarding the roles of dopamine and opioids in the brain is that:

Accepted Answer

Dopamine is often associated with the motivational component of reward-motivated behavior, or the "wanting," while opioids are more closely linked to the pleasure or enjoyment aspect, the "liking."

Question 7

James's grades are dropping, and he has isolated himself in his room and doesn't have any interactions with individuals. His only focus is playing his game. As punishment for his grades dropping, he is grounded from any games. His parents have caught him trying to play at night, and he has even tried to go to his neighbors to do so. What type of addiction is James exhibiting?

Accepted Answer

James is exhibiting signs of a behavioral addiction, which is characterized by the compulsion to engage in a non-substance-related behavior, in this case, gaming, despite negative consequences.

Question 8

Which is an example of a behavioral addiction?

Accepted Answer

Addiction to exercise is an example of a behavioral addiction, which involves a compulsion to engage in a non-substance-related behavior (in this case, exercise) despite negative consequences. Choices B, C, and D are examples of substance addictions.

Question 9

Drug addicts continue taking drugs in part to avoid the unpleasant effects of withdrawal. In this case, the behavior of taking drugs is being:

Accepted Answer

Negatively reinforced, because the behavior (taking drugs) is strengthened by the removal of an unpleasant stimulus (withdrawal effects).

Question 10

The incentive salience hypothesis says that dopamine:

Accepted Answer

The incentive salience hypothesis suggests that dopamine is crucial for attaching "wanting" or motivational value to rewards, thus providing organisms with the motivation to work for reinforcement.

Question 11

Interfering with dopamine seems to:

Accepted Answer

Interfering with dopamine primarily affects the motivation to perform a behavior without necessarily impacting the enjoyment of a reinforcer. Dopamine is closely associated with the reward system of the brain, influencing the desire or motivation to seek out rewards, rather than the pleasure derived from the reward itself.

Question 12

Drugs that block opioid receptors:

Accepted Answer

Opioid receptor antagonists have been shown to be effective for the short-term treatment of addictions.

Question 13

In the brain, what are the naturally occurring substances that have effects similar to those of opiate drugs such as heroin and morphine?

Accepted Answer

Endogenous opioids are naturally occurring substances in the brain that have effects similar to opiate drugs such as heroin and morphine. They are involved in pain control, stress response, and emotional attachment.

Question 14

If one blocks dopamine in an amphetamine user, one would expect that it would:

Accepted Answer

The answer of If one blocks dopamine in an amphetamine...

Question 15

People with long-term addictions to cocaine or amphetamine:

Accepted Answer

People with long-term addictions to cocaine or amphetamine typically find that they do not receive the same "high" as they did in the early stages of addiction. This phenomenon is related to the brain's decreasing response to the drug over time, a process known as tolerance.

Question 16

Rats that are given a dopamine antagonist will:

Accepted Answer

Dopamine antagonists reduce the motivation to work for rewards, so rats will choose freely available food over food that requires effort to obtain.

Question 17

Increasing dopamine appears to:

Accepted Answer

Dopamine is primarily associated with the "wanting" system in the brain, which drives motivation and desire for rewards, rather than the "liking" system, which is about the pleasure or satisfaction derived from those rewards. Increasing dopamine levels enhances the desire or motivation to seek out rewards without necessarily affecting the pleasure experienced once the reward is obtained.

Question 18

What part of the brain is responsible for making an individual feel bad for not being picked to play in the basketball game?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What part of the brain is responsible...

Question 19

The doctor advises Vince that his blood pressure is high and that he must make changes in his diet, which consist of three pots of coffee a day. After leaving the doctor's office, he walks into a coffee shop and orders two espressos to go. Vince is exhibiting the sign of _____ addiction.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The doctor advises Vince that his blood...

Question 20

Cocaine and amphetamine work by:

Accepted Answer

Cocaine and amphetamine increase the levels of dopamine in the brain by blocking the reuptake of dopamine into neurons, leading to increased stimulation of the post-synaptic neurons.

Quiz 5: Operant Conditioning: Learning the Outcome of Behaviors