Question 1

Changes in rate of habituation with age have been attributed to which of the following factors?

Accepted Answer

Changes in rate of habituation with age have been attributed to maturation of the brain. As the brain develops and matures, it becomes more efficient at processing and responding to stimuli, leading to a quicker habituation response. This is supported by research showing that habituation rates increase as infants age and their brains develop. Methodological problems in assessing young infants and sensory fatigue may impact habituation responses, but they are not the primary factors influencing changes in habituation rates with age. Learning may also play a role in habituation, but it is not the primary factor driving changes in habituation rates with age.

Question 2

Does an increased rate of habituation in infancy predict later intellectual development?

Accepted Answer

Several studies have found that infants who show a more rapid habituation (i.e., the ability to filter out repetitive or irrelevant stimuli) in visual and auditory tasks tend to score higher on measures of cognitive and intellectual development later in childhood. This suggests that efficient sensory processing in infancy may contribute to the development of cognitive abilities later in life.

Question 3

Which type of learning best accounts for an infant's understanding that the changing table brings a clean diaper,that dad is a source of comfort,or that Aunt Sue is not a source of warmth?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning explains how infants learn to associate certain stimuli with specific outcomes. In this case, the infant learns to associate the changing table with getting a clean diaper, dad with comfort, and Aunt Sue with a lack of warmth, through repeated experiences.

Question 4

Which of the following best characterizes the phenomenon of classical conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus (which naturally elicits a response) until the neutral stimulus comes to elicit the same response. Therefore, option C best characterizes the phenomenon of classical conditioning.

Question 5

Pavlov is said to have trained a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell that rang just before food was delivered.
-In this example,what is the sound of the bell?

Accepted Answer

The sound of the bell is a conditioned stimulus because it did not originally elicit a response from the dog, but through pairing it with the unconditioned stimulus (food), it became associated with the food and could elicit the response of salivation on its own.

Question 6

According to research evidence,which principle of learning best accounts for the effect of specific stimuli on the formation of our attitudes,emotions,fears,and prejudices?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning, also known as Pavlovian conditioning, is the process of associating a neutral stimulus with a meaningful stimulus, resulting in a conditioned response to that neutral stimulus. This principle of learning best accounts for the formation of attitudes, emotions, fears, and prejudices because these responses are often classically conditioned to specific stimuli. For example, a fear of dogs may develop after being bitten by a dog (meaningful stimulus), and then seeing a dog (neutral stimulus) may trigger a fear response (conditioned response).

Question 7

Suppose that you borrow your friend's laptop for a week to see whether you want to purchase one yourself. The computer makes a slight whirring sound just before it shuts down automatically due to low battery power. At first you didn't notice the sound and were surprised when the computer shut down. After a few days, however, you now reach for the power cord as soon as you hear the sound. Answer the following questions based upon your knowledge of classical conditioning.
-In this example,what is automatically reaching for the power adapter?

Accepted Answer

The act of reaching for the power adapter is the conditioned response. This is because it is a behavior that is learned through the pairing of the sound (conditioned stimulus) with the act of plugging in the power adapter (unconditioned response). Over time, the sound alone becomes sufficient to elicit the behavior of reaching for the power adapter, indicating that the response has been conditioned.

Question 8

Which statement best characterizes the research findings concerning classical conditioning in neonates?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that under controlled conditions, neonates can show classical conditioning of a small number of reflexive responses, such as sucking and heart rate changes. However, the range of responses that can be conditioned in neonates is limited, and the conditions have to be carefully controlled to ensure that they are not overwhelmed by the stimuli.

Question 9

Pavlov is said to have trained a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell that rang just before food was delivered.
-In this example,what is salivation to food in the dog's mouth?

Accepted Answer

Salivation to food in the dog's mouth is an unconditioned response, which is a natural response that does not need to be learned or conditioned.

Question 10

Pavlov is said to have trained a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell that rang just before food was delivered.
-In this example,what is salivation to the sound of the bell?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Pavlov is said to have trained a...

