Exam 6: Operant Conditioning Introduction

Distinguish between primary and secondary reinforcers, and give an example of each.

The process of creating a new behavior by reinforcing gradual approximations to a present behavior is known as _____.

Which of the following is an example of shaping?

For a student, seeing a large "A" marked at the top of a test could be

When Amir teased his sister, she hugged him. He never teased her again. Which of the following types of processes is illustrated in this scenario?

Enjoying yourself at a party is a(n) _____ reinforcer for going to the party.

Suppose a rat runs in a wheel and receives a food pellet. The subsequent increase in wheel-running as a result of the food delivery is an example of

Felix swore at his girlfriend during an argument one day, after which she would not talk to him for a week. As a result, he became much less likely to swear at her. This is best described as an example of

When Pedro punched his sister, she punched him back. He never punched her again. Which of the following types of processes is illustrated in this scenario?

Extrinsic rewards can occasionally lower intrinsic interest in a task when the rewards are

In the three-term contingency, the antecedent is the

According to the theory of _____, hard work can sometimes function as a secondary reinforcer.

Maria gives her canary some food each time it flutters its wings. The food is a

From an operant conditioning perspective, chocolate is a reinforcer if it

Food usually functions as a(n) _____ reinforcer, while light that has been paired with food functions as a(n) _____ reinforcer.

Behaviors that have been strongly associated with reinforcement can themselves become _____ reinforcers.

The basic components of the operant conditioning process include

A simple way of thinking about the three-term contingency is that you (in correct order)

How does immediacy affect the strength of a reinforcer? How does this often lead to difficulties for students in their studies?

The first psychologist to systematically investigate the learning ability of animals was