Question 1

"If a response is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated. If a response is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated." This is a statement of ________________.
A) the law of positive reinforcement
B) Rescorla's cognitive perspective
C) Thorndike's Law of Effect
D) Garcia's conditional emotional response

Accepted Answer

The statement given is a restatement of Thorndike's Law of Effect, which states that behaviors that are followed by pleasant outcomes are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to be repeated. This law is a fundamental principle of operant conditioning. Choice A refers to the specific application of positive rewards to increase behavior, while choices B and D refer to specific theories within learning and conditioning.

Question 2

A behavioral intervention for treating anticipatory nausea is ________.
A) the use of chemotherapy medications
B) positive reinforcement
C) relaxation techniques
D) cognitive rehearsal

Accepted Answer

Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation, have been found to be effective in reducing anticipatory nausea, as they can help to decrease anxiety and promote a sense of calmness. Choice A is not applicable, as chemotherapy medications are used to treat cancer and not anticipatory nausea. Choice B could potentially reinforce negative behavior, as it would involve rewarding the patient for experiencing nausea. Choice D, cognitive rehearsal, may be used in conjunction with relaxation techniques, but alone does not address the physical symptoms of anticipatory nausea.

Question 3

A grandmother gives her grandchild a cookie because the child cleaned her room. What is the cookie in this example?
A) punisher
B) positive reinforcer
C) negative reinforcer
D) conditioned response

Accepted Answer

The cookie is functioning as a positive reinforcer because it is presented after the desirable behavior (cleaning the room) and is likely to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future.

Question 4

Thorndike was known for his work with ______.
A) a Skinner box
B) a puzzle box
C) modeling
D) monkeys

Accepted Answer

Thorndike is best known for his work with the puzzle box, which he used to study animal learning and behavior. He placed a hungry animal in the box and observed how it solved the puzzle (usually pulling a lever or pressing a button) to escape and receive a reward. This research led to his formulation of the law of effect, which states that behaviors followed by pleasant consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated.

Question 5

Skinner was to rats as Thorndike was to _____________________.
A) cats
B) rabbits
C) dogs
D) pigeons

Accepted Answer

Thorndike is famous for his work with cats in puzzle boxes, which led to the formulation of the Law of Effect.

Question 6

The authors note that "Reinforcement is in the eyes of the recipient," because ________.
A) what serve as reinforcers for some may serve as punishers for others
B) reinforcers decrease the probability of an undesirable behavior
C) reinforcers are primarily visual in nature
D) reinforcers increase the probability of a given behavior

Accepted Answer

Different individuals may have different perceptions and preferences regarding what constitutes a reinforcing or punishing stimulus. For example, receiving a cash bonus may be highly reinforcing for one employee, but may not be as reinforcing for another employee who values time off more than money. Therefore, reinforcement is subjective and based on the individual's perspective.

Question 7

________ classical conditioning, operant conditioning requires the organism to voluntarily produce the ________.
A) Like; response
B) Unlike; response
C) Unlike; consequence
D) Like; stimulus

Accepted Answer

Unlike classical conditioning which involves automatic or reflexive responses, operant conditioning requires the organism to voluntarily produce the response. This response is then followed by a consequence, either positive (reward) or negative (punishment), which will determine whether or not the organism will repeat the same behavior in the future.

Question 8

Which of the following is true about a Skinner box?
A) It cannot deliver food.
B) It cannot deliver water.
C) It can quantify behavioral responses.
D) It was primarily designed to avoid having to handle rats.

Accepted Answer

A Skinner box can quantify behavioral responses as it is designed for controlled experiments to study animal behavior. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as a Skinner box is specifically designed to deliver food and water, and it is not meant to avoid handling rats.

Question 9

Who of the following used "puzzle boxes" to learn more about instrumental conditioning?
A) Watson
B) Thorndike
C) Pavlov
D) Skinner
E) Bandura

Accepted Answer

Thorndike used "puzzle boxes" to study instrumental conditioning in cats in his famous "Law of Effect" experiment. Watson studied classical conditioning, Pavlov studied conditioned reflexes, Skinner studied operant conditioning, and Bandura studied social learning theory.

Question 10

Under what circumstances will a reinforcer make the target response more likely to occur again?
A) if it is a primary reinforcer
B) if it is a positive reinforcer
C) if it is a negative reinforcer
D) regardless of whether it is a positive or negative reinforcer, a reinforcer makes a response more likely to occur.

Accepted Answer

Reinforcers, whether positive (adding a desirable stimulus) or negative (removing an aversive stimulus), are designed to increase the likelihood of a response occurring again. The key aspect of a reinforcer is its effect on behavior, not its nature.

Question 11

Who was one of the first researchers to explore and outline the laws of voluntary responses?
A) Pavlov
B) Watson
C) Skinner
D) Thorndike

Accepted Answer

Edward Thorndike was one of the first researchers to explore and outline the laws of voluntary responses.

