Question 1

If a parent has a child who is showing repeated aggressive behaviors toward other children,it would probably be most effective to
A)spank the child every time such aggression occurs
B)spank the child after first giving the child a warning
C)use response cost or time-out
D)ignore the aggressive behavior

Accepted Answer

Using response cost or time-out can be an effective way to address aggressive behavior in children. It involves removing a privilege or placing the child in a designated area away from others for a short period of time immediately after the behavior occurs. This helps to decrease the likelihood of the behavior recurring in the future, as the consequence is associated with the behavior. Spanking, in contrast, may increase aggression and resentment in the child and does not necessarily address the root causes of the behavior. Ignoring the behavior may encourage the child to continue being aggressive in order to get attention.

Question 2

A cat observes another cat escape from a puzzle box by pulling a string.When the observer cat is placed in the puzzle box for the first time,this cat quickly pulls the string and escapes.If the observer cat never had experience with string before,this behavior should be classified as an instance of
A)social facilitation
B)stimulus enhancement
C)true imitation
D)either a or b

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Research suggests that a child will be more likely to develop a strong achievement motivation if
A)the child's parents use reinforcement and punishment to encourage the child to develop high standards
B)the child observes models who have high standards for their own behavior
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Accepted Answer

Both reinforcement and punishment from parents and observing models who have high standards for their own behavior have been found to be important factors in developing strong achievement motivation in children. Therefore, both options a and b are correct.

Question 4

Various research findings suggest that parents who use physical punishment produce children who are more aggressive.Probably the best explanation of these findings is that
A)physical punishment does not work
B)aggressive behaviors are a special case,for which punishment is not effective
C)parents who use physical punishment serve as models for their children
D)aggressiveness is an inherited personality characteristic

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that children who witness physical punishment are more likely to display aggressive behaviors themselves, as they learn that physical violence is an acceptable way of dealing with conflict. Therefore, parents who use physical punishment may serve as models for their children, leading to an increase in aggressive behavior.

Question 5

Evidence for observational learning in the conservation task has been found
A)in people but not animals
B)in animals but not people
C)in both people and animals
D)in neither people nor animals

Accepted Answer

The answer of Evidence for observational learning in the conservation...

Question 6

Evidence for observational learning of phobias has been found
A)in people but not animals
B)in animals but not people
C)in both people and animals
D)in neither people nor animals

Accepted Answer

Observational learning of phobias has been demonstrated in both people and animals. For example, a study showed that monkeys who observed other monkeys showing fear towards snakes became more fearful of snakes themselves. Similarly, children who witnessed someone else displaying a fear response towards a specific object or situation were more likely to develop their own phobia of that object or situation.

Question 7

The main problem with studies that show a correlation between TV violence and aggressive behavior in children is that
A)there are few such studies
B)nothing can be done to change what children watch on TV
C)it is difficult to say whether watching TV violence leads to aggressive behavior,or whether aggressive children choose to watch more TV violence
D)violent characters on TV are often punished

Accepted Answer

Correlation does not equal causation. It could be that aggressive children are more drawn to watch violent TV shows, rather than the other way around. Additionally, there is not enough evidence to support a direct causal relationship between TV violence and aggressive behavior in children.

Question 8

One problem for the theory that observational learning is simply a special case of operant conditioning is the finding that
A)young children will imitate a model if reinforced for doing so
B)young children will do the opposite of what the model does if reinforced for doing so
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Accepted Answer

The problem for the theory that observational learning is simply a special case of operant conditioning is that observational learning can occur without the observer being reinforced for imitating the model, which is not accounted for by operant conditioning principles alone. Choices A and B describe scenarios where reinforcement is directly involved, which does not challenge the theory in question.

Question 9

Which of the following is not necessary for imitation to occur,according to Bandura's theory-
A)attention to the appropriate features of the model's behavior
B)retention of the information gained through observation
C)practice of the observed behaviors
D)all of the above are necessary,according to Bandura.

Accepted Answer

According to Bandura's theory, practice of the observed behaviors is not necessary for imitation to occur. However, attention to the appropriate features of the model's behavior and retention of the information gained through observation are necessary factors for imitation.

Question 10

"A person will imitate another when he expects to be rewarded for doing so." This statement is most consistent with
A)the theory that imitation is an innate tendency
B)the theory that imitation is simple operant conditioning
C)the concept of stimulus enhancement
D)Bandura's theory of imitation

Accepted Answer

This statement is most consistent with Bandura's theory of imitation, which asserts that people are more likely to imitate others if they believe that doing so will result in reinforcement or reward. Bandura's theory also emphasizes the importance of modeling, in which an observer watches and learns from another person's behavior, as well as the role of self-efficacy, or an individual's belief in his or her own ability to perform a particular behavior. This theory differs from theories of simple operant conditioning, which focus solely on reinforcing or punishing specific behaviors, and from theories of innate tendencies, which suggest that imitation is an automatic and unconscious response to external stimuli. The concept of stimulus enhancement, while related, is a more specific process in which an observer's attention is drawn to a particular object or location as a result of another individual's behavior or cues, and does not necessarily involve the learning of new behaviors.

Question 11

In the debate about the relation between watching TV violence and aggressive behavior,
A)there is no correlation between aggressive behavior and watching violent TV
B)there is evidence that boys who watch violent TV are more aggressive many years later
C)any aggressive tendencies disappear a few hours after watching TV violence
D)no one has ever conducted an experiment in which children are actually required to watch either violent or nonviolent TV

Accepted Answer

There is evidence that suggests that boys who watch violent TV are more likely to be aggressive many years later. Research has indicated that exposure to media violence has both short-term and long-term effects on aggressive behavior. While the short-term effects may disappear after a few hours of watching TV violence, the long-term effects are more concerning. However, it is important to note that not all children who watch violent TV become aggressive, and there are many other factors that contribute to aggressive behavior.

