Deck 6: Learning

Question 1

A stimulus that, before conditioning, naturally brings about the response of interest is called

A)a conditioned stimulus.
B)irrelevant.
C)an unconditioned stimulus.
D)an unnatural condition.

Answer 1

an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 2

For ten days in a row Frank felt a static electric shock when he kissed his wife while standing on the living room carpet.Now he feels mildly anxious whenever he approaches his wife to kiss her.In classical conditioning, his wife was a(n)_____ stimulus ten days ago, and has now become a(n)_____ stimulus.

A)unconditioned; conditioned
B)unconditioned; neutral
C)neutral; unconditioned
D)neutral; conditioned

Answer 2

neutral; conditioned

Question 3

Eli's grandma gives him a Tootsie roll every time she visits.When Eli sees his grandma arriving, his mouth begins to water.In this example, the conditioned stimulus (CS)is

A)hunger.
B)grandma.
C)the Tootsie roll.
D)the watering mouth.

Answer 3

grandma.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of the use of classical conditioning in everyday life?

A)Treating alcoholism with a drug that causes nausea when alcohol is consumed.
B)Giving people a free gift when they purchase make-up in a department store.
C)Teaching people how to solve a problem but making them wait to try the new skill until a later time.
D)Spanking a child for using foul language in the home.

Question 5

_____ conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

A)Reflex
B)Instinctive
C)Classical
D)Basic

Question 6

Any event that elicits an unconditioned response without previous conditioning is a(n)

A)instinctive response.
B)unconditioned stimulus.
C)operant stimulus.
D)contingency.

Question 7

A baby is bitten by a dog and then is afraid of all small animals.The child's newfound fear of animals other than the dog that bit her is an example of

A)stimulus discrimination.
B)extinction.
C)reinforcement.
D)stimulus generalization.

Question 8

A conditioned emotional response is an emotion that is

A)operant conditioned.
B)evoked by a previously neutral stimulus.
C)repeatedly rewarded.
D)evoked by an unconditional stimulus.

Question 9

A stimulus that, before conditioning, does not naturally bring about the response of interest is called

A)a neutral stimulus.
B)irrelevant.
C)an unconditioned stimulus.
D)an unnatural condition.

Question 10

_____ is an exaggerated, irrational fear of an object or situation, which may sometimes be thought of as a(n)_____.

A)A nightmare; conditioned dream response
B)An anxiety attack; immature response
C)A phobia; conditioned emotional response
D)Anxiety; unconditional expressive response

Question 11

A(n)_____ is an unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without any previous conditioning.

A)conditioned response
B)neutral response
C)unconditioned response
D)classical response

Question 12

The learning of a relationship between a new environmental stimulus and a previously reflexive response to a different stimulus is known as

A)operant conditioning.
B)contiguity learning.
C)classical conditioning.
D)latent learning.

Question 13

In Pavlov's original classical conditioning experiments, the _____ was the neutral stimulus, the _____ was the stimulus that would elicit a reflex, and _____ was the reflexive response.

A)meat powder; bell; salivation
B)salivation; meat powder; ringing the bell
C)bell; meat powder; salivation
D)meat powder; salivation; ringing the bell

Question 14

The phase during which a neutral stimulus becomes linked to an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response is called

A)acquisition.
B)shaping.
C)latency.
D)initiation.

Question 15

A(n)_____ is a learned reaction to a previously neutral stimulus due to repeated pairings with an unconditioned stimulus.

A)secondary response
B)conditioned response
C)neutral reaction
D)operant response

Question 16

A previously neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairings with an unconditioned stimulus, produces a conditioned response is now called a(n)

A)conditioned stimulus.
B)primary reinforcer.
C)secondary reinforcer.
D)classical stimulus.

Question 17

Wartime propaganda often depicts the enemy as ugly, cruel, and somewhat less than human.This type of propaganda creates _____ toward the enemy.

A)an unfavorable classically conditioned emotional response
B)an unfavorable learned response through imitation
C)a punished response
D)a reinforced response

Question 18

In John Watson's demonstration of classical conditioning with little Albert, the unconditioned stimulus was.

A)symptoms of fear.
B)a rat.
C)a bath towel.
D)a loud noise.

Question 19

The work of John Watson with Little Albert demonstrated the likelihood that many, if not most, phobias are initially created as a result of

A)observational learning.
B)latent learning.
C)classical conditioning.
D)operant conditioning.

Question 20

The occurrence of a learned response to stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus is called stimulus

A)discrimination.
B)spreading.
C)generalization.
D)responsiveness.

Question 21

The occurrence of a learned response only to a specific stimulus and not to other, similar stimuli is called stimulus

A)generalization.
B)recovery.
C)differentiation.
D)discrimination.

