Deck 12: Biological Dispositions in Learning

Question 1

In keeping with the principle of _____, it is easier to condition a taste aversion to a(n) _____ food item.

A) overshadowing; mild-tasting
B) latent inhibition; unfamiliar
C) blocking; bitter
D) None of these are correct.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In keeping with the principle of stimulus _____, the development of a taste aversion to salmon is likely to result in a(n) _____ in preference for similar fish.

A) discrimination; increase
B) generalization; decrease
C) discrimination; decrease
D) generalization; increase

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In taste aversion conditioning, a food item that has been paired with _____ becomes a conditioned aversive stimulus.

A) shock
B) a well-known food item
C) a disliked food item
D) gastrointestinal illness

Answer 3

D

Question 4

For a taste aversion to develop, the illness:

A) must be perceived as being caused by the food.
B) must occur immediately following food ingestion.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Question 5

Which of the following characteristics of taste aversion conditioning makes it different from other forms of classical conditioning?

A) The occurrence of conditioning to a broad range of stimuli in the setting
B) The inability to create a conditioned response with only one conditioning trial
C) The ability to form associations between the NS and US over a delay of several hours
D) All of these are correct.

Question 6

Etscorn and Stephens found that rats could develop taste aversions to flavored water that had been ingested up to _____ before they were injected with an illness-inducing drug.

A) 2 minutes
B) 90 minutes
C) 3 hours
D) 24 hours

Question 7

Janice develops symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness while driving home a few hours after eating a meal at a restaurant. As a result, she is most likely to develop an aversion to:

A) the act of driving.
B) the car she is driving.
C) the music that was being played during the meal.
D) a food item that she ate during the meal.

Question 8

In Garcia and Koelling's experiment on taste aversion conditioning, the foot shock received by the rats serves as the:

A) US.
B) CS.
C) SD.
D) S? .

Question 9

During her spring break in Mexico, Celeste drank too much tequila, became sick to her stomach, and developed a strong aversion to tequila. This aversion can probably be eliminated by _____, which would be an example of _____.

A) repeatedly drinking tequila without further illness; extinguishing
B) consistently avoiding tequila; spontaneous recovery
C) repeatedly drinking tequila without further illness; blocking
D) consistently avoiding tequila; latent inhibition

Question 10

In keeping with the principle of _____, the _____ food item in a meal is less likely to evoke a taste aversion compared to the remaining food items.

A) latent inhibition; strongest-tasting
B) overshadowing; mildest-tasting
C) blocking; most familiar
D) latent inhibition; most unfamiliar

Question 11

In Garcia and Koelling's experiment on taste aversion conditioning, the X-ray irradiation serves as the:

A) US.
B) CS.
C) S^D
D) S?.

Question 12

Daniel eats some turkey gumbo while feeling nauseous because of a severe stomach flu. This experience:

A) could well result in the development of a taste aversion.
B) is unlikely to result in the development of a taste aversion.
C) will likely result in a strong preference for turkey gumbo.
D) will result in the development of instinctive drift.

Question 13

Taste aversion conditioning differs from other types of classical conditioning in that aversions are formed despite very long delays between the:

A) NS and US.
B) US and CR.
C) CS and CR.
D) CR and UR.

Question 14

In terms of classical conditioning processes, the presence within a meal of a food item that has previously been associated with illness is likely to _____ the development of aversive associations to other items in the meal.

A) overshadow
B) block
C) assist
D) facilitate

Question 15

The phenomenon of _____ explains why we are more likely to associate a relatively novel item, such as an unusual liqueur, with sickness than we would a more familiar item such as beer.

A) overshadowing
B) latent inhibition
C) stimulus generalization
D) blocking

Question 16

Taste aversion conditioning is similar to other forms of classical conditioning in that the process (es) of _____ can occur.

A) stimulus generalization
B) blocking
C) extinction
D) All of these are correct.

Question 17

Cassie became ill several hours after eating a meal consisting of plain mashed potatoes and spicy hot wings.  She is more likely to develop a taste aversion to ____ .