Question 12

A child learns that whenever he eats all of his dinner he gets a cookie for dessert. This type of learning is BEST explained by _______________.
A) classical conditioning
B) operant conditioning
C) biofeedback theory
D) social learning theory

Accepted Answer

This type of learning is based on the consequences that follow a behavior. Eating all of his dinner (behavior) leads to receiving a cookie for dessert (reinforcement), therefore the behavior is more likely to occur again in the future. This is the principle of operant conditioning.

Question 13

When good things happen to someone, the probability of repeating the behavior that occurred before the good things increases. This best illustrates ________.
A) Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
B) the Law of Effect
C) generalization
D) the law of desirable consequences

Accepted Answer

The Law of Effect states that behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes (rewards) are more likely to be repeated in the future. This is exactly what is described in the question.

Question 14

In operant conditioning, _____________ is necessary to create the association between the stimulus and the repetition of a voluntary response.
A) reinforcement
B) the law of negative effect
C) conditional emotional linkages
D) a long time delay

Accepted Answer

Reinforcement is the process by which a consequence strengthens the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future. In operant conditioning, reinforcement is necessary to create an association between a stimulus and the repetition of a voluntary response. Without reinforcement, the behavior may not be repeated or may even decrease in frequency. The other options (B, C, D) are not specifically related to the creation of an association between a stimulus and a voluntary response.

Question 15

Positive reinforcement is to negative reinforcement as ________.
A) good is to bad
B) increase is to decrease
C) reward is to punish
D) present is to remove

Accepted Answer

Positive reinforcement involves the presentation of a stimulus (e.g., a reward) to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.

Question 16

The person MOST closely associated with the Law of Effect is ______.
A) Watson
B) Skinner
C) Pavlov
D) Thorndike

Accepted Answer

The Law of Effect is a principle of learning associated with Edward Thorndike. It states that actions followed by pleasurable consequences are more likely to be repeated, while actions followed by unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated. This principle formed the basis for Thorndike's development of the concept of instrumental conditioning, also known as operant conditioning.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT an example of operant behavior?
A) a child doing her homework after she receives her teacher's approval for her behavior
B) a rat pressing a bar after receiving food for this behavior
C) a dog blinking its eyes after a flash of light is presented
D) a rat pressing a bar after avoiding a shock for this behavior

Accepted Answer

Operant behavior involves the modification of behavior by its consequences (positive or negative reinforcement or punishment). Blinking of eyes in response to a flash of light is a reflexive response and not influenced by consequences. Therefore, option C is NOT an example of operant behavior. Options A, B, and D are all examples of operant behavior as they involve modifying behavior based on the consequences that follow.

Question 18

A Skinner box is most likely to be used in research on ______.
A) classical conditioning
B) operant conditioning
C) vicarious learning
D) cognitive learning

Accepted Answer

A Skinner box is a device used in operant conditioning research to study how animals learn to associate their behavior with consequences. This involves shaping or reinforcing specific behaviors through rewards or punishments, which is the focus of operant conditioning.

Question 19

You may be inadvertently reinforcing undesirable behavior by telling someone off because ________.
A) scolding is positively punishing
B) by scolding the recipient you are paying attention to that person
C) the recipient never takes anything seriously
D) scolding is negatively punishing

Accepted Answer

By scolding someone, you are giving them attention, which can reinforce their behavior (even if it is negative attention). This is known as positive punishment.

Question 20

The kind of learning that applies to voluntary behavior is called __________________.
A) operant conditioning
B) classical conditioning
C) effective based learning
D) spontaneous recovery

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a type of learning that applies to voluntary behavior. In operant conditioning, the consequences of behavior will either increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. Classical conditioning, on the other hand, involves involuntary reflexive behaviors being associated with a particular stimulus. Effective-based learning is not a recognized term in psychology. Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a rest period, and is not specific to voluntary behavior.

Quiz 4: Learning: How Experience Changes US

"If a response is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated. If a response is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated." This is a statement of ________________.

A behavioral intervention for treating anticipatory nausea is ________.

A grandmother gives her grandchild a cookie because the child cleaned her room. What is the cookie in this example?

Thorndike was known for his work with ______.

Skinner was to rats as Thorndike was to _____________________.

The authors note that "Reinforcement is in the eyes of the recipient," because ________.

classical conditioning, operant conditioning requires the organism to voluntarily produce the .

Which of the following is true about a Skinner box?

Who of the following used "puzzle boxes" to learn more about instrumental conditioning?

Under what circumstances will a reinforcer make the target response more likely to occur again?

Who was one of the first researchers to explore and outline the laws of voluntary responses?

A child learns that whenever he eats all of his dinner he gets a cookie for dessert. This type of learning is BEST explained by _______________.

When good things happen to someone, the probability of repeating the behavior that occurred before the good things increases. This best illustrates ________.

In operant conditioning, _____________ is necessary to create the association between the stimulus and the repetition of a voluntary response.

Positive reinforcement is to negative reinforcement as ________.

The person MOST closely associated with the Law of Effect is ______.

Which of the following is NOT an example of operant behavior?

A Skinner box is most likely to be used in research on ______.

You may be inadvertently reinforcing undesirable behavior by telling someone off because ________.

The kind of learning that applies to voluntary behavior is called __________________.