Question 11

Suppose that you borrow your friend's laptop for a week to see whether you want to purchase one yourself. The computer makes a slight whirring sound just before it shuts down automatically due to low battery power. At first you didn't notice the sound and were surprised when the computer shut down. After a few days, however, you now reach for the power cord as soon as you hear the sound. Answer the following questions based upon your knowledge of classical conditioning.
-In this example,what is the low battery power?

Accepted Answer

The low battery power is an unconditioned stimulus because it naturally and automatically causes the computer to shut down. The sound that precedes the shutdown is a neutral stimulus that becomes a conditioned stimulus once it becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus (low battery power).

Question 12

A proud grandmother announces to her friends: "Yesterday my 7-month-old granddaughter clearly remembered a toy that she played with when she visited me three weeks ago." Based on the results of research on infant habituation and memory,is the grandmother's claim possible?

Accepted Answer

Research on infant habituation and memory has shown that infants as young as 2 months old can remember familiar events when given a cue, and this memory can last for several weeks. Therefore, it is quite possible for the 7-month-old granddaughter to remember a toy that she played with three weeks ago.

Question 13

As an infant,Sabrina habituated very rapidly to changes in her environment.Now that it is time to enter school,the teacher tells Sabrina's parents that he thinks Sabrina should be tested for placement in a special class.Based on research on infant habituation,what type of child would be included in this class?

Accepted Answer

The answer of As an infant,Sabrina habituated very rapidly to...

Question 14

Suppose that you borrow your friend's laptop for a week to see whether you want to purchase one yourself. The computer makes a slight whirring sound just before it shuts down automatically due to low battery power. At first you didn't notice the sound and were surprised when the computer shut down. After a few days, however, you now reach for the power cord as soon as you hear the sound. Answer the following questions based upon your knowledge of classical conditioning.
-In this example,what is your surprise at the automatic shutdown?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose that you borrow your friend's laptop...

Question 15

Pavlov is said to have trained a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell that rang just before food was delivered.
-In this example,what is the food?

Accepted Answer

The food is the unconditioned stimulus because it naturally and automatically causes the dog to salivate, without any prior conditioning.

Question 16

Suppose that you borrow your friend's laptop for a week to see whether you want to purchase one yourself. The computer makes a slight whirring sound just before it shuts down automatically due to low battery power. At first you didn't notice the sound and were surprised when the computer shut down. After a few days, however, you now reach for the power cord as soon as you hear the sound. Answer the following questions based upon your knowledge of classical conditioning.
-In this example,what is the whirring sound?

Accepted Answer

The whirring sound is a conditioned stimulus because it is a previously neutral stimulus (it did not have any significance to the person initially) that has become associated with the unconditioned stimulus (low battery power), leading to the development of a conditioned response (reaching for the power cord).

Question 17

Suppose that a child is frightened of dogs because of an experience with a dog that barked loudly and jumped on the child.Which of the following techniques involves replacing the negative association with a pleasant one?

Accepted Answer

Counterconditioning involves replacing a negative association with a more positive one through conditioning. In this case, the child could be exposed to friendly and calm dogs in a controlled and positive environment, helping them to associate dogs with positive experiences instead of fear.

Question 18

When are neonates most likely to show classical conditioning?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When are neonates most likely to show...

Question 19

When you become bored because your surroundings remain stable over time,which type of learning are you demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

The behavior of becoming bored due to repetition and stability in surroundings is an example of habituation. Habituating to a specific stimulus means that the brain has become accustomed to it and no longer perceives it as novel or interesting.

Question 20

When is the earliest that classical conditioning has been demonstrated with infants?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning has been demonstrated with infants in the first few days after birth with a limited number of responses and under optimal conditions. Research has shown that infants can develop associations between stimuli and responses as early as a few days after birth. However, the degree to which they can do so is limited, and it often requires optimal conditions such as high-contrast stimuli and repeated pairings.

Quiz 7: Early Cognitive Foundations