A) mashed potatoes
B) spicy hot wings
C) both mashed potatoes and hot wings
D) Neither mashed potatoes nor hot wings

Question 18

Deanna becomes ill several hours after eating a meal consisting of roast beef (which is highly familiar to her) and vegetable samosas (which are novel).  She is more likely to develop a taste aversion to _____ as a result of _____.

A) roast beef; blocking
B) roast beef; latent inhibition
C) samosas; overshadowing
D) samosas; latent inhibition

Question 19

During a vacation trip to a desert, Bill was startled by a snake and subsequently became terrified of snakes. Over the years, he has also received several shocks from handling the frayed cord on his old toaster and now feels slightly uncomfortable while handling it. Which of the following would most likely account for the difference in the level of fear elicited in these two situations?

A) Biological preparedness
B) Blocking
C) Temperament
D) US revaluation

Question 20

Taste aversion conditioning differs from most other types of conditioning in that:

A) it usually takes 20 to 30 trials to establish the taste aversion.
B) it usually takes only one trial for the conditioning to occur.
C) the CS typically precedes the US.
D) the US typically precedes the CS.

Question 21

Research has revealed that a disliked food item is most likely to be made more appetitive by:

A) combining it with something that is strongly preferred.
B) combining it with something that tastes bad.
C) following it with a tasty dessert.
D) following it with something that has no taste.

Question 22

In an experiment on biological preparedness in rats, Bolles found that it is easier for a rat to learn to _____ to avoid a shock than to _____.

A) freeze; press a lever
B) run; press a lever
C) press a lever; run
D) Both a and b are correct.

Question 23

A dog feels a severe pain in its front paws while chewing on a biscuit and lying on its new bed. Given the results of the Garcia and Koelling experiment, which of the following stimuli would the dog most likely begin to fear?

A) Food that tastes like the biscuit
B) Its new bed
C) Its owner
D) The sound of the television coming from the other room

Question 24

Rosalie pours honey on her daughter's green beans in the hope that she will grow to like beans. This tactic is likely to be:

A) ineffective.
B) ineffective only if the daughter used to like beans but somehow grew to dislike them.
C) relevant only if the daughter also receives a treat after eating the beans.
D) effective.

Question 25

In an experiment, both quail and rats were given blue, sour water to drink. After this, the animals were made sick. When later given a choice between blue water and sour water, the rats avoided the _____ water and the quail avoided the _____ water.

A) blue; blue
B) sour; sour
C) blue; sour
D) sour; blue

Question 26

Rats are given a drink of green, licorice-flavored water and then later injected with a drug that makes them nauseous. The next day they are given a choice between green water and licorice-flavored water. Based on the concept of CS-US relevance, they are likely to avoid:

A) the green water.
B) the licorice-flavored water.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Question 27

In an experiment on preparedness in rats, Bolles found that it is easier for a rat to learn to press a lever to _____ than to _____.

A) avoid shock; obtain fo
B) obtain food; avoid shock
C) avoid shock; escape shock
D) escape shock; avoid shock

Question 28

An innate tendency to more readily associate certain kinds of stimuli with each other is called _____.

A) sign tracking
B) associative specificity
C) CS-US relevance
D) instinctive drift

Question 29

Mark has the flu and is made to follow a liquid diet. He is given porridge for breakfast on a day when his flu is at its worst. As a result, Mark is likely to develop:

A) a strong preference for eating porridge.
B) a taste aversion to porridge.
C) a generalized aversion to eating breakfast.
D) a taste aversion to solid food items.

Question 30

In keeping with the research on taste aversion conditioning, a good way to increase Jana's preference for turnips would be to:

A) give her a tasty dessert after she eats her turnips.
B) give her a tasty dessert before she eats her turnips.
C) sprinkle sugar on the turnips.
D) first give her something that tastes even worse than turnips.

Question 31

A good strategy for increasing a child's preference for a disliked food item is to:

A) reward the child for eating it by following it with a tasty dessert.
B) sprinkle the food item with sugar.
C) allow the child to eat dessert prior to eating the disliked item.
D) precede the disliked item with something that tastes even worse.

