Deck 6: Schedules of Reinforcement and Choice Behavior

Question 1

If a ratio requirement is increased from an FR 100 schedule to an FR 500 schedule, the subject will often pause periodically before completion of the ratio requirement. These pauses are due to

A)the post-reinforcement pause.
B)the ratio strain.
C)the ratio run.
D)the interval scallop.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following individuals is most likely to be on a fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement?

A)a clerk at a fast food restaurant
B)a gambler
C)a mail delivery person
D)a waiter

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following individuals is most likely to be on a variable interval schedule of reinforcement?

A)a student in a class with many unexpected quizzes
B)a gambler
C)a mail delivery person
D)a student waiting for her grades to come in the mail

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following individuals is most likely to be on a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement?

A)a clerk at a fast food restaurant
B)a gambler
C)a mail delivery person
D)a student waiting for her grades to come in the mail

Question 5

Which of the following describes behavior reinforced on a fixed interval schedule?

A)delivering the mail
B)pulling the arm of a slot machine
C)checking the refrigerator to see if the jelly is done
D)flipping burgers for $5.00 an hour

Question 6

For 30 ten-minute trials, a rat received a food pellet every other lever press. This rat was on a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

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

Question 7

Your friend is taking a class with exams scheduled every three weeks. You expect that he will study

A)at a high steady rate throughout the semester.
B)at a rapid and steady rate once he gets started, followed by periods of no studying.
C)very little following an exam but with increasing rates at the end of the three weeks.
D)at a low steady rate throughout the semester.

Question 8

Your hamster presses a lever that came with its cage. After 4 presses, a food pellet is delivered; then after 6 presses another; then after 2 presses another. Based on this pattern of reinforcement you suspect that the lever was programmed with a

A)FR 4 schedule
B)VR 4 schedule
C)FI 4 min schedule
D)VI 4 min schedule

Question 9

Which of the following describes behavior reinforced on a variable ratio schedule?

A)delivering the mail
B)pulling the arm of a slot machine
C)checking a washing machine to see if the clothes are done
D)flipping burgers for $5.00 an hour

Question 10

Your roommate is taking a self-paced course that requires three papers over the semester. He expected to finish all three papers in the first two weeks but, after quickly finishing the first paper three weeks ago, he has done nothing. This behavior pattern is due to

A)the partial reinforcement extinction effect.
B)the post-reinforcement pause.
C)the variable ratio schedule of reinforcement.
D)the variable interval schedule of reinforcement.

Question 11

Under which of the following situations do you predict you will have the most difficulty starting the second project?

A)When the first project was a 100 page paper and the second a 50 page paper.
B)When the first project was a 50 page paper and the second project a 100 page paper.
C)When the first project was a 10 page paper and the second project a 10 page paper.
D)When the first project was a 5 page paper and the second project a 5 page paper

Question 12

A cumulative recorder marks a scalloped pattern of responding when subjects are on a

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

Question 13

A hungry pigeon is in a Skinner box and is pecking a key for access to food. The first food delivery occurs for the first peck after 1 minute has elapsed. The second occurs for the first peck after 3 minutes has elapsed. The third food delivery occurs for the first peck after 2 minutes has elapsed. All other pecks went unrewarded, but the pigeon did not receive access to food unless it pecked the key. The pigeon is most likely on a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

A)FR
B)VR
C)FI
D)VI

Question 14

A pigeon in a Skinner box periodically receives access to food after pecking on a key. Sometimes the pigeon has to peck 3 or 4 times, sometimes 5, and sometime more. On average, the bird was reinforced every 5th peck. This pigeon was on a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

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

Question 15

Art teachers must often deal with "artist's block" in their students. To break the block, they advise students to make a mark on the canvas with the paint brush. The professors are hoping to initiate

A)the post-reinforcement pause.
B)a variable ratio schedule.
C)a variable interval schedule.
D)the ratio run.

