Question 1

According to Watson's famous quote regarding the rearing of children, if given a dozen infants and control of their world, he could:
A) guarantee ahead of time their IQ, based on their early infant behaviour
B) train them to be any type of specialist he wanted
C) shape their early childhood but have little impact on later development
D) ensure that they grew up without discrimination and hatred

Accepted Answer

Watson believed in the power of environmental influence over heredity, suggesting that with control over their upbringing, he could train infants to become any type of specialist, regardless of their background.

Question 2

The process by which an environmental stimulus and a behaviour are connected is known as:
A) cognition
B) episodic memory
C) conditioning
D) behaviour modification

Accepted Answer

The process of connecting an environmental stimulus with a behavior is called conditioning. This connection can lead to the behavior being reinforced or modified, depending on the type of conditioning used (such as classical or operant conditioning). Choices A and B (cognition and episodic memory) refer to different cognitive processes and are not related to the process of connecting a stimulus and behavior. Choice D (behavior modification) is related to the outcome of conditioning, but it does not describe the actual process of connecting a stimulus and behavior.

Question 3

What is the correct historical order in which these four researchers impacted modern behaviourism?
A) Skinner, Watson, Pavlov, Thorndike
B) Watson, Thorndike, Skinner, Pavlov
C) Pavlov, Thorndike, Watson, Skinner
D) Thorndike, Skinner, Watson, Pavlov

Accepted Answer

Ivan Pavlov's work on classical conditioning began in the late 19th century. Edward Thorndike's research on the law of effect was conducted in the early 20th century. John B. Watson is known for establishing behaviorism in the 1910s. B.F. Skinner's work on operant conditioning became prominent in the mid-20th century.

Question 4

A relatively permanent change in behaviour that is not due to maturation but is due to experience is called:
A) operant shaping
B) habituation
C) learning
D) behaviourism

Accepted Answer

Learning refers to the relatively permanent change in behaviour that is not due to maturation but is due to experience. Operant shaping refers to the process of reinforcing closer and closer approximations to a target behaviour, and habituation refers to a decrease in response to a repeated stimulus. Behaviourism is a theoretical approach to psychology that emphasizes the role of environmental factors in shaping behaviour.

Question 5

A psychologist is interested in the process of thinking about one's own thoughts and feelings. She asks her subjects to talk about these processes to better understand how people think, learn, and feel. This psychologist most likely uses which technique as part of her research?
A) schedules of reinforcement for writing down thoughts and feelings
B) introspection techniques
C) observational learning technologies
D) higher-order conditioning

Accepted Answer

The psychologist is likely using introspection techniques, which involve asking subjects to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings in order to gain insight into the cognitive and emotional processes involved.

Question 6

For what area of research did Ivan Pavlov receive the Nobel Prize?
A) classical conditioning
B) animal training
C) salivary reflex and digestion
D) biological boundaries of learning

Accepted Answer

Ivan Pavlov received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for his discoveries relating to the regulation of bodily functions, particularly salivary reflex and digestion.

Question 7

According to Watson's view, which is not necessarily considered accurate today, what is the only valid indicator of psychological activity and why?
A) overt behaviour-because it alone can be studied using the scientific method
B) self-report-because it is the most accurate measurement of subjective states
C) psychoanalysis-because individuals do not know the drives of their own subconscious
D) classical conditioning-because it demonstrates innate learning abilities

Accepted Answer

Watson believed that only observable behaviour is a valid indicator of psychological activity because it can be studied using the scientific method. Today, this view is considered too narrow since internal mental processes and subjective experiences are also recognized as important aspects of psychology.

Question 8

The school of behaviourism was based on the belief that:
A) anything can be learned by any living organism
B) animals and humans are born with the potential to learn just about anything
C) behaviour is conditioned, unlike cognitions of the mind
D) animals learn via behaviourism, humans learn via cognitivism

Accepted Answer

The answer of The school of behaviourism was based on...

Question 9

You know that genetics has given your new baby sister innate traits such as how to suckle and cry. Yet some people tell you that she is born knowing nothing. These people believe in ____________, which says that the environment teaches infants everything.
A) pure minds
B) tabula rasa
C) clean start
D) tora rica

Accepted Answer

The term "tabula rasa" refers to the belief that individuals are born with a blank slate and that their experiences and environment shape who they become. This view contrasts with the idea that individuals are born with innate qualities that are predetermined by genetics, as suggested by the other answer choices.

Question 10

What was the purpose of B. F. Skinner's book Walden Two?
A) to teach people the way in which they are really like animals
B) to demonstrate how to rear children using a Skinner box
C) to show how the basic application of learning principles could create a better world
D) to demonstrate the evils of using behaviour modification

Accepted Answer

The purpose of B.F. Skinner's book Walden Two was to show how the basic application of learning principles could create a better world by establishing a utopian community based on behavioral principles.

Question 11

Which of the following is most closely associated with B. F. Skinner?
A) introspection
B) modern neuroscience
C) behaviour modification
D) understanding the development of phobias

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner is known for his work in behaviour modification, which focuses on changing behaviour through reinforcement and punishment. His theories and methods have been applied in various settings, including education, therapy, and animal training.

Question 12

A friend of yours states that Skinner raised his children in a Skinner box. However, based on your reading, you know that:
A) his daughter was reared in an environmentally controlled crib called an air crib, not a Skinner box
B) only his oldest daughter was raised in the Skinner box, as the child authorities stopped him from using it for the second
C) Skinner had no children
D) it was not Skinner, but Pavlov who raised his children using a modified version of the Skinner box

Accepted Answer

Skinner did create and use a special environment for raising his daughter, but it was an "air crib," not a Skinner box. The air crib was a temperature and humidity-controlled crib that allowed for easy access to the baby for changing and feeding, while minimizing physical contact and visual stimulation.