Question 32

When children are given candies with novel and distinctive flavors at the time of chemotherapy, they are less likely to _____. This is an application of scientific research on _____.

A) vomit; taste aversions
B) develop taste aversions to their regular diet; CS-US relevance
C) develop taste aversions to the candies; blocking
D) enjoy the candies; sensory preconditioning

Question 33

In an experiment on biological preparedness in chaffinches, Stevenson-Hinde found that _____ was an effective reinforcer for training chaffinches to _____.

A) food; perch in a certain spot
B) food; key-peck
C) the sound of recorded chaffinch songs; perch in a certain spot
D) Both b and c are correct.

Question 34

According to the concept of species-specific defense reaction, many avoidance responses are actually _____ rather than _____.

A) elicited behaviors; operants
B) operants; elicited behaviors
C) positively reinforced; negatively reinforced
D) negatively punished; negatively reinforced

Question 35

A useful way to prevent the development of taste aversions as a result of chemotherapy is to feed the patient:

A) meals that consist of highly familiar food items.
B) a very unusual, but trivial, food item prior to the chemotherapy session.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Question 36

According to the concept of species-specific defense reaction, the act of freezing in a frightening situation is easily learned because it is actually a(n):

A) operant behavior.
B) elicited behavior.
C) negatively reinforced behavior.
D) negatively punished behavior.

Question 37

  As a rat is made to drink green, licorice-flavored water, it receives a painful tail pinch. The next day, it is given a choice between green water and licorice-flavored water. It is likely to drink:

A) the green water.
B) the licorice-flavored water.
C) Both a and b are correct.
D) Neither a nor b is correct.

Question 38

Nausea induced through rapid smoking seems to create a stronger aversion to smoking than does electric shock paired with smoking. This scenario is most likely an example of:

A) sign tracking.
B) instinctive drift.
C) adjunctive behavior.
D) CS-US relevance.

Question 39

Jorge is repelled by the smell and taste of milk. For this reason, he avoids all milk products because he perceives any product that contains milk as aversive. This scenario is an example of _____.

A) stimulus generalization
B) latent inhibition
C) overshadowing
D) blocking

Question 40

In an experiment on _____, Bedford and Anger found that it is easier for pigeons to learn to avoid shock _____.

A) preparedness; by key-pecking than by flying
B) instinctive drift; by flying than by key-pecking
C) preparedness; by flying than by key-pecking
D) sign-tracking; by key-pecking than by flying

Question 41

When Sami tried to shape her pet squirrel's behavior to fetch marbles in the backyard, things proceeded quite smoothly at first. As time passed, however, the squirrel started burying the marbles rather than bringing them to her. This is an example of:

A) autoshaping.
B) instinctive drift.
C) negative automaintenance.
D) sign tracking.

Question 42

In instinctive drift, the behavior that is being shaped comes to be replaced by:

A) a classically conditioned fixed action pattern.
B) an operantly conditioned fixed action pattern.
C) a classically conditioned adjunctive behavior.
D) an operantly conditioned adjunctive behavior.

Question 43

Pavlov once noticed one of his dogs licking a light that signaled the delivery of food. This type of behavior pattern is now known as:

A) adjunctive behavior.
B) sign tracking.
C) CS-US relevance.
D) schedule-induced behavior.

Question 44

In a sign-tracking experiment, you notice a dog barking at a light that has frequently been paired with the delivery of food. In this instance, the barking is best interpreted as a(n) _____ while the light is a(n) _____.

A) CR; CS
B) operant response; CS
C) operant response; SD
D) elicited behavior; US

Question 45

The tendency of an organism to approach a stimulus that signals the presentation of an appetitive event is known as:

A) adjunctive behavior.
B) instinctive drift.
C) latent inhibition.
D) sign tracking.

Question 46

Sign tracking is the tendency of an organism to:

A) approach a stimulus that is associated with an appetitive event.
B) notice a stimulus associated with an appetitive event.
C) pay attention to an SD.
D) Both b and c are correct.

