Question 1

William Verplanck's work on the reinforcement of verbal behavior showed that .
A)what people say depends in part on the reactions of other people to what is said
B)it is hard to get people to express opinions
C)people will stick to a topic if not interrupted
D)the history of reinforcement affects the frequency of verbal behavior, but not its content

Accepted Answer

Verplanck's work demonstrated that people's verbal behavior is influenced by the reactions of others to what is said, indicating that reinforcement plays a role in shaping and maintaining verbal behavior.

Question 2

The purpose of Gordon Gallup's mirror study was to determine whether chimps .
A)showed evidence of self-awareness
B)experienced the same illusions as people
C)had the ability to imagine
D)could be induced to hallucinate

Accepted Answer

The purpose of Gordon Gallup's mirror study was to determine whether chimps showed evidence of self-awareness, specifically by testing whether they could recognize their own reflection in a mirror as a representation of themselves.

Question 3

Brad Alford's study of the man who thought he was followed by a witch is an example of .
A)anecdotal evidence
B)the case study method
C)a group design experiment
D)an ABA design experiment

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

Martin Seligman has argued that learned helplessness can provide a model for .
A)mania
B)schizophrenia
C)depression
D)anorexia nervosa

Accepted Answer

Martin Seligman's research on learned helplessness showed that when animals were repeatedly subjected to negative events that they could not control, they eventually gave up trying to escape or avoid the negative events even when it became possible to do so. This concept has been applied to understanding and treating depression, as individuals with depression may feel helpless and hopeless about their ability to change their circumstances.

Question 5

Gordon Gallup provided evidence of self awareness in .
A)humans
B)chimps
C)pigeons
D)rats

Accepted Answer

Gordon Gallup conducted the mirror test with chimpanzees in the 1970s, which provided evidence of self-awareness in non-human primates.

Question 6

In Mary Boyle's work with coma victims, the reinforcer was .
A)food
B)massage
C)soothing words
D)music

Accepted Answer

Mary Boyle's work with coma victims involved using music as a reinforcer, as it had shown to have positive effects on their brain activity and could potentially help them regain consciousness.

Question 7

The story of Ulysses and the Sirens illustrates the self-control technique known as .
A)distancing
B)distraction
C)physical restraint
D)deprivation

Accepted Answer

Ulysses and the Sirens is an example of physical restraint. Ulysses ordered his crew to tie him to the mast so he could resist the seductive song of the Sirens, showing physical restraint to avoid danger.

Question 8

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 .
A)can be a good way of making a living for those willing to take the risks
B)is incomprehensible
C)is less puzzling when the reinforcers maintaining it are known
D)is sometimes a good solution to the problems people face

Accepted Answer

The behavior of John may seem bizarre and incomprehensible, but understanding the reinforcers that maintain his behavior (i.e. success and financial reward as a professional boxer) can help make sense of it. This illustrates that bizarre behavior can be less puzzling when the reinforcers maintaining it are known.

Question 9

Probably the best way of increasing the creativity of stories in an English class is to .
A)praise particularly original stories
B)read all the stories to the class
C)ask a professional writer to talk to the class
D)create stress, since creative people are generally unhappy

Accepted Answer

Praising particularly original stories can encourage students to think outside the box and push their own boundaries in storytelling. It also creates a positive reinforcement for creativity, making students more likely to incorporate it into their writing in the future. Option B is not necessarily effective, as reading all stories to the class may not necessarily spark creativity in the students. Option C could be helpful, but it is not always feasible to have a professional writer come to speak to a class. Option D is a harmful stereotype that has no basis in truth and should not be encouraged. Praising particularly original stories reinforces the importance of creativity and encourages students to think outside of the box. This positive reinforcement can inspire students to take more risks in their writing and generate more unique and imaginative stories. Reading all the stories to the class and asking a professional writer to talk to the class may also be helpful, but they do not directly address the issue of increasing creativity in the students' own writing. Creating stress is not a productive or ethical method of stimulating creativity.

