Question 1

Patti throws a temper tantrum in order to gain her mother's attention. However, her mother does not pay any attention and leaves the room. Patti stops her tantrum and follows her mother into the next room. To eliminate Patti's tantrums, her mother has used

Accepted Answer

Patti's mother used "time out" by leaving the room and not giving attention to Patti's tantrum, effectively removing the attention that Patti was seeking, which is a form of negative punishment.

Question 2

Three-year-old Timmon misbehaves, and his mother places him in a chair facing the corner of the room for 5 minutes until he clams down and behaves more appropriately. This is an example of the use of

Accepted Answer

Time out is a disciplinary technique used to remove a child from an environment where inappropriate behavior has occurred, giving them time to calm down and reflect on their actions. In this scenario, Timmon's mother uses time out by placing him in a chair facing the corner to calm down after misbehaving.

Question 3

Two-year-old Dennis is outside with his mother when he begins pulling the dog's ears. When he refuses to stop, his mother picks Dennis up and carries him back into the house and away from their dog. Dennis is experiencing

Accepted Answer

Dennis is experiencing a "time out," which is a form of behavioral intervention where he is removed from a situation as a consequence of his actions, in this case, pulling the dog's ears. This aims to decrease the likelihood of the behavior occurring again.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a typical example of tokens?

Accepted Answer

Tokens in behaviorism and psychology typically refer to symbolic, often physical, items like check marks, poker chips, or gold stars that are used as part of a token economy system. These systems reward individuals with tokens for desired behaviors, which can later be exchanged for specific rewards. Food or privileges, while they can be rewards in such systems, are not considered tokens themselves; they are what tokens can be exchanged for.

Question 5

You are setting up a behavior modification plan for a classroom. In dealing with the undesirable behaviors in this classroom, you will identify and remove the rewards for these behaviors and in doing so bring about

Accepted Answer

Operant extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in that behavior. By identifying and removing the rewards for undesirable behaviors, you are applying the principle of operant extinction.

Question 6

Which of the following are symbolic rewards, such as plastic chips, that can be exchanged for tangible rewards and are used to encourage positive changes in behavior?

Accepted Answer

Tokens are symbolic rewards that can be exchanged for tangible rewards and are used in token economy systems to encourage positive behavior changes.

Question 7

Which of the following serve as rewards because they may be exchanged for candy, food, cigarettes, recreation, or privileges, such as private (non-group)discussion time with a therapist, outings, or watching television?

Accepted Answer

Tokens serve as a form of secondary reinforcement in behavior modification programs. They can be exchanged for primary reinforcers like candy, food, or privileges, making them effective in shaping behavior.

Question 8

In institutional settings, tokens are

Accepted Answer

Tokens in institutional settings are often used as part of a token economy system, where they are exchanged for desired items or privileges, such as candy, recreation, or other privileges. This system is used to reinforce positive behavior.

Question 9

By using tokens, a therapist can

Accepted Answer

Tokens can be used as a form of immediate reward for positive responses, reinforcing the desired behavior through a system known as token economy, which is a part of operant conditioning.

Question 10

A behavior therapist wants to reward a language delayed child for saying a new word, but rewards the child first for saying the first letter sound and then another letter sound, and so on. The language therapist is using

Accepted Answer

Shaping is a technique used in behavior therapy where successive approximations of a desired behavior are reinforced. In this case, the therapist rewards the child for making incremental progress towards saying a new word, starting with the first letter sound and then additional sounds, which is a classic example of shaping.

Question 11

Jeffery and Logan are brothers who are fighting over a new toy. Their mother sends them to separate rooms until they can calm down and agree to share the toy and play "nicely." Mother is using the operant conditioning technique known as

Accepted Answer

Time out is an operant conditioning technique used to decrease undesirable behaviors by removing the individual from a reinforcing situation. In this case, the mother is using time out by sending Jeffery and Logan to separate rooms to decrease their fighting behavior.

Question 12

If you are helping a person relearn how to walk after a stroke, you begin by reinforcing the person for being able to stand with a walker, then taking a step, then taking another step, then moving the walker and taking another step and so on. You are using the behavioral procedure known as

Accepted Answer

Shaping is a behavioral procedure that reinforces successive approximations toward a desired behavior. In this scenario, reinforcing progressively more complex walking behaviors (standing with a walker, taking a step, etc.) exemplifies shaping.

Question 13

When two autistic boys were ignored after instances of self-destructive behavior, their tendency to injure themselves disappeared. The operant principle employed was

Accepted Answer

Nonreinforcement was employed, as ignoring the self-destructive behavior removed the potential reinforcement (attention or reaction) that the behavior might have been seeking, leading to a decrease in the behavior.

Question 14

A staff psychologist who recommends the use of a "time-out" procedure for treating disruptive behavior is referring to time out from

Accepted Answer

Time-out from attention and other rewards for disruptive behavior is a behavioral intervention strategy where the opportunity to receive positive reinforcement is temporarily removed. This method aims to decrease the frequency of the undesired behavior by eliminating the attention or rewards that may inadvertently reinforce it.

Question 15

Scolding misbehaving children in a classroom may actually increase misbehavior because of the

Accepted Answer

Scolding can inadvertently reinforce misbehavior by providing attention to the child, which can be perceived as a reward, thus potentially increasing the likelihood of the misbehavior occurring again.

Question 16

Institutional settings, such as mental hospitals, halfway houses, schools for the intellectually disabled, programs for delinquents, and ordinary classrooms, make use of reinforcement, in the form of symbolic rewards that can be exchanged for real rewards. These symbolic rewards are called

Accepted Answer

Tokens are used as a form of symbolic reward in various institutional settings. These can be exchanged for more tangible rewards, fitting the description provided.

Question 17

Mattie, an extremely overweight patient at the mental hospital, had a persistent and disturbing habit of stealing food from other patients. The behavior therapist assigned Mattie to a special table in the dining room. If Mattie approached any other table, she was immediately removed from the dining room. To produce extinction of Mattie's food stealing, the therapist in this example used which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The therapist used nonreinforcement to produce extinction of Mattie's food-stealing behavior by removing the opportunity for Mattie to steal food, thus not reinforcing the behavior.

Question 18

If you set your clock ten minutes fast, it may be easier to leave the house on time in the morning. Even though you know that the clock is fast, your departure is under which of the following regarding the clock?

Accepted Answer

Your departure is under stimulus control, as the clock's fast time acts as a stimulus that influences your behavior (leaving the house on time), even though you are aware that the clock is intentionally set ahead.

Question 19

Time out, which involves removing a person from a situation in which reinforcement could occur is a variation of

Accepted Answer

Time out is a variation of response cost, as it involves the removal of the opportunity to receive positive reinforcement, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the unwanted behavior occurring again.

Question 20

When Thomas, an autistic boy, was ignored after instances of self-destructive behavior, his tendency to injure himself disappeared. The operant principle employed was nonreinforcement and will lead to which of the following occurring?

Accepted Answer

The principle of nonreinforcement leading to a decrease in a behavior is known as operant extinction. In this case, by ignoring Thomas's self-destructive behavior, the behavior was not reinforced, which over time led to its decrease or extinction.

Quiz 15: Therapies