Question 1

Blacktop Inc. provides employees with a regular paycheck every 2 weeks, regardless of how production has been. This is an example of which type of intermittent reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

A fixed interval schedule provides reinforcement after a fixed amount of time has passed, which in this case is the regular paycheck every 2 weeks, regardless of production levels.

Question 2

Which element of the reinforcement theory is the administration of unpleasant consequences or removal of positive ones for the purpose of discouraging undesirable behavior?

Accepted Answer

Punishment involves administering an unpleasant consequence or removing a positive one to reduce the likelihood of an undesirable behavior occurring in the future.

Question 3

Ava has a cute little 7-year-old named Boyd. Boyd had a habit of being mean to his beloved cat, Dickie. Ava decided to remove Dickie from the room every time Boyd pulled his tail or did anything unpleasant to the cat. After a while, Boyd realized that in order to keep the cat in the room, he could not pull his tail or be unpleasant to Dickie. His behavior changed for the better. This is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus (the cat) to decrease undesirable behavior (being mean to the cat).

Question 4

Which item below states that behavior is a function of its consequences and is determined exclusively by environmental factors, such as external stimuli and other reinforcers?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which item below states that behavior is...

Question 5

What term below is not an element of the social cognitive theory?

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal behavior is not an element of the social cognitive theory. The core elements of social cognitive theory include self-regulation, vicarious learning, and self-efficacy, but not reciprocal behavior.

Question 6

______ is when positive consequences are used to reinforce certain behaviors to make the employee more likely to behave in similar ways in the same or similar situations.

Accepted Answer

Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a positive stimulus following a desired behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will occur again in the future.

Question 7

What item below is the absence of any consequences, which reduces the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated in the same or similar situations?

Accepted Answer

Extinction in behavioral psychology refers to the process by which a previously reinforced behavior is weakened by the absence of reinforcement, leading to a decrease in the frequency of that behavior. This concept is distinct from punishment, which involves adding or removing a stimulus to decrease a behavior, and from reinforcements, which aim to increase behavior frequency.

Question 8

Which theory proposed that we learn by observing, imitating, and modeling the behavior of others within our social context?

Accepted Answer

Social cognitive theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the importance of observing, imitating, and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. It suggests that learning occurs within a social context and can happen purely through observation or instruction, without direct reinforcement.

Question 9

Which element below is defined as the use of behavioral techniques to reinforce positive work behavior and discourage unhelpful work behavior?

Accepted Answer

Organizational behavior modification involves the use of behavioral techniques to reinforce positive work behaviors and discourage unhelpful or negative work behaviors, aligning closely with the definition provided.

Question 10

The law of effect theory states that behavior followed by pleasant results is more likely to be repeated, whereas behavior followed by unpleasant results is not. This is the root of which element of the behavioral perspective?

Accepted Answer

The law of effect is a fundamental principle of operant conditioning, which involves learning through the consequences of behavior, such as rewards or punishments.

Question 11

______ is the removal of previously experienced negative consequences, resulting in the likelihood that certain behaviors will occur again in the same or similar situations.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus as a consequence of a behavior, which increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future.

Question 12

When Jonesy makes his rounds around the production floor, he keeps $50 VISA gift cards in his pockets. If he sees someone going above-and-beyond their role, he hands them a gift card. The employees never know when Jonesy will make his rounds, but anticipating his appearance causes people to work hard to get rewarded. This is an example of which type of intermittent reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a variable interval schedule because the rewards (VISA gift cards) are given at unpredictable time intervals, depending on when Jonesy decides to make his rounds. The employees cannot predict exactly when he will appear, so they continuously work hard in hopes of receiving a reward.

Question 13

Which element below is not one of the four main types of behavioral techniques?

Accepted Answer

Elimination is not considered one of the four main types of behavioral techniques. The main types include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, and extinction, but not elimination.

Question 14

Blair, the owner of Nice Necessities, noticed that her employees would come to work early, leave late, and generally had a high level of commitment the first year of business. The second year, her employees were late more often than not and did not feel very committed to the store. Blair noticed that the demands of family life pulled her away from Nice Necessities in the second year. Blair realized that she had set the example for her employees and they were merely modeling her behavior. This exemplifies which theory?

Accepted Answer

Social cognitive theory explains how people learn by observing others, in this case, employees modeling their behavior after Blair's example.

Question 15

The practical application of reinforcement in the workplace is called ______.

Accepted Answer

Organizational behavior modification refers to the practical application of reinforcement principles to modify employees' behaviors in the workplace. It involves the systematic use of learning principles to influence and improve job-related behaviors.

Question 16

Which element of the behavioral perspective listed below is defined as the process of forming associations between learning and behavior that occurs when the consequences of behavior are being controlled?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is the process of forming associations between learning and behavior through the control of consequences, such as rewards or punishments.

Question 17

Sybil and Mary are required to complete a ropes course for their team retreat. Sybil is petrified and does not feel confident in her ability to finish the course. Mary, on the other hand, feels very confident doing physical activities and is looking forward to it. Sybil and Mary have ______.

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Sybil, who is petrified and lacks confidence, demonstrates low self-efficacy regarding the ropes course. Mary, feeling confident and looking forward to the physical activity, exhibits high self-efficacy.

Question 18

HGC Outfitters provides a $20 employee bonus for every fifth sale. This is an example of a ______ schedule of intermittent reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

A fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement provides rewards after a specific number of responses. In this case, the employee receives a bonus after every fifth sale, which fits the definition of a fixed ratio schedule.

Question 19

Which element below is described as our personal belief in our ability to perform certain tasks or behaviors?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. This concept plays a key role in how people approach goals, tasks, and challenges.

Question 20

Which element of the behavioral perspective was refined into the more comprehensive reinforcement theory?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning, a concept developed by B.F. Skinner, is the foundation upon which reinforcement theory was built, focusing on the relationship between behaviors and their consequences.

Quiz 3: Perception and Learning