Question 10

Willpower is not a good explanation of behavior because .
A)you cannot see willpower
B)you cannot measure willpower
C)not everyone has willpower
D)the evidence for willpower is usually the behavior it is supposed to explain

Accepted Answer

Willpower is often inferred from the behavior it is meant to explain, making it a circular explanation rather than a causal one.

Question 11

Insightful problem solving is best viewed as an example of .
A)unconscious processes
B)trial-and-error learning
C)Pavlovian conditioning
D)operant learning

Accepted Answer

The answer of Insightful problem solving is best viewed as...

Question 12

Robert Epstein's banana experiment demonstrated that insight .
A)is a mysterious process that defies explanation
B)occurs in people but not in animals
C)accounts for the solution to problems
D)depends on an organism's learning history

Accepted Answer

Epstein's banana experiment showed that insight in animals, like pigeons, depends on their prior learning experiences, indicating that insight is not a mysterious process but rather influenced by an organism's learning history.

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 .
A)5 times a minute
B)10 times a minute
C)20 times a minute
D)30 times a minute

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

Hal pioneered the use of operant procedures to improve the quality of life of captive wild animals.
A)Burton
B)Hobbes
C)Rosenblatt
D)Markowitz

Accepted Answer

Hal Markowitz is known for pioneering the use of operant conditioning techniques to enhance the welfare and quality of life of captive wild animals.

Question 15

Herrnstein proposed that once a superstitious behavior occurs, it may be maintained by .
A)habit
B)adventitious reinforcement
C)cultural beliefs
D)the Premack Principle

Accepted Answer

Herrnstein's theory of adventitious reinforcement suggests that a superstitious behavior may be maintained if it is accidentally reinforced through coincidental events, rather than being deliberately reinforced. This can result in the behavior becoming habitual even if the reinforcement is not consistently provided.

Question 16

Self awareness means .
A)our attitudes about ourselves
B)observation of our behavior
C)self esteem
D)awareness of the self

Accepted Answer

The answer of Self awareness means .
A)our attitudes about ourselves
B)observation...

Question 17

In the treatment of long-standing self-injurious behavior, punishment is often .
A)ineffective
B)effective
C)effective, but the results are short-lived
D)effective, but a new form of undesirable behavior typically appears

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

Lying is probably often the result of .
A)punishment
B)a lack of insight
C)negative reinforcement
D)positive reinforcement

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lying is probably often the result of...

Question 19

The opposite of learned helplessness is learned .
A)industriousness
B)helpfulness
C)constancy
D)drive

Accepted Answer

Learned helplessness is the belief that one cannot control or affect the outcome of a situation, while industriousness is the opposite, describing a proactive and effortful approach to problem-solving and achievement.

Question 20

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.The next morning a doctor examines Jack and tells him he is well enough to be discharged.Jack immediately begins shouting about the equestrian invasion of Long Island.You tentatively conclude that .
A)Jack's hallucinations are products of reinforcement
B)Jack will stop hallucinating when he is placed on medication
C)Jack is smart
D)attention from the hospital staff is reinforcing bizarre behavior

Accepted Answer

Jack's hallucinations may be reinforced by the attention he receives, but the scenario suggests that his behavior is consistent and not solely dependent on external reinforcement.

Quiz 8: Operant Applications and Interpretations

William Verplanck's work on the reinforcement of verbal behavior showed that .

The purpose of Gordon Gallup's mirror study was to determine whether chimps .

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

Martin Seligman has argued that learned helplessness can provide a model for .

Gordon Gallup provided evidence of self awareness in .

In Mary Boyle's work with coma victims, the reinforcer was .

The story of Ulysses and the Sirens illustrates the self-control technique known as .

Probably the best way of increasing the creativity of stories in an English class is to .

Willpower is not a good explanation of behavior because .

Insightful problem solving is best viewed as an example of .

Robert Epstein's banana experiment demonstrated that insight .

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 .

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

Herrnstein proposed that once a superstitious behavior occurs, it may be maintained by .

Self awareness means .

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

Lying is probably often the result of .

The opposite of learned helplessness is learned .