Question 22

Although Henrietta extinguished her fear of spiders several months ago, she suddenly gasped in horror and felt her heart pounding when she saw an itsy-bitsy spider crawling up the water spout in her back yard.This is an example of _____.

A)an extreme case of arachnophobia
B)second-order extinction
C)stimulus discrimination
D)spontaneous recovery

Question 23

The reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response after a period of time without exposure to the CS is called _____.

A)latent learning
B)immediate recall
C)spontaneous recovery
D)a cognitive map

Question 24

Reinforcement and punishment are defined in terms of _____.

A)intrinsic and extrinsic motives
B)whether they cause pleasure and pain
C)adaptive significance
D)whether they increase or decrease responses that follow behaviors

Question 25

A form of associative learning in which voluntary responses are controlled by their consequences is called _____.

A)self-efficacy
B)classical conditioning
C)operant conditioning
D)insight learning

Question 26

The consequences of one's behaviors are a critical element in shaping future actions in _____ conditioning.

A)operant
B)classical
C)cognitive
D)operant and classical

Question 27

When a neutral stimulus is paired with a previously conditioned stimulus to become a conditioned stimulus as well, this is called _____ conditioning.

A)operant
B)classical
C)higher order
D)secondary

Question 28

An outcome of an action that increases the probability that the response will be repeated is called _____.

A)punishment
B)reinforcement
C)an operational directive
D)a discriminative stimulus

Question 29

If you wanted to use higher-order conditioning to get Watson's Little Albert to fear Barbie dolls, you would show him a Barbie doll with _____.

A)the loud noise
B)the original unconditioned response
C)the white rat
D)the original conditioned response

Question 30

The responses learned through classical conditioning are _____; the responses learned through operant conditioning are _____.

A)active; passive
B)active; voluntary
C)voluntary; involuntary
D)involuntary; voluntary

Question 31

Which of the following is CORRECTLY matched?

A)Pavlov: operant conditioning
B)Thorndike: classical conditioning
C)Skinner: reinforcement
D)Garcia; conditioned emotional response

Question 32

An outcome of an action that decreases the probability that the response will be repeated is called _____.

A)discrimination
B)punishment
C)reinforcement
D)shaping

Question 33

Which of the following is an appropriate description of extinction in classical conditioning?

A)It is the spreading of a CR to stimuli that are only similar to the CS.
B)It is the application of an undesirable or aversive stimulus in response to an inappropriate behavior.
C)It is a weakening of the association between the CS and the UCS.
D)It is the disappearance of a desired response when reinforcements are withdrawn.

Question 34

According to Skinner's principles of instrumental conditioning, reinforcement and punishment must come immediately _____the response.

A)after
B)before
C)at the same time as
D)before, during, or after

Question 35

Which of the following is an example of stimulus discrimination in classical conditioning?

A)Hank thinks all elderly drivers are slow and leave their blinkers on.
B)Sung-lee believes that everyone should wear seat belts because she was hurt in an accident when she wasn't wearing one.
C)After an accident with a red car last month, Giorgio gets nervous when he sees a red car, but not when he sees a red truck or van.
D)Phoung is an aggressive driver, but stops for red lights because she got a ticket for running one several months ago.

Question 36

Primary reinforcers

A)must be presented before the response occurs.
B)usually satisfy a biological need.
C)must be learned over repeated experiences.
D)are ineffective at changing behaviors.

Question 37

After Little Albert was classically conditioned to fear the laboratory rat, if he did not show fear to similar furry animals or objects, this would demonstrate he process of

A)stimulus generalization.
B)stimulus discrimination.
C)higher-order conditioning.
D)shaping.

Question 38

Which of the following pairs occur in higher order conditioning?

A)NS-US
B)US-previous NS
C)NS-previous CS
D)NS-US-UR

Question 39

When the CS is repeatedly presented in the absence of the US (food, in this case), the CR will "die out" in a process called ______________.

A)CR fading
B)extinction
C)habituation
D)generalization fading

Question 40

When satisfying consequences happen to someone, the probability of repeating the behavior that occurred before the satisfying consequence increases.This best illustrates

A)higher order conditioning.
B)the law of effect.
C)generalization.
D)classical conditioning.

Question 41

When you take aspirin to decrease a headache, the removal of pain is_____.

A)ineffective
B)secondary reinforcement
C)positive reinforcement
D)negative reinforcement

Question 42

You walk up to a soda machine and put in a dollar, and are rewarded with a bottle of root beer.When you put in another dollar, you get another soda.Assuming that the machine has a limitless supply of root beer, which kind of reinforcement schedule does this machine operate on?

A)Partial reinforcement
B)Interval reinforcement
C)Continuous reinforcement
D)Ratio reinforcement

Question 43

Continuous reinforcement occurs when _____.

