Skinner rigged the cages of eight pigeons so that food was delivered every 15 seconds. Within a short time most of the pigeons were practicing some sort of consistent ritual, even though the ritual did not have the least effect on the delivery of the reinforcer. The birds were:
A) trained by vicarious learning.
B) demonstrating spontaneous recovery.
C) behaving superstitiously.
D) developing phobias.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior of the pigeons is characteristic of superstition, where they are performing a ritual without any evidence of it being linked to the delivery of the reinforcer (food in this case). This phenomenon is known as superstitious behavior and was first identified by B.F. Skinner in his experiments with pigeons.

Skinner Rigged the Cages of Eight Pigeons So That Food