Question 1

According to the textbook, sexual fetishes may be explained through classical conditioning. The object of the fetish-a certain type of clothing, for example-acts as a:

Accepted Answer

The object of the fetish is the conditioned stimulus (CS) as it has become associated with sexual arousal through repeated pairings with the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Question 2

Based on the textbook's discussion, Skinner is known for the study of:

Accepted Answer

Skinner is known for the study of operant conditioning, which involves the concepts of reinforcement and shaping. He pioneered the study of behavior through his work with animals, such as rats and pigeons, and showed how learning could be shaped through positive or negative reinforcement.

Question 3

The process by which a stimulus increases the likelihood that the preceding behavior will be repeated is called:

Accepted Answer

Reinforcement is the process by which a stimulus (reward) increases the likelihood that the preceding behavior will be repeated. In other words, when a desirable consequence follows a behavior, that behavior is more likely to be repeated in the future.

Question 4

Marina feels a rush of love and nostalgia at the scent of honeysuckle; the fragrance is similar to that of the perfume her mother wore when Marina was little. The perfume's fragrance is a(n) _____. The scent of honeysuckle elicits a similar response through the process of stimulus ____.

Accepted Answer

The perfume's fragrance is a conditioned stimulus (CS) because it is a learned response that elicits a particular response (love and nostalgia from Marina). The scent of honeysuckle elicits a similar response, which is an example of stimulus generalization as the scent of honeysuckle is similar to the perfume that Marina's mother wore.

Question 5

Gorn (1982) showed participants pictures of different-colored pens. Some pen colors were paired with pleasant music; others were paired with unpleasant music. As a free gift, participants were more likely to choose the pen colors associated with pleasant music than the pen colors associated with unpleasant music. Which choice correctly identifies the CS and the CR, respectively, in this study?

Accepted Answer

The conditioned stimulus (CS) is the pen color, as it is the neutral stimulus that becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus (pleasant or unpleasant music). The conditioned response (CR) is the liking for the pen, which is the learned response to the conditioned stimulus (pen color) after its association with the pleasant music.

Question 6

Thorndike's notion that successful responses are stamped in by experience may be seen as an early statement of Skinner's concept of:

Accepted Answer

Thorndike's notion of successful responses being stamped in by experience is similar to Skinner's concept of positive reinforcement, where behaviors that are followed by a positive consequence are more likely to be repeated in the future.

Question 7

A popular athlete endorses an athletic shoe in a series of glossy magazine ads. In the application of conditioning to advertising, which statement is correct?

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (US) naturally elicits a response. Here, the athlete, who is already liked and admired (eliciting a positive response naturally), acts as the US. The athletic shoe, which is initially neutral (CS), becomes associated with the athlete, and over time, this association leads to the shoe eliciting a similar positive response.

Question 8

In Thorndike's puzzle box, the amount of time it took the cats to break free of the cage was a(n) _____ definition of learning.

Accepted Answer

Thorndike's definition of learning was operational, focusing on how specific behaviors could be strengthened or weakened through the use of reinforcements or punishments. The puzzle box experiment measured the time it took for cats to learn how to operate the latch and escape from the box, which is an operational definition of learning.

Question 9

Perhaps the MOST influential early research on operant conditioning was conducted by:

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner is widely considered to be the most influential researcher in the field of operant conditioning. He conducted numerous experiments with rats and pigeons, and his work has had a significant impact on the way that we understand and apply principles of learning and behavior. While Watson and Pavlov also made important contributions to the field of behaviorism, their work focused primarily on classical conditioning rather than operant conditioning. Bandura's work on observational learning and social cognitive theory also had a significant impact on psychology, but it was not as directly related to operant conditioning as Skinner's research was.

Question 10

Conditioning principles have been applied successfully in advertising.In an effective advertisement, the product or service being promoted is usually a(n):

Accepted Answer

In an effective advertisement, the product or service being promoted is usually presented as a conditioned stimulus (CS) that, through association with positive images or feelings (unconditioned stimuli or US), elicits a favorable response (conditioned response or CR) from the audience.

Question 11

Recall the research methods described in an earlier chapter of the textbook.Which of the techniques does Watson and Rayner's Little Albert BEST exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall the research methods described in an...

Question 12

_____ conditioning is a type of learning in which organisms associate actions with consequences.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which organisms learn to associate actions with consequences, specifically through the use of reinforcement or punishment. Secondary conditioning refers to an association between a previously neutral stimulus and a conditioned stimulus, while classical conditioning involves learning an association between a neutral stimulus and a biologically relevant stimulus. Social conditioning is a term that is not commonly used in the field of psychology.

Question 13

"Responses that lead to pleasurable consequences are more likely to be repeated." This is the law of:

Accepted Answer

This statement describes the Law of Effect, which was proposed by Edward Thorndike. It suggests that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated.

Question 14

Engineering the consequences of her daughter's behavior is a key element in Laureen's parenting strategy. As an example, Laura's daughter is allowed to select the evening movie if she completes her homework before dinner. Laura appears to echo _____ in emphasizing the importance of _____ conditioning in learning.

Accepted Answer

The use of consequences to shape behavior is a central concept in operant conditioning, which is the focus of B.F. Skinner's work. Pavlov's work focused on classical conditioning, which involves the association of two stimuli to elicit a response. Therefore, choices A and C can be eliminated. Choice D correctly matches Skinner's emphasis on operant conditioning with Laureen's use of consequences to shape her daughter's behavior.

Question 15

Advertisers use enjoyable music, cute babies, attractive models, and funny spokespeople to create positive advertisements. The music, babies, and so on are BEST thought of as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Advertisers use enjoyable music, cute babies, attractive...

Question 16

An actor is hired to appear in a series of commercials promoting a new laptop computer. The actor's last two movies, though, have failed at the box office. This means that the actor may NOT serve as the optimal _____ in the commercials.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An actor is hired to appear in...

Question 17

The roots of operant conditioning may be traced to _____'s early studies of hungry cats learning to escape from cages.

Accepted Answer

The early studies of hungry cats learning to escape from cages were conducted by Edward Thorndike, who developed the law of effect, which is considered to be the basis of operant conditioning. Watson and Skinner are also closely associated with the development of operant conditioning, but Thorndike's work preceded theirs. Pavlov, on the other hand, is associated with classical conditioning.

Question 18

Operant conditioning is associated with _____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a type of learning that involves reinforcing desired behavior and punishing undesired behavior. It was first studied by Edward Thorndike and later expanded upon by B.F. Skinner, making choices A and B incorrect. Watson is associated with classical conditioning, not operant conditioning, which rules out choice D. Therefore, the correct answer is C, which pairs Thorndike with Skinner, both of whom are closely associated with operant conditioning theory.

Question 19

Watson and Raynor (1925) found that Little Albert's conditioned fear was elicited not only by a rat but also by a number of similar objects. Little Albert's behavior illustrates stimulus:

Accepted Answer

Little Albert's behavior of showing fear towards similar objects other than the original stimuli (rat) is an example of stimulus generalization. This means that the fear response was not limited to the original stimulus but generalized to similar stimuli.

Question 20

A Skinner box provides a highly controlled environment allowing researchers to study how animal behavior varies with alterations in the environment.In this situation, animal behavior is a(n) _____ variable.An alteration in the environment is a(n) _____ variable.

Accepted Answer

In the given scenario, animal behavior is the dependent variable as it depends on the alterations made in the environment, which is the independent variable. Therefore, the best choice is B, where animal behavior is dependent, and alterations in the environment are independent variables.

Quiz 5: Consciousness