Question 1

After which schedule of reinforcement would you predict that a child would show the most resistance to behavioral extinction?

Accepted Answer

A)  continuous reinforcement 
B)  fixed ratio 
C)  fixed interval 
D)  variable ratio 
A)  continuous reinforcement 
B)  fixed ratio 
C)  fixed interval 
D)  variable ratio

Question 2

According to Thorndike, what determines whether a response will be strengthened or weakened?

Accepted Answer

A)  the latency of the response 
B)  the goal of the animal 
C)  the consequences of the response 
D)  whether or not the animal noticed the connection between act and consequence 
A)  the latency of the response 
B)  the goal of the animal 
C)  the consequences of the response 
D)  whether or not the animal noticed the connection between act and consequence

Question 3

In one experiment, rats were exposed to combinations of a tone and a shock. For one group of rats, shocks arrived 50% of the time without any warning; the tone therefore really provided no information. For another group of rats, shocks also arrived occasionally with no warning. But the likelihood of a shock was smaller (below 20%) when there was no tone than when there was a tone. What was the finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  The second group of rats became fearful whenever a tone was sounded. 
B)  Both groups of rats feared the sound of the tone the same. 
C)  Both groups of rats came to fear any sound of any kind. 
D)  The first group of rats became fearful whenever a tone was sounded. 
A)  The second group of rats became fearful whenever a tone was sounded. 
B)  Both groups of rats feared the sound of the tone the same. 
C)  Both groups of rats came to fear any sound of any kind. 
D)  The first group of rats became fearful whenever a tone was sounded.

Question 4

According to the principle of belongingness, which of the following would be the most difficult to do?

Accepted Answer

A)  training a pigeon to peck a key to avoid shock 
B)  training a cat to rub your legs to get you to open a can of cat food 
C)  training a rat to avoid a certain flavor of ice cream with a mild poison as punishment 
D)  training a rat to jump over a hurdle to avoid shock 
A)  training a pigeon to peck a key to avoid shock 
B)  training a cat to rub your legs to get you to open a can of cat food 
C)  training a rat to avoid a certain flavor of ice cream with a mild poison as punishment 
D)  training a rat to jump over a hurdle to avoid shock

Question 5

According to the principle of natural selection, some individuals within a species have adapted to develop reproductive advantage, thus making it more likely that their genes will be transmitted to future generations. How is instrumental conditioning analogous to natural selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are selected for. 
B)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that genes are ultimately responsible for deciding which types of things animals find reinforcing. 
C)  Thorndike was a strong proponent of Darwin's theory. 
D)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that reinforcement is always subjectively pleasant. 
A)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are selected for. 
B)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that genes are ultimately responsible for deciding which types of things animals find reinforcing. 
C)  Thorndike was a strong proponent of Darwin's theory. 
D)  Like natural selection, instrumental conditioning proposes that reinforcement is always subjectively pleasant.

Question 6

What is another name for reinforcing by successive approximations?

Accepted Answer

A)  extinction 
B)  shaping 
C)  biofeedback 
D)  reinforcement response training 
A)  extinction 
B)  shaping 
C)  biofeedback 
D)  reinforcement response training

Question 7

What controversy surrounds the idea of intrinsic motivation?

Accepted Answer

A)  It may occur only in laboratory experiments. 
B)  It may apply only to children. 
C)  It may involve some type of reinforcement after all. 
D)  It may apply to classical conditioning as well as to operant conditioning. 
A)  It may occur only in laboratory experiments. 
B)  It may apply only to children. 
C)  It may involve some type of reinforcement after all. 
D)  It may apply to classical conditioning as well as to operant conditioning.

Question 8

What is true of the relationship between the CS and the US in the typical classical conditioning experiment performed by Pavlov?

Accepted Answer

A)  The CS and the US are contiguous only. 
B)  The CS and the US are contingent only. 
C)  The CS and the US are both contiguous and contingent. 
D)  The CS and the US are neither contiguous nor contingent. 
A)  The CS and the US are contiguous only. 
B)  The CS and the US are contingent only. 
C)  The CS and the US are both contiguous and contingent. 
D)  The CS and the US are neither contiguous nor contingent.

Question 9

A(n) __________ is elicited by a stimulus regardless of an animal's history of experiences.

