Question 1

Having one's car towed away for parking in a no parking zone is most similar to the concept of _____.

Accepted Answer

Having one's car towed away for parking in a no parking zone is an example of response cost, which involves the removal of a positive stimulus (in this case, the car) following a behavior (illegal parking) to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.

Question 2

_____ is the removal of a specific reinforcer following the occurrence of a problem behavior.

Accepted Answer

Response cost involves the removal of a specific reinforcer following the occurrence of a problem behavior, which is a form of negative punishment.

Question 3

The development of OCD may result from the process of:

Accepted Answer

Selective sensitization refers to an increased reactivity to a potentially stressful stimulus following exposure to an unrelated stressful event, which can contribute to the development of OCD.

Question 4

In the context of OCD, which of the following is incongruent with the two-process theory of avoidance?

Accepted Answer

Patients usually cannot recall a particular conditioning event that led to the obsession.

Question 5

Exposure and response prevention therapy for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder involves prolonged exposure to the anxiety-arousing event while _____ in the _____ behavior pattern that reduces the anxiety.

Accepted Answer

Exposure and response prevention therapy for OCD involves exposing the patient to the source of their anxiety and then preventing them from engaging in their usual compulsive behavior that they use to reduce that anxiety.

Question 6

Obsessive-compulsive disorders often arise:

Accepted Answer

Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) often arise or worsen during times of stress, rather than being directly caused by a specific traumatic event or solely through classical conditioning. Stress can exacerbate or trigger the symptoms of OCD, making existing symptoms worse or revealing symptoms for the first time.

Question 7

In the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder, compulsions are characterized by _____.

Accepted Answer

Compulsions in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are characterized by stereotyped actions that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. These actions are aimed at reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.

Question 8

Obsessions are characterized by _____.

Accepted Answer

Obsessions are characterized by persistent thoughts that are intrusive and unwanted, often causing significant anxiety or distress. Unlike compulsions, which are repetitive actions performed in response to obsessions, obsessions themselves are purely mental events.

Question 9

Ted lost his job after arguing with his boss. As a result, in his subsequent jobs, he never again argued with the boss. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Ted lost his job after arguing with...

Question 10

Ideally, a time-out procedure should be:

Accepted Answer

Time-out procedures are most effective when they are immediately followed by the reinforcement of appropriate behavior, as this helps the individual learn the desired behavior.

Question 11

Solitary confinement in prison, to the extent that it is effective, is an extreme example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Solitary confinement is an example of time-out, a behavioral modification technique where an individual is removed from a situation that provides reinforcement, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. It does not fit the definitions of response cost, positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement.

Question 12

On a cognitive level, people with OCD generally fail to realize that:

Accepted Answer

People with OCD often struggle to recognize that some intrusive thoughts are automatic responses to certain stimuli, rather than being uncommon or requiring forceful elicitation.

Question 13

Which of the following is most likely to precede  a continuous tendency to continually wash one's hands?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is most likely...

Question 14

Which of the following is likely to be a task involved in an exposure and response prevention treatment for a cleaning compulsion?

Accepted Answer

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) involves exposing the person to the source of their anxiety (e.g., not showering) and preventing the compulsive response (e.g., excessive cleaning).

Question 15

Jorge was given an extra homework assignment after making faces at a teacher one day. He never again made faces at the teacher. This scenario is an example of

Accepted Answer

Positive punishment involves adding an unpleasant consequence after an undesired behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior happening again. In this case, Jorge receiving extra homework for making faces is an added consequence to reduce the behavior.

Question 16

Janice has OCD. She is bothered by thoughts that she has left her apartment door unlocked. This thought pattern is best classified as :

Accepted Answer

This thought pattern is best classified as a respondent because it is an automatic response to a stimulus (the thought of the door being unlocked) rather than a behavior strengthened by its consequences, which would be characteristic of operant conditioning. Respondent behaviors are elicited by antecedent conditions, and in this case, the thought acts as the stimulus triggering anxiety or distress.

Question 17

Exposure and response prevention therapy for OCD makes use of:

Accepted Answer

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for OCD incorporates elements of both flooding therapy and systematic desensitization. In ERP, individuals are exposed to situations that trigger their OCD symptoms (similar to flooding), but they are gradually exposed in a controlled manner (akin to systematic desensitization), and are prevented from performing their usual compulsive responses, helping them learn to tolerate the anxiety and discomfort until it naturally decreases.

Question 18

You live on a desert island and there is a hurricane coming. After refusing to ride on the hurricane evacuation boat, being  stranded on a desert island is most similar to:

Accepted Answer

Being stranded on a desert island after refusing evacuation is similar to both negative punishment and time-out, as both involve the removal of a positive stimulus (safety or escape from the hurricane) to decrease a behavior (refusal to evacuate).

Question 19

Which of the following treatment procedures is effective in the treatment of OCD?

Accepted Answer

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a well-established and effective cognitive-behavioral therapy technique for treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It involves exposing the patient to the source of their anxiety or obsession and then helping them to refrain from performing their usual compulsive response.

Question 20

OCD was once considered a particularly difficult disorder to treat. This changed when clinicians began analyzing OCD in terms of _____.

Accepted Answer

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) began to be more effectively treated when clinicians analyzed it in terms of avoidance conditioning. This perspective helped in understanding how the compulsive behaviors serve to reduce anxiety triggered by obsessive thoughts, thus reinforcing the cycle of OCD through negative reinforcement (avoiding the feared outcome or discomfort).

Quiz 9: Escape Avoidance and Punishment