Question 12

Some studies have found that human infants can imitate facial expressions before the age of
A)3 weeks
B)3 months
C)6 months
D)1 year

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that infants can start imitating facial expressions as early as a few weeks old, with some studies suggesting this ability is present by 3 weeks of age.

Question 13

Mirror neurons are specialized nerve cells that respond
A)both when you perform a behavior and when you see someone else perform that behavior
B)when you recognize a picture you have seen before
C)when you see an object on your left and an identical object on your right
D)when you first see an object and later see its mirror image

Accepted Answer

Mirror neurons are activated when both performing an action and watching someone else perform that same action, leading to the understanding of others' intentions and the ability to imitate actions.

Question 14

In his research on the achievement motivation of different countries,McClelland found a positive correlation between
A)achievement motives in children's stories and current economic growth
B)achievement motives in children's stories and economic growth over the next 25 years
C)achievement motives in children's stories and economic growth over the past 25 years
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

McClelland found that there was a positive correlation between achievement motives in children's stories and economic growth over the next 25 years. This suggests that the values and beliefs conveyed in children's stories may have an impact on the future economic success of a country. The other options given are not supported by McClelland's research.

Question 15

Bandura's research on children's imitation of the aggressive behaviors of a filmed model showed that
A)what a child learns from a model depends on whether the model's behavior is reinforced or punished
B)how much a child imitates a model depends on whether the model's behavior is reinforced or punished
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bandura's research on children's imitation of the...

Question 16

According to Bandura's theory,all of the following are needed for imitation to occur except
A)attention
B)generalization
C)motor abilities
D)incentive

Accepted Answer

Generalization is not needed for imitation to occur according to Bandura's theory. However, attention, motor abilities, and incentives are all necessary. Attention is critical because the person must pay attention to the behavior in order to imitate it. Motor abilities are also important because the person must have the physical ability to perform the behavior. Finally, incentives are necessary because the person must see some benefit or reward in imitating the behavior.

Question 17

If after observing a model,a cat starts performing a behavior it had performed in the past,this could be classified as an instance of
A)social facilitation
B)stimulus enhancement
C)true imitation
D)either a or b

Accepted Answer

The answer of If after observing a model,a cat starts...

Question 18

If after observing a model,a cat performs a behavior it would have never learned on its own,this could be classified as an instance of
A)social facilitation
B)stimulus enhancement
C)true imitation
D)either a or b

Accepted Answer

This scenario would best be classified as true imitation, as the cat is performing a behavior it would not have learned on its own, but rather through observation and replication of the model's behavior. Social facilitation and stimulus enhancement both involve the presence of others influencing behavior, but do not necessarily involve true imitation.

Question 19

Recording children's television viewing habits early in life and comparing them to their aggressive tendencies later in life is an example of
A)anecdotal evidence
B)a field experiment
C)a longitudinal study
D)a confounding variable

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a longitudinal study, as it involves tracking individuals over a period of time and measuring changes in both their TV viewing habits and their aggressive tendencies. This type of study allows for a more in-depth analysis of the relationship between these variables and can help to establish causality. Anecdotal evidence refers to individual stories or observations that may not be representative of a larger population. A field experiment involves manipulating variables in a natural setting to observe their effects on behavior. A confounding variable is a variable that is related to both the independent and dependent variables and can affect the results of a study.

Question 20

The theory that imitation is simply a generalized operant response states that
A)a child will imitate a model only if the model reinforces imitation
B)a child will imitate a model only if the child been reinforced for performing the same behaviors in the past
C)a child will imitate a model only if the child has been reinforced for imitation in similar situations in the past
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

The theory suggests that imitation occurs when a child has been reinforced for imitation in similar situations in the past, making it a generalized operant response.

Quiz 11: Learning by Observation

If a parent has a child who is showing repeated aggressive behaviors toward other children,it would probably be most effective to

A cat observes another cat escape from a puzzle box by pulling a string.When the observer cat is placed in the puzzle box for the first time,this cat quickly pulls the string and escapes.If the observer cat never had experience with string before,this behavior should be classified as an instance of

Research suggests that a child will be more likely to develop a strong achievement motivation if

Various research findings suggest that parents who use physical punishment produce children who are more aggressive.Probably the best explanation of these findings is that

Evidence for observational learning in the conservation task has been found

Evidence for observational learning of phobias has been found

The main problem with studies that show a correlation between TV violence and aggressive behavior in children is that

One problem for the theory that observational learning is simply a special case of operant conditioning is the finding that

Which of the following is not necessary for imitation to occur,according to Bandura's theory-

"A person will imitate another when he expects to be rewarded for doing so." This statement is most consistent with

In the debate about the relation between watching TV violence and aggressive behavior,

Some studies have found that human infants can imitate facial expressions before the age of

Mirror neurons are specialized nerve cells that respond

In his research on the achievement motivation of different countries,McClelland found a positive correlation between

Bandura's research on children's imitation of the aggressive behaviors of a filmed model showed that

According to Bandura's theory,all of the following are needed for imitation to occur except

If after observing a model,a cat starts performing a behavior it had performed in the past,this could be classified as an instance of

If after observing a model,a cat performs a behavior it would have never learned on its own,this could be classified as an instance of

Recording children's television viewing habits early in life and comparing them to their aggressive tendencies later in life is an example of

The theory that imitation is simply a generalized operant response states that