Question 47

In the Breland and Breland example of instinctive drift, the rooting that occurred in response to the _____ was a(n) _____.

A) coin; unconditioned response
B) coin; operant response
C) food; conditioned response
D) coin; conditioned response

Question 48

Sign tracking has been interpreted by researchers as resulting from a process of:

A) negative reinforcement.
B) intermittent reinforcement.
C) sensitization.
D) classical conditioning.

Question 49

Which of the following concepts suggests that it will be more difficult to train a dog to run away from you to earn food than to run toward you to earn food?

A) Sign tracking
B) CS-US relevance
C) Adjunctive behavior
D) Overshadowing

Question 50

Bob tends to hang around a coffee shop that is frequented by a woman to whom he is very attracted, even when he knows for certain that she will not be there. This behavior pattern is most similar to the phenomenon of:

A) schedule-induced behavior.
B) sign tracking.
C) dishabituation.
D) instinctive drift.

Question 51

According to the concept of species-specific defense reaction, rats easily learn to _____ to avoid shock because these actions are actually _____.

A) play dead; elicited behaviors that are natural reactions to danger
B) run or freeze; elicited behaviors that are natural reactions to danger
C) play dead; negatively reinforced by the offset of shock
D) run or freeze; negatively reinforced by the offset of shock

Question 52

Two-year-old Sarah likes to snuggle up to the pillow that her mother uses. This seems most similar to the phenomenon of:

A) adjunctive behavior.
B) instinctive drift.
C) sign tracking.
D) overshadowing.

Question 53

When the Brelands attempted to train a pig to drop a coin in a piggy bank, the coin became a(n) _____ for the _____ of rooting.

A) US; UR
B) CS; CR
C) S^D; operant response
D) CS; operant response

Question 54

When Sami tried to shape her pet squirrel's behavior to fetch marbles in the backyard, things proceeded quite smoothly at first. Then, the squirrel started burying the marbles rather than bringing them to her. This behavior pattern is likely:

A) an unconditioned fixed action pattern.
B) an operantly conditioned behavior pattern.
C) a classically conditioned fixed action pattern.
D) a positively reinforced fixed action pattern.

Question 55

You train your dog to follow a targeting stick and reward him with food as a result of his success. After a few days, you notice that your dog occasionally licks the stick. This scenario is an example of:

A) adjunctive behavior.
B) instinctive drift.
C) sign tracking.
D) CS-US relevance.

Question 56

In sign-tracking experiments, the stimulus that an animal approaches is best interpreted as a(n) _____, while the approach behavior is a(n) _____.

A) S D ; operant response
B) CS; CR
C) US; UR
D) SR ; adjunctive response

Question 57

Instinctive drift involves the classical conditioning of a _____ during an operant conditioning procedure.

A) fixed action pattern
B) simple reflex
C) novel behavior pattern
D) taste aversion

Question 58

In _____, the behavior that is being operantly conditioned is gradually supplanted by a classically conditioned fixed action pattern

A) sign tracking
B) instinctive drift
C) CS-US relevance
D) negative automaintenance

Question 59

When the Brelands attempted to train a raccoon to drop a coin in a piggy bank, the coin became a(n) _____ for the raccoon's behavior of rubbing it between its paws.

A) SD
B) SR
C) US
D) CS

Question 60

The tendency for pigeons to peck at a light that has been associated with the noncontingent delivery of food is referred to as:

A) negative automaintenance.
B) autopecking.
C) schedule-induced pecking.
D) autoshaping.

Question 61

On _____ schedules of reinforcement, the delivery of each reinforcer is followed by a period of time during which another reinforcer is not available.

A) variable interval
B) variable time
C) confidence interval
D) fixed time

Question 62

The term schedule-induced polydipsia refers to a pattern of _____ that can most readily be induced by exposure to a(n) _____ schedule of food reinforcement.

A) excessive eating; FT or FI
B) excessive water drinking; FT or FI
C) excessive eating; VT or VI
D) excessive water drinking; VT or VI

Question 63

Evidence for the stimulus-substitution interpretation of autoshaping includes the fact that pigeons peck a key differently when the reinforcer is:

A) intermittent as opposed to continuous.
B) primary as opposed to secondary.
C) food as opposed to water.
D) a CS rather than an SD .