Question 16

Which of the following individuals is most likely to be on a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement?

A)a clerk at a fast food restaurant
B)a gambler
C)a mail delivery person
D)a baker with a cake in the oven

Question 17

You notice that the pigeon in the laboratory you just entered has a particular way of pecking at the key in its cage. The pigeon seems to increase its rate of pecking towards the end of a two minute period, food is made available, and then pecking slows until the end of the next two minutes. You surmise that the pigeon is on a

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

Question 18

Which of the following describes behavior reinforced on a fixed ratio schedule?

A)climbing a flight of stairs
B)pulling the arm of a slot machine
C)checking a washing machine to see if the clothes are done
D)checking the oven to see if the cake is done

Question 19

Which of the following describes behavior reinforced on a variable interval schedule?

A)calling to see if the mechanic is finished with your car
B)pulling the arm of a slot machine
C)checking the refrigerator to see if the jelly is done
D)flipping burgers for $5.00 an hour

Question 20

Mr. Tallboys clothing shop has a sale every 4 weeks. The sale runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This restriction on when you can buy items at reduced prices is called

A)a fixed hold.
B)a limited hold.
C)a variable hold.
D)a ratio hold.

Question 21

A pigeon responds more on key "A" than on key "B." The relative rate of responding to key "A" could be _____.

A)5
B)0.79
C)0.5
D)0.3

Question 22

When considering the feedback function of a fixed interval schedule, which of the following is true for a given period?

A)there is an upper limit on the number of reinforcers a subject can earn.
B)there is no limit to the number of reinforcers a subject can learn; more responses = more reinforcers.
C)depending on how the subject responds, it may have a limit or may not have a limit on its number or reinforcers.
D)it is impossible to determine any of the above.

Question 23

If pecking at key "A" results in reinforcement with a highly desirable reinforcer with a relative rate of reinforcement of 0.5, and pecking at key "B" occurs with a relative response rate of 0.2, you conclude

A)there is a response bias for the reinforcer provided by key "B."
B)there is a response bias for the reinforcer provided by key "A."
C)there are necessarily other response keys.
D)the generalized form of the matching law is incorrect.

Question 24

Concurrent-chain schedules of reinforcement are used to measure

A)continuous choice behavior over time.
B)choice behavior with commitment.
C)partial reinforcement extinction effects.
D)mechanisms of partial reinforcement extinction effects.

Question 25

The relative rate of responding to key "B" is 0.6. According to the matching law, the relative rate of reinforcement on key "B" is very likely _____.

A)6
B)0.6
C)4
D)0.4

Question 26

According to melioration theories of matching,

A)organisms always choose whichever response alternative is most likely to be reinforced at that time.
B)organisms focus on aggregates of responses between two keys over a time period.
C)the local rate of response is calculated over just the time the organism devotes to that particular behavior.
D)organisms distribute their responses so as to maximize the amount of reinforcement they receive over the long run.

Question 27

When a VI schedule was yoked to a VR schedule so that pigeons on the VI schedule had the same opportunity to earn reinforcement as birds on the VR schedule,

A)subjects in both groups showed similar rates of responding.
B)subjects in the VI group pecked more vigorously than those in the VR group.
C)subjects in the VR group pecked more vigorously than those in the VI group.
D)subjects in the VR group showed initially high levels of responding but their response rate quickly dropped to the rate of the VI subjects.

Question 28

The relative rate of responding on key "A" is determined by the equation _____.

A)Ra - Rb
B)Rb\Ra
C)Ra \(Ra + Rb)
D)Ra\(Ra - Rb)

Question 29

A concurrent schedule is typically used to examine choice behavior in

A)a T-maze.
B)an eight arm radial maze.
C)a Skinner box with one manipulandum.
D)a Skinner box with two manipulanda.