A)all responses are rewarded
B)all rewards are reinforcing
C)all correct responses are rewarded
D)only specific correct responses are rewarded after a specific amount of time has passed

Question 44

Partial reinforcement occurs when _____.

A)a reward is only partially reinforcing
B)rewards are alternated with punishment
C)some, but not all, correct responses are rewarded
D)some correct and some incorrect responses are rewarded

Question 45

For most nonhuman organisms, offering food after a desired response will usually serve as a _____ reinforcer.

A)negative and secondary
B)positive and secondary
C)negative and primary
D)positive and primary

Question 46

Your dog is begging for food while you eat dinner.Your mother gives him a morsel from her plate, and he stops barking.In this situation, your dog has been _____, and your mother has been _____.

A)classically conditioned; punished
B)operant conditioned; positively reinforced
C)positively reinforced; negatively reinforced
D)negatively reinforced; punished

Question 47

When you put nickels in a gumball machine, you receive _____ reinforcement; when you put nickels in a slot machine, you receive _____ reinforcement.

A)continuous; continuous
B)continuous; partial
C)partial; continuous
D)partial; partial

Question 48

When reinforcement follows a predetermined number of responses, it is a _____ schedule of reinforcement, compared to a _____ schedule in which reinforcement follows the first response after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

A)fixed ratio; fixed interval
B)variable ratio; fixed interval
C)fixed interval; fixed ratio
D)partial; continuous

Question 49

Secondary reinforcers increase the probability of a response, and _____.

A)are based on prior learning of their reinforcing properties, not a biological need
B)are less reinforcing than primary reinforcers
C)lose their reinforcing value over time
D)occur reflexively in response to an external stimulus

Question 50

Continuous reinforcement is "better" when it comes to _____; partial reinforcement is "better" when it comes to _____.

A)initial learning of a behavior; resistance to extinction
B)spontaneous recovery; initial learning of a behavior
C)resistance to extinction; spontaneous recovery
D)resistance to extinction; initial learning of a behavior

Question 51

Adding a stimulus that strengthens or increases a response is called _____.

A)positive reinforcement
B)positive conditioning
C)stimulus discrimination
D)negative punishment

Question 52

Negative reinforcement is _____ the same as punishment.

A)always
B)mostly
C)sometimes
D)never

Question 53

For most people, money is a _____ reinforcer.

A)primary
B)anticipatory
C)unnecessary
D)secondary

Question 54

A _____ schedule of reinforcement provides a reward for the first response after a non-specific number of responses have occurred.

A)variable ratio
B)fixed interval
C)average interval
D)average ratio

Question 55

Mark and Kathy take their 2-year-old son to the supermarket every Saturday.Each week, the same sequence of events unfolds: Their son screams, demanding that they buy him treats.Although they refuse to give in to his demands, he continues to scream.Finally, either Mark or Kathy gets in their son's face and yells at the top of their lungs "Shut up!" He stops screaming instantly.What operant conditioning concepts are illustrated in this story?

A)The parents are using negative reinforcement to increase their son's screaming.
B)The parents are in a very dysfunctional marriage; their child's screaming is his way of trying to get his parents to remain married.
C)The parents are using punishment to suppress the screaming.
D)Their son probably learned how to scream by observing his parents at home, and now he is reinforced on a variable-interval schedule of reinforcement.

Question 56

Negative punishment _____ the chances that a given behavior will continue, while negative reinforcement _____ the likelihood that the response will persist.

A)decreases; decreases
B)increases; decreases
C)decreases; increases
D)increases; increases

Question 57

The BEST method parents can use to get their children to do their chores is to _____.

A)punish them if they refuse
B)reward them before they do the chores
C)reward them after they do the chores
D)do the chores for them at first, so they can observe a model

Question 58

Taking away or removing a stimulus that strengthens or increases a response is called _____.

A)negative punishment
B)primary punishment
C)negative reinforcement
D)positive reinforcement

Question 59

The addition of a(n)_____ stimulus results in positive reinforcement; whereas the subtraction of a(n)_____ stimulus results in negative reinforcement.

A)desirable; painful or annoying
B)primary; secondary
C)operant; classical
D)higher order; lower order

Question 60

A program that designates the rate or interval at which a response is reinforced is called _____.

A)a schedule of reinforcement
B)a reinforcement calendar
C)a reinforcement timetable
D)higher-order conditioning

Question 61

If you repeatedly fail in your attempts to control your environment, you are likely to make no further attempts to escape or even make your environment better.This is called _____.

A)passive aggressiveness
B)learned helplessness
C)submissive behavior
D)underachievement

Question 62

You clap with delight when your young son picks up a spoon.You laugh and applaud when he later brings the spoon toward his mouth.When he places the spoon in his mouth you hug and kiss him all over.It is MOST likely that you _____.

