Question 1

__________ are the most effective schedules of reinforcement.
A) Continuous and fixed ratio
B) Fixed interval and fixed ratio
C) Variable ratio and variable interval
D) Fixed interval and variable interval
E) Fixed ratio and variable ratio

Accepted Answer

Variable ratio and variable interval schedules are most effective because they create high and steady response rates and are resistant to extinction.

Question 2

Which forms of consequence strengthen a desired behavior?
A) positive reinforcement and extinction
B) positive reinforcement and punishment
C) positive and negative reinforcement
D) extinction and punishment
E) extinction and negative reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Positive reinforcement involves providing a reward or incentive for performing a desired behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus when a desired behavior is performed. Both forms of reinforcement strengthen the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future. Therefore, choice C (positive and negative reinforcement) is the best option. Punishment and extinction involve reducing the likelihood of an undesired behavior, rather than strengthening a desired behavior.

Question 3

CRF schedules are particularly useful when an employee is
A) missing quotas.
B) learning a new skill.
C) frequently absent from work.
D) performing far above expectations for his or her job.
E) feeling entitled to receiving a reward.

Accepted Answer

CRF schedules, or continuous reinforcement schedules, are often used during the initial stages of learning a new skill. This is because a high rate of reinforcement can help the employee quickly learn and reinforce the desired behavior. CRF schedules are less useful for maintaining behaviors once they are learned, as intermittent schedules may be more effective in sustaining the desired behavior over time.

Question 4

CQZ Design started off as a small partnership of three people.Five years later,they have a staff of 18 in sales,office and production roles.One partner manages sales,another the office,and the last partner manages production.Aside from looking at their financial status,the partners don't know how to manage their employees.How can performance management help them?

Accepted Answer

The answer of CQZ Design started off as a small...

Question 5

After a series of train incidents,NS&Q offered employee bonuses based on safety for the first quarter of this year.This is an example of
A) positive reinforcement.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) extinction.
D) punishment.
E) respondent behavior.

Accepted Answer

NS&Q offered employee bonuses as a consequence of safe behavior (safety for the first quarter of this year). This is an example of positive reinforcement, which means that a desired behavior is followed by a positive consequence (reinforcement) in order to increase the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future. In this case, the positive consequence is the bonus, and the desired behavior is safety on the job.

Question 6

_________ is behavior that is learned when one acts on the environment to produce desired consequences.
A) Operant behavior
B) Consequential behavior
C) Reward behavior
D) Respondent behavior
E) Contingent behavior

Accepted Answer

Operant behavior is behavior that is learned through the consequences of one's actions on the environment. When an individual performs a particular behavior in order to receive a specific outcome or consequence, they are engaging in operant behavior. This is also sometimes referred to as instrumental behavior. The other answer choices (B, C, D, E) do not accurately describe this type of learning.

Question 7

Lenore has a fight with her best friend,Samantha,and doesn't want to speak to her.She unfriends her on social media.By doing this,Lenore is using _________,thereby removing consequences from an undesirable behavior.
A) extinction
B) punishment
C) negative reinforcement
D) respondent behavior
E) operant behavior

Accepted Answer

Extinction refers to the process of removing a reinforcement or consequence that was previously maintaining a behavior. In this case, Lenore is removing the reinforcement of social connection by unfriending Samantha on social media. By doing so, she is removing the consequences (i.e. social connection) of Samantha's undesirable behavior (which led to the fight), and thus using extinction.

Question 8

Barbara is training her new puppy to sit on command.Every time the puppy responds correctly,he receives a treat.Barbara is using a __________ reinforcement schedule.
A) fixed reward
B) variable ratio
C) fixed interval
D) variable interval
E) continuous

Accepted Answer

Barbara is using a continuous reinforcement schedule where every correct response (sitting on command) is followed by a reward (treats).

Question 9

Allen makes suggestions to his boss about how the department's performance can improve.Although his boss always compliments his ideas,he never acts on them.Allen then stops making suggestions.This is an example of
A) punishment.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) positive reinforcement.
D) extinction.
E) the law of effect.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of extinction. Allen's behavior (making suggestions) was not reinforced, as his boss never acted on his ideas, so this behavior gradually diminished and stopped altogether.