Question 30

The difference between molar and molecular theories of matching is that

A)molar theories focus on the response alternative most likely to be reinforced at that time, while molecular theories focus on individual choice responses.
B)molecular theories focus on the response alternative most likely to be reinforced at that time, while molar theories focus on individual choice responses.
C)molar theories focus on aggregates of behavior over a period of time, while molecular theories focus on individual choice responses.
D)molecular theories focus on aggregates of behavior over a period of time, while molar theories focus on individual choice responses.

Question 31

A pigeon pecks at key "A" 10 times a minute. It pecks key "B" 5 times a minute. The relative rate of responding to key "B" is _____.

A)3
B)2
C)0.5
D)0.33

Question 32

A concurrent schedule of reinforcement is used to investigate

A)PREE.
B)choice behavior.
C)frustrative aggression.
D)frustration theory.

Question 33

Which of the following schedules is likely to lead to the shortest inter-response times?

A)FI 5 min
B)FR 5
C)VI 5 min
D)VI 10 min

Question 34

A rat that is pushing a lever and demonstrating long inter-response times is likely

A)responding at a high rate.
B)responding at a low rate.
C)responding at a high fixed ratio rate.
D)responding at a low fixed ratio rate.

Question 35

Concurrent schedules of reinforcement are used to measure

A)continuous choice behavior over time.
B)choice behavior with commitment.
C)partial reinforcement extinction effects.
D)mechanisms of partial reinforcement extinction effects.

Question 36

The relative rate of responding on key "A" is 0.5. From this, you know

A)the animal has a higher rate of responding to A than to B.
B)the animal has a higher rate of responding to B than to A.
C)the animal is responding to A and B at the same rate.
D)nothing without knowledge of the relative rates of reinforcement.

Question 37

A subject that has mostly short inter-response times is responding at a

A)high rate.
B)low rate.
C)fixed interval rate.
D)variable interval rate.

Question 38

According to molecular maximizing theories of matching,

A)organisms always choose whichever response alternative is most likely to be reinforced at that time.
B)organisms distribute their responses so as to maximize the amount of reinforcement they receive over the long run.
C)the local rate of response is calculated over just the time the organism devotes to that particular response.
D)matching is possible in the absence of momentary maximizing.

Question 39

Molar maximizing cannot explain why choice behavior is distributed so close to the matching relation on concurrent

A)FR1-FR1 schedules.
B)VI-VI schedules.
C)FR5-FR20 schedules.
D)VR-VR schedules.

Question 40

According to molar maximizing theories of matching,

A)organisms always choose whichever response alternative is most likely to be reinforced at that time.
B)organisms change from one response to another to improve on the local rate of reinforcement.
C)the local rate of response is calculated over just the time the organism devotes to that particular response.
D)organisms distribute their responses so as to maximize the amount of reinforcement they receive over the long run.

Question 41

If you want to increase the self control of your little sibling you might

A)give a large reward initially, then gradually increase the delay to reward delivery.
B)distract your sibling with an intervening task during a delay to a large reward.
C)distract your sibling from the attending to a large reward during the delay period.
D)any or all of the above.

Question 42

In a study of self control, you predict that pigeons will be more likely to choose a small reward over a large reward if

A)there is a long delay for the small reward and a short delay for the large reward.
B)there is a delay only for the small reward.
C)there is a long delay for both the large and small reward.
D)there is no delay for the small reward and a short delay for the large reward.

Question 43

As a student of behavior, you have been presented with an interesting case study. A patient seems to have lost his ability to integrate positive and negative outcomes over multiple trials, and is therefore not modifying his behavioral habits. You suspect damage

A)in the amygdala.
B)in the striatum and associated nuclei.
C)in the orbitofrontal cortex.
D)in the prefrontal cortex.

Question 44

Compare ratio and interval schedules. What patterns of behavior are generated by fixed and variable schedules?