Question 13

Which of the following individuals did NOT have a critical historical influence on learning?
A) Watson
B) Pavlov
C) Thorndike
D) Frost

Accepted Answer

Frost, while a notable poet, did not have a significant impact on the field of learning and education. The other three choices, Watson, Pavlov, and Thorndike, are well-known figures in the history of behaviorism and learning theory.

Question 14

What psychological principle did Pavlov's experiments teach us?
A) They demonstrated how a nonbiologically salient stimulus can trigger the same natural response as a biologically salient stimulus.
B) They demonstrated that all biological responses must be elicited by biologically salient stimuli.
C) They demonstrated how learning could take place without the presence of punishment.
D) They demonstrated that complex behaviours, such as fear of a stimulus, can be learned observationally.

Accepted Answer

Pavlov's experiments demonstrated that a previously neutral stimulus (such as a bell) can become associated with a biologically salient stimulus (such as food) to trigger the same natural response (such as salivation). This principle is known as classical conditioning or associative learning.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT one of the core types of learning?
A) classical conditioning
B) operant conditioning
C) habituation
D) maturation

Accepted Answer

The core types of learning are classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and habituation. Maturation refers to natural growth and development, and is not considered a core type of learning.

Question 16

The best definition of learning is that learning:
A) results entirely from maturation rather than experience
B) must result in adaptation of behaviour, but does not have to be enduring
C) always results in adaptations in behaviour
D) is relatively enduring and results from experience

Accepted Answer

Learning refers to an enduring change in behavior that results from experience. While learning may involve adjustments in a variety of cognitive, emotional, or physical processes, the central feature of effective learning is that it results in some form of modification in one’s behavior. Maturation, on the other hand, refers to the natural developmental changes that occur as an individual grows, rather than being the result of exposure to new stimuli or experiences. Therefore, option A is incorrect. Although learning may not always result in permanent changes in behavior, it typically involves some amount of adaptation that persists longer than the immediate experience. Therefore, option B is incorrect. Finally, option C is incorrect because while adaptation to behavior is a necessary part of learning, it does not necessarily always occur.

Question 17

According to Watson, children are born as a blank slate, or tabula rasa. Which of the following characteristics should a child then possess from birth?
A) the potential for cognition, but not the experiences necessary to use cognitive thought
B) the ability to acquire knowledge through sensory experiences
C) associations between action and effect
D) the ability to free associate through nonverbal response

Accepted Answer

If children are born as a blank slate, then they should have the ability to acquire knowledge through sensory experiences, as they have no preconceived notions or experiences shaping their cognitive development. The other choices require some level of prior experience or learning.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an example of learning?
A) The second time she gets her eyes tested, Sammi blinks when the buzzer rings because she predicts a puff of air is coming after the buzzer.
B) A baby begins to reach and fuss when his mother opens the refrigerator to get the bottle out.
C) A baby can sit up at six months, but rarely can at two months.
D) Your cat runs to the kitchen at the sound of a can opener.

Accepted Answer

Sitting up at six months is a natural developmental milestone that occurs without learning. The other options involve some form of association or conditioning, which are examples of learning.

Question 19

Physical maturation is NOT considered a form of learning because it:
A) does not result from experience
B) does involve changes in behaviour
C) does not involve classical conditioning
D) is an enduring change

Accepted Answer

Physical maturation is a biological process that occurs naturally and does not result from experience. Learning refers to an enduring change in behavior due to experience or practice.

Question 20

Who founded the school of behaviourism?
A) Skinner
B) Watson
C) Pavlov
D) Bandura

Accepted Answer

John Watson is considered the founder of the school of behaviourism.

Quiz 6: Learning

According to Watson's famous quote regarding the rearing of children, if given a dozen infants and control of their world, he could:

The process by which an environmental stimulus and a behaviour are connected is known as:

What is the correct historical order in which these four researchers impacted modern behaviourism?

A relatively permanent change in behaviour that is not due to maturation but is due to experience is called:

A psychologist is interested in the process of thinking about one's own thoughts and feelings. She asks her subjects to talk about these processes to better understand how people think, learn, and feel. This psychologist most likely uses which technique as part of her research?

For what area of research did Ivan Pavlov receive the Nobel Prize?

According to Watson's view, which is not necessarily considered accurate today, what is the only valid indicator of psychological activity and why?

The school of behaviourism was based on the belief that:

You know that genetics has given your new baby sister innate traits such as how to suckle and cry. Yet some people tell you that she is born knowing nothing. These people believe in ____________, which says that the environment teaches infants everything.

What was the purpose of B. F. Skinner's book Walden Two?

Which of the following is most closely associated with B. F. Skinner?

A friend of yours states that Skinner raised his children in a Skinner box. However, based on your reading, you know that:

Which of the following individuals did NOT have a critical historical influence on learning?

What psychological principle did Pavlov's experiments teach us?

Which of the following is NOT one of the core types of learning?

The best definition of learning is that learning:

According to Watson, children are born as a blank slate, or tabula rasa. Which of the following characteristics should a child then possess from birth?

Which of the following is NOT an example of learning?

Physical maturation is NOT considered a form of learning because it:

Who founded the school of behaviourism?