Exam 3: Behaviorism and Classical Conditioning

A smoker is asked to smoke one cigarette after another until she is unable to continue any longer. Which method for breaking bad habits is best illustrated in this situation?

Behaviorist theories tend to share a number of common underlying assumptions. In five short paragraphs, describe five of these assumptions.

Which one of the following responses is most likely to be learned through classical conditioning?

On several occasions, Edward is severely beaten by his alcoholic father. Before long, Edward begins to shake whenever his father approaches. a. Explain this situation in terms of classical conditioning, identifying the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR. b. Edward soon shows signs of fearing other men in addition to his father, even though they have never beaten him. Identify and describe the classical conditioning process that accounts for Edward's fear of men. c. Explain how you might eliminate Edward's fear of men through a process of counterconditioning.

A mother in Montana wants to teach her four-year-old son to stay away from the bears that occasionally wander into the backyard; in other words, she wants him to be afraid of bears. On the other hand, she doesn't want her son to fear such other large animals as cows and horses. Below are four possible approaches she might take. Which one is based on Pavlov's view of how stimulus discrimination develops?

Last week Gretel was accidentally hurt in her physical education class when a much larger student ran into her and knocked her to the floor. Gretel is now afraid to go to physical education. Explain this situation in terms of classical conditioning, identifying the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR.

The textbook describes three methods for breaking bad habits. Describe two of these methods, and illustrate each with an example.

Ivan Pavlov conducted a series of studies that led him to propose his theory of classical conditioning. In these studies, Pavlov observed how a dog learned to:

A student who is afraid of mathematics is first given some problems that bear little resemblance to mathematics, then is given a sequence of problems that become increasingly more mathematical in content. The progression of problems is gradual enough that the fear response does not occur, and eventually the student loses his fear of mathematics. Which method for breaking bad habits is best illustrated in this situation?

Given what we know about how classical conditioning occurs, which one of the following teaching strategies should be most productive?

Extinction is one method of eliminating undesirable conditioned responses, but there are several problems associated with its use. Which one is not a problem encountered in using extinction?

Which one of the following educational practices is most clearly derived from behaviorist principles?