Question 45

After a wheel running accident, your pet rat no longer seems to be able to process reward magnitude and valence. You suspect trauma in the

A)striatum
B)basal ganglia
C)amygdala
D)orbitofrontal cortex

Question 46

With regard to instrumental conditioning, the amygdala appears to

A)provide an index of reward magnitude.
B)integrate positive and negative outcomes.
C)send a go or no-go signal to execute a response.
D)none of the above

Question 47

If you wanted to ensure that your employees worked at high steady rate, on what schedule of reinforcement would you reward them? Why?

Question 48

Your friend has a problem with procrastination and her grades are suffering. According to learning concepts, why is she procrastinating? What can you recommend that she do?

Question 49

If an experimenter wanted to explore the conditions under which animals prefer unpredictable reinforcement schedules to predictable reinforcement schedules, the experimenter would use

A)concurrent schedules of reinforcement.
B)molar maximizing theories.
C)concurrent-chain schedules of reinforcement.
D)molecular maximizing theories.

Question 50

The orbitofrontal cortex

A)lies within the prefrontal cortex.
B)seems to provide executive control in weighing values of alternative choices.
C)has connections with the amygdala and striatum.
D)all of the above

Question 51

What does the matching law allow us to predict? How can the law be used to determine relative reinforcer values?

Question 52

The striatum and associated nuclei appear to be involved in the

A)affective code that modifies behavior.
B)integration of positive and negative outcomes over multiple trials.
C)indexing reward magnitude.
D)executive control of behavior weighing value of alternative choices.

Question 53

According to the hyperbolic decay function of value discounting, when the delay is 2, the value of the reinforcer is _____.

A)2
B)2 k
C)M \(1 + 2 k )
D)2M\(1 + k )

Question 54

The best evidence from studies of self control suggests

A)that self control is quite stable and likely due almost entirely to genetic influences.
B)that self control may be weakly trainable, but this variability has little effect on behavior.
C)that self control can be trained and may be a critical component of emotional adjustment.
D)that self control is rather overrated and has little influence on behavioral outcome.

Question 55

Compare molar and molecular theories of maximization. What evidence supports each class of theory? What is the evidence that does not support each class of theory?

Question 56

How can self-control be conditioned? Provide an example of self-control training from common human experience.

Question 57

Which of the following is the correct way to express the value discounting function mathematically?

A)V = M \(1 + k D)
B)M = V\(1 - k D)
C)K = M\(1 - V D)
D)D = V\(1 + k M)

Question 58

According to the hyperbolic decay function of value discounting, when the reinforcer is delayed the value of the reinforcer

A)remains unchanged.
B)decreases.
C)increases.
D)It is impossible to tell, given this information.

Question 59

When waiting for a small reward versus waiting for a larger reward,

A)the value of the small reward decreases, while the value of the large reward remains largely unchanged.
B)the value of the large reward decreases, while the value of the small reward increases to meet it.
C)the value of the small reward increases, while the value of the large reward remains largely unchanged.
D)the values of both rewards decrease.

Question 60

People addicted to heroin are likely to show_____ when compared to non-addicted individuals.

A)a steep reward discounting function
B)a more shallow reward discounting function
C)a discounting function with more peaks
D)a discounting function with fewer peaks

Question 61

How have studies of self-control informed us about other important aspects of human behavior?

Question 62

What is a reward discounting function and how is it related to the problem of self control?

Question 63

How are concurrent-chain schedules different from concurrent schedules, and what kinds of research questions require the use of concurrent-chain schedules?

Question 64

Describe various theoretical explanations of the matching law.

Question 65

Describe the generalized matching law equation and explain each of its parameters.

Question 66

Describe the roles of the amygdala, striatum, and orbitofrontal cortex in choice behavior. How do they function together to lead to choices?

Question 67

Describe how concurrent schedules are designed and what are the typical findings with concurrent schedules.

Question 68

Compare and contrast ratio and interval schedules in terms of how the contingencies of reinforcement are set up and the effects they have on the instrumental response.