Question 10

If every instance of a target behavior is reinforced,a(n)_________ schedule is in effect.
A) positive
B) negative
C) continuous
D) intermittent
E) variable

Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement schedule involves reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs. Therefore, if every instance of a target behavior is reinforced, it is a continuous reinforcement schedule.

Question 11

Which forms of consequences weaken an undesirable behavior?
A) negative reinforcement and extinction
B) negative reinforcement and punishment
C) positive and negative reinforcement
D) extinction and punishment
E) extinction and negative reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Extinction involves removing the reinforcing consequences that were maintaining the behavior, which weakens the behavior over time. Punishment involves adding an aversive consequence following the behavior, which also weakens the behavior over time. Therefore, both extinction and punishment can weaken an undesirable behavior.

Question 12

When Jennie sees that the sun is shining brightly,she puts on sunglasses.This is
A) operant behavior.
B) consequential behavior.
C) reward behavior.
D) respondent behavior.
E) contingent behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Jennie sees that the sun is...

Question 13

Negative reinforcement is
A) strengthening a behavior by contingently presenting something pleasing.
B) weakening a behavior by ignoring it.
C) weakening a behavior through contingently presenting something displeasing.
D) weakening behavior by contingently withdrawing something positive.
E) strengthening a behavior by contingently withdrawing something displeasing.

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing or avoiding a negative outcome or stimulus when the desired behavior is performed. This removal or avoidance of something unpleasant (e.g., turning off an annoying alarm by getting up at a set time) encourages the repetition of the behavior.

Question 14

Josh runs into heavy traffic every day while driving to work.Yesterday,he left home earlier than usual and did not run into heavy traffic.Again,today,he left earlier and avoided heavy traffic.His behavior of leaving earlier enabled him to avoid heavy traffic and reach the office on time.In which of the following processes did Josh engage?
A) positive reinforcement
B) extinction
C) punishment
D) negative reinforcement
E) intermittent reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Josh engaged in negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior results in the removal of an unpleasant or aversive stimulus, which increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. In this case, leaving earlier resulted in the removal of the unpleasant experience of heavy traffic, which increased the likelihood of Josh leaving earlier in the future when he wants to avoid traffic.

Question 15

Polly works as a bartender.A few people wave money at her so that she will serve them first.She finds this to be rude and,so,either ignores them or serves them last.People realize that Polly serves the people who wait politely first,and much of the rude behavior stops.Polly used the model of
A) positive reinforcement.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) variable ratio reinforcement.
D) extinction.
E) shaping.

Accepted Answer

Polly used extinction by ignoring the rude behavior of customers waving money at her, which ultimately resulted in them stopping the behavior.

Question 16

Philip got an e-mail from his supervisor with compliments and praises for his work over the past few months.This is an example of a __________ schedule of reinforcement.
A) continuous
B) fixed ratio
C) variable ratio
D) fixed interval
E) variable interval

Accepted Answer

The answer of Philip got an e-mail from his supervisor...

Question 17

Organizations typically rely on __________ schedules,such as hourly wages and annual reviews and raises.
A) continuous
B) fixed interval and fixed ratio
C) variable ratio and variable interval
D) fixed interval and variable interval
E) fixed ratio and variable interva

Accepted Answer

Organizations often use fixed interval schedules for events that occur at consistent times, such as annual reviews and raises, and fixed ratio schedules for actions that are rewarded after a certain number of occurrences, like hourly wages.

Question 18

Matt completes his assignments on time.His teacher said that she would allow extra play time to children who submit their assignments on or before the due date.Which of the following made Matt complete his assignments on time?
A) positive reinforcement
B) negative reinforcement
C) respondent behavior
D) unlearned reflexes
E) intermittent reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Matt's completion of his assignments on time was driven by positive reinforcement, as he was rewarded with extra play time for submitting his assignments on or before the due date.

