Question 1

A(n) ________ is defined as any internal or external event that increases the frequency of a behavior.

Accepted Answer

A reinforcer is defined as any stimulus, which can be internal or external, that increases the frequency or likelihood of a behavior it follows. This is a fundamental concept in behaviorism and operant conditioning.

Question 2

Which of the following is most likely to be essential for moving an experience from short-term to long-term memory?

Accepted Answer

Having experiences repeated over a short period of time is crucial for the consolidation of memories, moving them from short-term to long-term storage. This process is often referred to as the rehearsal or repetition effect, which strengthens neural connections and facilitates long-term memory.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true regarding habituation?

Accepted Answer

Habituation is considered a form of learning where an organism decreases or ceases its responses to a stimulus after repeated presentations. Unlike permanent behavioral changes, habituation is a temporary adaptation to a consistent, non-threatening stimulus, making it a simple form of learning rather than involving linking two sources of information or being an involuntary response to intermittent stimuli.

Question 4

Conditioning is a form of ________ learning in which behaviors are triggered by associations with events in the environment.

Accepted Answer

Conditioning is a form of associative learning where behaviors are learned through associations with different stimuli in the environment.

Question 5

When Anna was a child, a dog named Max used to bark at her whenever she walked past him, and even bit her once. As an adult, whenever she meets a pet named Max, her palms start to sweat and her heart races. Anna's behavior an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Anna's reaction is an example of association, where her current physiological responses to any pet named Max are linked to her past experiences with the dog that used to bark at her and bit her once. This is a classic example of classical conditioning, where an association between two stimuli is learned.

Question 6

Bob, a nine-year-old, sees his older brother playing the guitar. Later that day, Bob picks up the guitar and pretends to play it. Bob's behavior is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Bob's behavior is an example of mimicry, as he is imitating his older brother's actions after observing him play the guitar.

Question 7

When Geeta was a child, her mother used to use a particular incense stick. 20 years later, when she went to her friend's house, she caught a whiff of the same incense stick and started thinking of her own home and her mother. Geeta's behavior is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Geeta's behavior is an example of association, where the smell of the incense stick triggers memories of her home and mother due to a previously formed connection between the scent and her experiences.

Question 8

In order for an association to form between them, the ________ must be paired or presented very close together in time.

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, an association forms between the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and the conditioned stimulus (CS) when they are presented close together in time. The UCS naturally elicits a response, and through pairing with the CS, the CS begins to elicit a similar response.

Question 9

According to the research of van Praag, Kempermann, and Gage (1999), which of the following people will most likely experience neurogenesis?

Accepted Answer

The research by van Praag, Kempermann, and Gage (1999) found that physical exercise, such as running, is associated with increased neurogenesis in the brain.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true regarding imprinting?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements is true...

Question 11

A factory pays its employees on Wednesdays, and on Thursdays employee productivity seems to be a little slow. The productivity gradually increases over the week and reaches its peak on Wednesday. This is an example of which of the following types of schedules?

Accepted Answer

The described scenario is an example of a fixed-interval schedule because the employees receive reinforcement (pay) at fixed intervals of time (every Wednesday), which leads to increased productivity as the time for the next reinforcement approaches.

Question 12

The two types of conditioning are ________.

Accepted Answer

Classical and operant conditioning are the two primary types of conditioning. Classical conditioning involves learning by association, and operant conditioning involves learning through consequences (rewards or punishments).

Question 13

As a child, Rahul was bitten by a spider and thereafter developed an intense phobia of them. His mother, in an effort to treat Rahul's phobia, eventually took him to a psychologist who gradually exposed him to spiders. After a few sessions of having nonthreatening experiences with spiders, Rahul was able to overcome his phobia. In the context of classical conditioning, this is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of extinction in classical conditioning, where the conditioned response (fear of spiders) decreases and eventually disappears after repeated exposure to the conditioned stimulus (spiders) without the unconditioned stimulus (being bitten) occurring again.

Question 14

An argument can be made that habituation is not a form of learning, because ________.

Accepted Answer

Habituation is considered a form of learning because it involves a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure. However, this learned behavior can quickly disappear if there are slight changes in the stimulus, indicating that the change in response is not permanent but adaptable. This characteristic distinguishes it from more permanent forms of learning, which would not be as easily reversible with minor changes in conditions.

Question 15

In Pavlov's classical conditioning study, the neutral stimulus that was presented to the dog was ________.

Accepted Answer

In Pavlov's classical conditioning study, the neutral stimulus that was presented to the dog was a bell sound, which initially did not elicit the salivation response until it was associated with the meat powder.

Question 16

A tap just below your kneecap will cause your leg to jerk forth. This is an example of a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A tap just below your kneecap will...

Question 17

Tina's car was sideswiped as she was making a blind turn while leaving a parking lot. After this accident, Tina had a panic attack whenever she was near that lot, so she could not park there. Several months later, the attacks stopped, and she started parking there again. Then, one day as she was approaching the parking lot, Tina had an unexpected panic attack. This scenario exemplifies ________.

Accepted Answer

This scenario exemplifies spontaneous recovery, where a previously extinguished conditioned response reappears after a period of no exposure to the conditioned stimulus.

Question 18

________ is a sensory process by which organisms adapt to constant stimulation.

Accepted Answer

Habituation is the process through which an organism decreases or ceases its responses to a stimulus after repeated or prolonged exposure. This adaptation allows organisms to ignore stimuli that are found to be irrelevant or non-threatening.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true regarding synaptic connections?

Accepted Answer

Synaptic connections can weaken or be pruned if they are not used regularly, a concept known as "use it or lose it" in neuroscience. This is part of synaptic plasticity, where the strength of synaptic connections can change in response to activity or inactivity.

Question 20

Every time Mary does well on her assignments, her teacher gives her a candy. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of continuous reinforcement because Mary receives a reward (candy) every time she performs a desired behavior (does well on her assignments), which is a principle of operant conditioning where a behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.

Quiz 8: Learning