Question 1

Which of the following would be the most effective in stopping a behavior?
A)negatively reinforcing the response
B)weak punishment
C)moderate punishment
D)severe punishment

Accepted Answer

Severe punishment is most effective in stopping a behavior quickly because it creates a strong association between the behavior and a negative consequence, deterring the behavior more effectively than weaker forms of punishment or negative reinforcement.

Question 2

Regarding the effect of mild punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?
A)Mild punishment slows the rate of responding but does not eliminate it.
B)Mild punishment stops the rate of responding completely.
C)Mild punishment will dramatically increase the rate of responding.
D)Mild punishment will not change the rate of responding,even temporarily.

Accepted Answer

Mild punishment may decrease the rate of responding, but typically does not eliminate it completely. In fact, research has shown that mild punishment may actually increase the rate of responding in some situations, so option C is incorrect as well. Option D is also incorrect as mild punishment does have a temporary effect on behavior.

Question 3

Two groups of well-trained rats were placed on extinction.One group was punished with a slap on the paw for each bar press,while the other group was not.The experimenters found that bar pressing
A)reached extinction quicker for the rats whose paws were slapped.
B)reached extinction quicker for the rats whose paws were not slapped.
C)temporarily slowed for the rats whose paws were slapped with no difference in extinction time.
D)remained high for both groups with extinction never being reached for either group of rats.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Two groups of well-trained rats were placed...

Question 4

The effectiveness of punishers depends greatly on their timing,consistency,and
A)generalization.
B)intensity.
C)cognitive perception.
D)divergency.

Accepted Answer

The intensity or strength of a punisher is an important factor in determining its effectiveness. A weak or mild punisher may not deter the behavior, while a too severe punisher may create unwanted side effects or even harm the individual. However, other factors such as timing and consistency also contribute to the effectiveness of punishers. Generalization, cognitive perception, and divergence are not as crucial in determining the effectiveness of punishers as timing, consistency, and intensity.

Question 5

You want to stop your cat from clawing your new sofa by spraying a stream of water on the cat as punishment for clawing the furniture.If you are to be successful,you must
A)use intermittent punishment by spraying the cat every now and then.
B)spray the cat every time he begins to claw the sofa.
C)spray the cat until he is completely wet and uncomfortable.
D)take the cat to each clawed mark and then hold and spray him.

Accepted Answer

Consistency is key in training animals. By spraying the cat every single time it begins to claw the sofa, the cat will learn that this behavior is always met with an unpleasant consequence. It is important to note that punishment should never be excessive or cause harm to the animal, so options A, C, and D are not appropriate.

Question 6

Punishment is LEAST effective in stopping a behavior when it is
A)intense.
B)consistent.
C)delayed.
D)all of these.

Accepted Answer

Delayed punishment is least effective in stopping a behavior because the individual may not associate their behavior with the punishment if there is a significant time delay between the two.

Question 7

Punishment is most effective in suppressing behavior when it is
A)immediate.
B)consistent.
C)severe.
D)all of these.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Punishment is most effective in suppressing behavior...

Question 8

Jai touched a light socket and received a shock.Jai will probably not touch a light socket again because he received
A)mild punishment.
B)severe punishment.
C)negative reinforcement.
D)response cost.

Accepted Answer

Jai received a shock, which is a severe punishment. This will likely deter him from touching a light socket again.

Question 9

Regarding the effects of severe,intense punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?
A)Severe punishment slows the rate of responding,but does not eliminate it.
B)Severe punishment can permanently suppress responding,even for actions as basic as eating.
C)Severe punishment will dramatically increase the rate of responding.
D)Severe punishment will not change the rate of responding even temporarily.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Regarding the effects of severe,intense punishment,which of...

Question 10

Regarding punishment,which of the following statements is FALSE?
A)A punisher can be the onset of an unpleasant event.
B)A punisher can be the removal of a positive state of affairs.
C)Response cost is a type of punisher.
D)A negative reinforcer is a type of punisher.

Accepted Answer

A negative reinforcer is not a type of punisher. A negative reinforcer is a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus or decreasing the intensity of an aversive stimulus. In contrast, a punisher is a stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with an aversive consequence.

Question 11

Michael's mother has just found out that four-year-old Michael has been using scissors to give the cat,dog,and his little sister haircuts.His mother tells Michael,"Wait until your father gets home and you'll be sorry." This delayed discipline
A)has been shown to be very effective in reducing a child's misbehavior because they have time to think about their punishment.
B)has been shown to be ineffective in reducing a child's misbehavior as well as making the father a "feared brute."
C)is referred to as response cost.
D)is a type of negative reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Delayed discipline has been shown to be ineffective in reducing a child's misbehavior, as the child may not fully understand the connection between their behavior and the punishment. Additionally, threatening punishment without immediately following through can make the parent or disciplinarian a "feared brute" in the child's eyes.

Question 12

To be effective,punishment should be
A)delivered late in the day.
B)immediate.
C)delivered by the same person each time.
D)a type of negative reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Punishment should be immediate in order to effectively associate the undesired behavior with the negative consequence. Delayed punishment may not be as effective in changing the behavior.