Question 64

Examples of adjunctive behaviors that have been produced in the laboratory include:

A) aggression.
B) chewing on wood shavings.
C) licking at an air stream.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 65

Distinguishing features of adjunctive behavior include the fact that:

A) the behavior typically occurs in the period immediately following consumption of the reinforcer.
B) the behavior is affected by the level of deprivation for the reinforcer.
C) there is an optimal interval between reinforcers for its development.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 66

A short period of time during which there is a low probability or zero probability of reinforcement seems to be a critical factor in the development of _____.

A) reflex actions
B) emotional behavior
C) adjunctive behavior
D) deficit behavior

Question 67

Adjunctive behavior is also called _____ behavior.

A) secondary
B) ancillary
C) schedule-induced
D) sign-tracked

Question 68

Based on Jenkins & Moore's experiment on autoshaping, the fact that pigeons peck a key differently when the reinforcer is food as opposed to water is most readily explained in terms of:

A) adjunctive processes.
B) the behavioral bliss point approach.
C) Pavlov's stimulus-substitution theory.
D) the response deprivation hypothesis.

Question 69

What time interval between the deliveries of food pellets will result in the greatest amount of drinking in a rat?

A) 30 seconds
B) 120 seconds
C) 10 minutes
D) 2 hours

Question 70

One of the distinguishing characteristics of adjunctive behavior is that:

A) it is inversely related to the level of deprivation for the scheduled reinforcer.
B) it occurs prior to the consumption of the scheduled reinforcer.
C) it can function as a reinforcer for other behaviors.
D) it is more likely to occur on VI than FI schedules of reinforcement.

Question 71

The standard autoshaping procedure involves the use of a(n) _____ schedule of reinforcement.

A) VR
B) fixed time
C) FI
D) noncontingent

Question 72

Autoshaping is one type of _____ that fits well with Pavlov's stimulus-substitution theory.

A) classical conditioning
B) operant conditioning
C) displacement
D) overmatching

Question 73

Adjunctive behavior is a(n) _____ pattern of behavior that emerges as a by-product of a(n) _____ schedule of reinforcement for some other behavior.

A) variable; intermittent
B) excessive; intermittent
C) variable; continuous
D) excessive; continuous

Question 74

Autoshaping seems to provide evidence for:

A) Pavlov's stimulus-substitution theory.
B) the Rescorla-Wagner theory.
C) drive reduction theory.
D) the Premack principle.

Question 75

In negative automaintenance, sign tracking continues to occur even though it results in:

A) a very small reinforcer.
B) a secondary reinforcer.
C) the loss of a reinforcer.
D) the intermittent delivery of food.

Question 76

Which of the following is a distinguishing feature of adjunctive behavior?

A) It typically occurs in the period preceding the consumption of the reinforcer.
B) It is unaffected by the level of deprivation for the scheduled reinforcer.
C) There is an optimal interval between reinforcers for its development.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 77

In Brown and Jenkins's autoshaping procedure with pigeons, food delivery is programmed to occur:

A) following a key peck.
B) following an increasing rate of key pecks.
C) following presentation of a key light for 8 seconds.
D) following presentation of a tone for 8 seconds.

Question 78

An excessive pattern of behavior that emerges as a by-product of an intermittent schedule of reinforcement for some other behavior is known as:

A) behavioral drift.
B) instinctive drift.
C) adjunctive behavior.
D) sign tracking.

Question 79

In sign tracking, an organism approaches a stimulus that signals the presentation of an appetitive event. The approach behavior seems very much like a(n) _____ because it appears to be quite goal directed.

A) elicited behavior
B) operant behavior
C) unconditioned response
D) neutral response

Question 80

Under which schedule of food reinforcement would one be most likely to induce an animal to drink excessive amounts of water?

A) A fixed interval (FI) schedule
B) A variable ratio (VR) schedule
C) A variable interval (VI) schedule
D) A variable time (VT) schedule