Accepted Answer

A)  unconditioned response 
B)  unconditioned stimulus 
C)  conditioned reflex 
D)  conditioned response 
A)  unconditioned response 
B)  unconditioned stimulus 
C)  conditioned reflex 
D)  conditioned response

Question 10

A father is holding his month-old baby as he and the baby look at one another. The father sticks his tongue in and out. Which of the following is a likely response from the baby?

Accepted Answer

A)  The baby should imitate the tongue movements. 
B)  The baby should begin to cry, as the father is showing a frightening facial expression. 
C)  The baby should turn away, uninterested. 
D)  The baby should smile but not imitate the father. 
A)  The baby should imitate the tongue movements. 
B)  The baby should begin to cry, as the father is showing a frightening facial expression. 
C)  The baby should turn away, uninterested. 
D)  The baby should smile but not imitate the father.

Question 11

Which of the following is true regarding mirror neurons?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are located in the frontal lobes near the motor cortex. 
B)  They fire whenever an animal performs an action. 
C)  They fire whenever an animal observes another animal performing the same action. 
D)  All of the above are true. 
A)  They are located in the frontal lobes near the motor cortex. 
B)  They fire whenever an animal performs an action. 
C)  They fire whenever an animal observes another animal performing the same action. 
D)  All of the above are true.

Question 12

Even though learning varies from species to species, there is one factor that contributes to learning that is shared by all species. What is this one factor?

Accepted Answer

A)  neural plasticity 
B)  visual acuity 
C)  spatial memory 
D)  reproduction 
A)  neural plasticity 
B)  visual acuity 
C)  spatial memory 
D)  reproduction

Question 13

A professor wants students to study continuously across the semester, rather than just cram at test time. What kind of schedule should the professor use to get more continuous studying?

Accepted Answer

A)  Schedule the tests evenly, such that a test is given every 4 weeks. 
B)  Schedule tests every 4 weeks, but vary the point value of each test. 
C)  Use pop quizzes or unannounced testing. 
D)  None of the above; none of these techniques would produce the desired effect. 
A)  Schedule the tests evenly, such that a test is given every 4 weeks. 
B)  Schedule tests every 4 weeks, but vary the point value of each test. 
C)  Use pop quizzes or unannounced testing. 
D)  None of the above; none of these techniques would produce the desired effect.

Question 14

When the relationship between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus is severed, the conditioned response diminishes. What is this known as?

Accepted Answer

A)  extinction 
B)  generalization 
C)  reconditioning 
D)  punishment 
A)  extinction 
B)  generalization 
C)  reconditioning 
D)  punishment

Question 15

Rosetta sets her alarm clock to "medium loud" at the start of the semester. The first few times it rings, she hears it and jumps out of bed immediately. By the second week of classes, Rosetta sleeps right through the alarm until she resets it to "really loud." What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

A)  shaping 
B)  successive approximations 
C)  secondary reinforcement 
D)  habituation 
A)  shaping 
B)  successive approximations 
C)  secondary reinforcement 
D)  habituation

Question 16

__________ can be viewed as being the opposite of discrimination learning.

Accepted Answer

A)  Spontaneous conditioning 
B)  Backward conditioning 
C)  Stimulus generalization 
D)  Second-order conditioning 
A)  Spontaneous conditioning 
B)  Backward conditioning 
C)  Stimulus generalization 
D)  Second-order conditioning

Question 17

According to B. F. Skinner, which of the following would be an operant?

Accepted Answer

A)  swallowing 
B)  raising your hand when answering a question 
C)  a red traffic light 
D)  a shock 
A)  swallowing 
B)  raising your hand when answering a question 
C)  a red traffic light 
D)  a shock

Question 18

Gamblers often persist at gambling even when they very rarely receive a payoff. How can one explain this persistence?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is a gradual increase in performance with successive approximations. 
B)  There is a strong resistance to extinction when performance has been maintained with a variable schedule of reinforcement. 
C)  Typically, the gambler will pause for a brief rest after each case of reinforcement, thereby increasing stamina. 
D)  The gambler experiences learned helplessness and is unable to stop. 
A)  There is a gradual increase in performance with successive approximations. 
B)  There is a strong resistance to extinction when performance has been maintained with a variable schedule of reinforcement. 
C)  Typically, the gambler will pause for a brief rest after each case of reinforcement, thereby increasing stamina. 
D)  The gambler experiences learned helplessness and is unable to stop.

Question 19

Which of the following is the best example of extinction?