Question 19

Barney is late to work one morning,so he drives over the speed limit through a school zone.As a result,he gets pulled over by a police officer and receives a ticket.This scenario is an instance of
A) positive reinforcement.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) punishment.
D) extinction.
E) shaping.

Accepted Answer

This scenario exemplifies punishment, which is when a consequence is applied to decrease the probability of a behavior occurring in the future. In this case, the consequence is a ticket given by the police, and it is applied to decrease the probability of Barney driving over the speed limit in a school zone in the future. Positive reinforcement would involve adding a desirable consequence to increase the probability of a behavior occurring, while negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior occurring. Extinction involves removing a reinforcing consequence to decrease the probability of a behavior occurring, and shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations to a desired behavior. None of these concepts apply to this scenario.

Question 20

Dave Roberts is the program director at a small,family-owned gym in an affluent neighborhood.He works closely with the owner,his wife,and one other manager managing the day-to-day operations of the gym.He has an MBA from a large Midwestern university.The program director's main job is to oversee the front staff of the gym,which ranges from five to seven people,all part-timers.Dave and the owner get along,but they have different views on performance management.
n an effort to increase revenue and motivate the part-time workers,the owner tends to propose monthly sales goals at random to the staff.There is no clear standard for setting these goals,which results in them sometimes being too low and other times impossible.He also sets the same goal for each employee regardless of their experience or tenure at the company.The owner also does not believe in giving employees a bonus beyond their regular pay.He thinks that the better than average salary coupled with free use of the gym is enough to generate employee engagement and motivation.The company has a hard time retaining staff.In fact,the gym had a 40 percent turnover this past year,which is why the owner hired Dave.
Dave thinks employees should have one set of goals that are established at the beginning of the year.Dave also does not like the ad-hoc approach toward giving performance feedback.If feedback was given at all on the progress made toward attaining the owner's goals,it was usually negative and seldom included solutions or suggestions for correcting the issues that were hindering the staff.The company has not provided any performance management training to managers or employees.In terms of recognition,the owner reacts harshly toward the managers and employees when his random goals are not being met.
Dave is wondering what he should do about the situation.Should he approach the owner and propose changes in performance management,or should he just make the changes himself?
Using the 3-Step Problem-Solving Approach and the Organizing Framework,identify the problem in this case and present a recommendation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dave Roberts is the program director at...

Quiz 6: Performance Management

__________ are the most effective schedules of reinforcement.

Which forms of consequence strengthen a desired behavior?

CRF schedules are particularly useful when an employee is

After a series of train incidents,NS&Q offered employee bonuses based on safety for the first quarter of this year.This is an example of

_________ is behavior that is learned when one acts on the environment to produce desired consequences.

Lenore has a fight with her best friend,Samantha,and doesn't want to speak to her.She unfriends her on social media.By doing this,Lenore is using _________,thereby removing consequences from an undesirable behavior.

Barbara is training her new puppy to sit on command.Every time the puppy responds correctly,he receives a treat.Barbara is using a __________ reinforcement schedule.

Allen makes suggestions to his boss about how the department's performance can improve.Although his boss always compliments his ideas,he never acts on them.Allen then stops making suggestions.This is an example of

If every instance of a target behavior is reinforced,a(n) _________ schedule is in effect.

Which forms of consequences weaken an undesirable behavior?

When Jennie sees that the sun is shining brightly,she puts on sunglasses.This is

Negative reinforcement is

Polly works as a bartender.A few people wave money at her so that she will serve them first.She finds this to be rude and,so,either ignores them or serves them last.People realize that Polly serves the people who wait politely first,and much of the rude behavior stops.Polly used the model of

Philip got an e-mail from his supervisor with compliments and praises for his work over the past few months.This is an example of a __________ schedule of reinforcement.

Organizations typically rely on __________ schedules,such as hourly wages and annual reviews and raises.

Matt completes his assignments on time.His teacher said that she would allow extra play time to children who submit their assignments on or before the due date.Which of the following made Matt complete his assignments on time?

Barney is late to work one morning,so he drives over the speed limit through a school zone.As a result,he gets pulled over by a police officer and receives a ticket.This scenario is an instance of