Exam 7: Schedules and Theories of Reinforcement

Reg, who once worked as a lumberjack, claims that to be effective at chopping wood with an axe, you have to work with a steady, easy rhythm. If you work too fast, you quickly tire yourself out and end up getting little done. Thus, Reg would reinforce his sons for chopping wood on a _____ schedule.

Over a period of a few weeks, Samuel changed from complying with each of his father's requests to complying with every other request, then every third request. The father's behavior of making requests has been subjected to a procedure known as

In a hot dog eating contest, eating is being reinforced on a _____ schedule.

Which of the following schedules would produce the longest pause after each reinforcement?

You notice that you often run a bit faster as you near the end of your morning jog. This seems to be an example of

Skinner (1948) found that pigeons exposed to an FT schedule of reinforcement

At the start of the term, many students engage in little or no studying. This is followed by a gradual increase in studying as the first exam approaches. This pattern of studying most closely approximates the response pattern produced by a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Which of the following approaches regard reinforcers as behaviors rather than stimuli?

Each time a dog rolls over, it gets a treat. What the dog has to do in order to get fed is an example of a

A schedule of reinforcement is the

Tran often drinks diet soft drinks when he is thirsty because he likes the taste of such drinks. This is best described as an example of

A math teacher gives her students quizzes at random points in time throughout the term. This pattern of testing is most similar to a(n) _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Rebecca finds that if she persistently pesters her mother to buy her a toy, she sometimes gets what she wants. Rebecca's pestering behavior is being reinforced on a(n) _____ schedule.

"To be truly happy, each person needs to find the correct balance in his or her life." This statement accords most closely to _____.

Under which of the following schedule changes is behavior most likely to break down?

A chained schedule is a sequence of two or more simple schedules, each with its own

In adult humans, many very long response chains (like completing a course or a large project at work) are established through

As I look over the menu in a restaurant, I select a cheeseburger rather than spaghetti and meatballs. Both meals are approximately the same portion size and each provides the same caloric value. Which of the following theories is most useful for explaining why I choose one dish over another?

Noncontingent reinforcement may sometimes result in

A _____ schedule of reinforcement is one in which each specified response is reinforced.