A)are using a fixed interval schedule
B)are using a fixed ratio schedule
C)are using classical conditioning
D)are using shaping to teach your son to eat with spoon

Question 63

When someone reinforces a series of successive approximations of a desired response, they are engaged in _____ a behavior.

A)the continuous reinforcement of
B)generalizing
C)discriminating
D)shaping

Question 64

A schedule of reinforcement that presents a reinforcer if the behavior occurs in an unpredictable timeframe (e.g., the time before reinforcement varies)is called a _____ schedule, and is best for producing slow and steady responses.

A)Mixed interval
B)Variable interval
C)Rotating interval
D)Variable ratio

Question 65

Five-year-old Nicholas just learned the rhyme, "Step on a crack, break your mother's back." Tonight his mother won't let him eat the candy bar his grandmother just gave him until after dinner.Nicholas waves goodbye to grandma, and then smiles while stepping on all of the cracks in his driveway.This may be an example of _____.

A)delayed aggression
B)learned helplessness
C)passive aggressiveness
D)an Oedipal response

Question 66

Dan and Jenny spank Nolan when he pulls the dog's tail.They are using _____ to teach Nolan not to pull the dog's tail.

A)negative punishment
B)negative reinforcement
C)positive punishment
D)positive reinforcement

Question 67

George gets paid on Fridays for a week's work; Mai-ling gets paid for every five wedding veils she completes.George is on a _____ schedule of reinforcement, while Mai-ling is on a _____ schedule.

A)fixed ratio; average interval
B)average ratio; variable ratio
C)average interval; variable interval
D)fixed interval; fixed ratio

Question 68

When you add a stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a response recurring, you are engaged in _____.If you subtract a stimulus with the same result, you are engaged in _____.

A)negative reinforcement; negative punishment
B)positive reinforcement; negative punishment
C)positive punishment; negative punishment
D)positive punishment; negative reinforcement

Question 69

B.F.Skinner conducted an experiment that suggested that a behavior that is repeated because it is thought to cause a desired effect, even when there is no connection between the behavior and the effect, is called _____.

A)redundant
B)ineffectual
C)supercilious
D)superstitious

Question 70

Feedback should _____ to increase the effectiveness of reinforcement.

A)be given by an appropriate role model
B)be immediate, consistent, and clear
C)be classically administered
D)always follow a partial schedule of reinforcement

Question 71

A Skinner box is the name for the _____.

A)laboratory used by B.F.Skinner
B)burial caskets for laboratory animals who died during research protocols
C)prison cell reserved for students who fail this exam
D)apparatus used to study the effects of reinforcement and punishment on animal behavior

Question 72

You always sit in the same chair in your psychology class on test-taking days because you believe that something about this seat or location helped you get an "A" on your first test.You are engaged in a _____ behavior.

A)self-defeating
B)superstitious
C)self-fulfilling
D)repetitious

Question 73

Two-year-old Rumiko started whining at the grocery store.The best way for her parents to extinguish this behavior is to praise her _____ when she is NOT whining at the store and _____.

A)consistently; leave the store every time she whines
B)most of the time; leave the store every other time she whines
C)some of the time; leave the store when they are done shopping
D)none of these options; they should stop taking her to the store

Question 74

Slot machines use a variable ratio because _____.

A)the gambler won't be able to tell when the next payoff is going to occur
B)it decreases the gambler's resistance to quitting
C)the gambler will receive a reward after every spin
D)the likelihood of hitting a "big jackpot" is quite low

Question 75

_____ increases the likelihood that a behavior will occur, whereas _____ decreases that likelihood.

A)Operant conditioning; classical conditioning
B)Higher order conditioning; operant conditioning
C)Positive reinforcement; negative reinforcement
D)Reinforcement; punishment

Question 76

Professor Miller gives a quiz once a week but he never tells students on what day the quiz will be given.This is a _____ schedule.

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

Question 77

When a teacher uses a fixed interval schedule for quizzes (e.g., every Friday), this usually encourages students to _____.

A)study frequently
B)avoid class on Friday
C)cheat
D)study the night before the test only

Question 78

One reason that domestic violence seem to escalate is that aggression is used as a punishment that is often _____.

A)ignored by the abused
B)reinforcing to the abuser
C)the most effective way to keep the relationship from breaking up
D)reported by the abused

Question 79

The BEST motto for the timing of reinforcement or punishment is _____.

A)Spare the rod and spoil the child
B)Haste makes waste.
C)The sooner (or immediate)the better.
D)A stitch in time saves nine.

Question 80

Your textbook discusses several potential problems associated with the use of punishment.They include all but which of the following?

A)passive aggressive behaviors
B)lying and avoidance behaviors
C)inappropriate modeling of the punishment actions
D)the appearance of stimulus generalization in the individual who is punished