Accepted Answer

A)  After repeated presentations of the sound of a bell, a dog ceases to turn his head toward it. 
B)  A rat stops pressing a bar when food is no longer presented after a lever press. 
C)  Over a period of time, a man requires larger doses of drug Z to obtain the same effect. 
D)  As a result of brain damage, a woman enters a coma. 
A)  After repeated presentations of the sound of a bell, a dog ceases to turn his head toward it. 
B)  A rat stops pressing a bar when food is no longer presented after a lever press. 
C)  Over a period of time, a man requires larger doses of drug Z to obtain the same effect. 
D)  As a result of brain damage, a woman enters a coma.

Question 20

Observational learning refers to the process by which __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  an animal watches another and learns from its example 
B)  a human learns to do a task by watching but never performs the task themselves 
C)  only humans can learn by watching 
D)  we are reinforced for learning vicariously, but never directly 
A)  an animal watches another and learns from its example 
B)  a human learns to do a task by watching but never performs the task themselves 
C)  only humans can learn by watching 
D)  we are reinforced for learning vicariously, but never directly

After which schedule of reinforcement would you predict that a child would show the most resistance to behavioral extinction?

According to Thorndike, what determines whether a response will be strengthened or weakened?

According to the principle of belongingness, which of the following would be the most difficult to do?

According to the principle of natural selection, some individuals within a species have adapted to develop reproductive advantage, thus making it more likely that their genes will be transmitted to future generations. How is instrumental conditioning analogous to natural selection?

What is another name for reinforcing by successive approximations?

What controversy surrounds the idea of intrinsic motivation?

What is true of the relationship between the CS and the US in the typical classical conditioning experiment performed by Pavlov?

A(n) __________ is elicited by a stimulus regardless of an animal's history of experiences.

A father is holding his month-old baby as he and the baby look at one another. The father sticks his tongue in and out. Which of the following is a likely response from the baby?

Which of the following is true regarding mirror neurons?

Even though learning varies from species to species, there is one factor that contributes to learning that is shared by all species. What is this one factor?

A professor wants students to study continuously across the semester, rather than just cram at test time. What kind of schedule should the professor use to get more continuous studying?

When the relationship between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus is severed, the conditioned response diminishes. What is this known as?

Rosetta sets her alarm clock to "medium loud" at the start of the semester. The first few times it rings, she hears it and jumps out of bed immediately. By the second week of classes, Rosetta sleeps right through the alarm until she resets it to "really loud." What is this an example of?

__________ can be viewed as being the opposite of discrimination learning.

According to B. F. Skinner, which of the following would be an operant?

Gamblers often persist at gambling even when they very rarely receive a payoff. How can one explain this persistence?

Which of the following is the best example of extinction?

Observational learning refers to the process by which __________.

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Memory

Thinking

Language

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

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Exam 7: Learning

After which schedule of reinforcement would you predict that a child would show the most resistance to behavioral extinction?

According to Thorndike, what determines whether a response will be strengthened or weakened?

According to the principle of belongingness, which of the following would be the most difficult to do?

According to the principle of natural selection, some individuals within a species have adapted to develop reproductive advantage, thus making it more likely that their genes will be transmitted to future generations. How is instrumental conditioning analogous to natural selection?

What is another name for reinforcing by successive approximations?

What controversy surrounds the idea of intrinsic motivation?

What is true of the relationship between the CS and the US in the typical classical conditioning experiment performed by Pavlov?

A(n) __________ is elicited by a stimulus regardless of an animal's history of experiences.

A father is holding his month-old baby as he and the baby look at one another. The father sticks his tongue in and out. Which of the following is a likely response from the baby?

Which of the following is true regarding mirror neurons?

Even though learning varies from species to species, there is one factor that contributes to learning that is shared by all species. What is this one factor?

A professor wants students to study continuously across the semester, rather than just cram at test time. What kind of schedule should the professor use to get more continuous studying?

When the relationship between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus is severed, the conditioned response diminishes. What is this known as?

Rosetta sets her alarm clock to "medium loud" at the start of the semester. The first few times it rings, she hears it and jumps out of bed immediately. By the second week of classes, Rosetta sleeps right through the alarm until she resets it to "really loud." What is this an example of?

__________ can be viewed as being the opposite of discrimination learning.

According to B. F. Skinner, which of the following would be an operant?

Gamblers often persist at gambling even when they very rarely receive a payoff. How can one explain this persistence?

Which of the following is the best example of extinction?

Observational learning refers to the process by which __________.

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Memory

Thinking

Language

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Filters