Question 13

Regarding mild punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?
A)Mild punishment will usually eliminate unwanted responses.
B)Mild punishment tends to suppress unwanted responses temporarily.
C)Mild punishment is better than reinforcement for response acquisition.
D)Mild punishment is the same as negative reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Mild punishment tends to suppress unwanted responses temporarily, rather than completely eliminating them. Negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior, whereas mild punishment involves applying an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior. Therefore, option B is the correct statement. Options A and C are incorrect, as mild punishment is not typically effective for completely eliminating or acquiring responses. Option D is incorrect, as mild punishment and negative reinforcement are two different concepts.

Question 14

The effectiveness of punishers depends greatly on all of the following EXCEPT
A)timing.
B)consistency.
C)intensity.
D)generalization.

Accepted Answer

The effectiveness of punishers depends on timing (i.e. delivering the punishment immediately after the unwanted behavior), consistency (i.e. delivering the punishment for every instance of the unwanted behavior), and intensity (i.e. making the punishment strong enough to deter future occurrences of the unwanted behavior). Generalization is not a factor in the effectiveness of punishers; it refers to the extent to which a learned behavior applies to different situations or settings.

Question 15

If simply refusing to feed your dog table scraps is not enough to stop it from jumping on you when you sit at a table,you could effectively (and humanely)punish it by spraying water on its nose
A)before it jumps on you.
B)each time it actually jumps on you.
C)after you have said "No" and led it away from the table.
D)after you whack the dog with a newspaper.

Accepted Answer

Spraying water on the dog's nose each time it actually jumps on you is an immediate and humane form of punishment that can effectively discourage the unwanted behavior by creating a direct association between the action (jumping) and the consequence (getting sprayed).

Question 16

Punishment works best when it is
A)immediate and consistent.
B)delayed and mild.
C)inconsistent and mild.
D)delayed and intense.

Accepted Answer

Punishment is most effective when it is applied immediately after the unwanted behavior, and consistently applied each time that behavior occurs. This helps the individual make the connection between the behavior and the consequences, and decreases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future. Delayed or mild punishment may not have the same impact, and inconsistency can lead to confusion and uncertainty about what behaviors are acceptable.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the conditions leading to the maximum effectiveness of punishment?
A)Punishment may be delayed,but must follow the response frequently.
B)Punishment may be delayed,but must be given every time the response occurs.
C)Punishment must be immediate,but may follow a response only occasionally.
D)Punishment must be immediate and must be given every time the response occurs.

Accepted Answer

Punishment is most effective when it is immediate and given every time the response occurs. Delaying punishment or only administering it occasionally may lead to inconsistencies and therefore reduce its effectiveness. Therefore, option D is the most accurate in describing the conditions leading to the maximum effectiveness of punishment.

Question 18

Jimmy's mother scolds him for reaching for his third before­dinner cookie.After this mild punishment,Jimmy's behavior will probably
A)increase dramatically.
B)disappear completely.
C)reappear.
D)become displaced.

Accepted Answer

Reappear. Mild punishment is unlikely to completely stop a behavior permanently, but it may temporarily decrease it. It is possible that Jimmy may reach for a fourth cookie after dinner, but the mild punishment could cause him to hesitate or be more cautious in doing so.

Question 19

One thing that reinforcement and punishment have in common is that both
A)produce positive transfer.
B)act as generalized rewards for learning.
C)are less effective if they are delayed.
D)are necessary for biofeedback training to be effective.

Accepted Answer

Both reinforcement and punishment are most effective when they are immediate or close in time to the behavior being reinforced or punished. Delayed reinforcement or punishment can make it difficult for individuals to understand the specific behavior that is being reinforced or punished, therefore making it less effective.

Question 20

You come home from work and find that your dog has dug up the tree you just planted.To reduce this digging,you would be best advised to punish the dog
A)as the dog begins to dig.
B)as soon as you get home and discover the hole.
C)several hours after digging.
D)by taking the dog to each hole he has dug recently and then punishing him.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You come home from work and find...

Quiz 31: Conditioning and Learning: Reinforcement and Punishment

Which of the following would be the most effective in stopping a behavior?

Regarding the effect of mild punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?

Two groups of well-trained rats were placed on extinction.One group was punished with a slap on the paw for each bar press,while the other group was not.The experimenters found that bar pressing

The effectiveness of punishers depends greatly on their timing,consistency,and

You want to stop your cat from clawing your new sofa by spraying a stream of water on the cat as punishment for clawing the furniture.If you are to be successful,you must

Punishment is LEAST effective in stopping a behavior when it is

Punishment is most effective in suppressing behavior when it is

Jai touched a light socket and received a shock.Jai will probably not touch a light socket again because he received

Regarding the effects of severe,intense punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?

Regarding punishment,which of the following statements is FALSE?

Michael's mother has just found out that four-year-old Michael has been using scissors to give the cat,dog,and his little sister haircuts.His mother tells Michael,"Wait until your father gets home and you'll be sorry." This delayed discipline

To be effective,punishment should be

Regarding mild punishment,which of the following statements is TRUE?

The effectiveness of punishers depends greatly on all of the following EXCEPT

If simply refusing to feed your dog table scraps is not enough to stop it from jumping on you when you sit at a table,you could effectively (and humanely) punish it by spraying water on its nose

Punishment works best when it is

Which of the following best describes the conditions leading to the maximum effectiveness of punishment?

Jimmy's mother scolds him for reaching for his third beforedinner cookie.After this mild punishment,Jimmy's behavior will probably

One thing that reinforcement and punishment have in common is that both

You come home from work and find that your dog has dug up the tree you just planted.To reduce this digging,you would be best advised to punish the dog