Deck 5: Learning

Question 1

_____ stimulus does not naturally bring about the response of interest.

A) Reflexive
B) Unconditioned
C) Neutral
D) Normative

Answer 1

Neutral

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies extinction?

A) Alexis is a former cocaine user.Now that she no longer uses cocaine,her hands no longer shake and her heart no longer pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive,like her dealer used to do in his car.
B) Alexis uses cocaine.She no longer feels quite the same rush as she did when she first started using.
C) Alexis is a former cocaine user in recovery.After a relapse,though,her hands shake and her heart pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive,like her dealer used to do in his car.
D) Alexis uses cocaine.She finds that she is slowly losing her sense of smell.

Answer 2

Alexis is a former cocaine user.Now that she no longer uses cocaine,her hands no longer shake and her heart no longer pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive,like her dealer used to do in his car.

Question 3

_____ stimulus naturally brings about a particular response without having been learned.

A) Conditioned
B) Unconditioned
C) Neutral
D) Normative

Answer 3

Unconditioned

Question 4

Which of the following sequences CORRECTLY arranges the phases of the classical conditioning process,from first to last?

A) Acquisition $\rarr$ spontaneous recovery $\rarr$ extinction
B) Acquisition $\rarr$ extinction $\rarr$ spontaneous recovery
C) Spontaneous recovery $\rarr$ acquisition $\rarr$ extinction
D) Extinction $\rarr$ acquisition $\rarr$ spontaneous recovery

Question 5

Nature is to nurture what _____ is to _____.

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

Question 6

Learning reflects _____.Maturation reflects _____.

A) nurture;nature
B) nature;nurture
C) nature;nature as well
D) nurture;nurture as well

Question 7

In Pavlov's study,the unconditioned stimulus (UCS)was _____;the neutral stimulus was _____;and,finally,the conditioned stimulus (CS)was _____.

A) meat;the bell;meat
B) meat;the bell;the bell
C) the bell;meat;meat
D) meat;meat;the bell

Question 8

Tim loves dill pickles.Now,the sight of a jar on the supermarket shelf makes his mouth water.In the terminology of classical conditioning,the sight of the jar is a(n)_____.

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

Question 9

_____ is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to bring about a response after it is paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response.

A) Classical conditioning
B) Operant conditioning
C) Observational learning
D) Instrumental conditioning

Question 10

Psychologists use the term _____ to refer to a relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from experience.

A) growth
B) maturation
C) cognition
D) learning

Question 11

Alexis uses cocaine,which activates her sympathetic nervous system.Expecting her dealer,her hands shake and her heart pounds when she hears a knock on the door.Which alternative below CORRECTLY identifies the neutral stimulus,the CS,and the UCS?

A) Neutral stimulus-knock on the door;CS-cocaine;UCS-cocaine
B) Neutral stimulus-knock on the door;CS-knock on the door;UCS-pounding heart
C) Neutral stimulus-knock on the door;CS-knock on the door;UCS-cocaine
D) Neutral stimulus-cocaine;CS-knock on the door;UCS-cocaine

Question 12

You toss a newly purchased felt mouse across the floor;your cat chases it excitedly,clutches it in her paws and rolls around with it.Several tosses later,your cat yawns pointedly and settles herself for a nap.The change in your cat's behavior illustrates:

A) adaptation.
B) habituation.
C) conditioning.
D) maturation.

Question 13

In classical conditioning,how are the neutral stimulus and the conditioned response related?

A) They are not related;they are completely different stimuli.
B) They are the same thing;the terms are interchangeable.
C) The neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus.
D) The conditioned stimulus becomes the neutral stimulus.

Question 14

Classical conditioning is most successful when the neutral stimulus begins:

A) just before the unconditioned stimulus begins.
B) at exactly the same time that the unconditioned stimulus begins.
C) long before the unconditioned stimulus begins.
D) immediately after the unconditioned stimulus begins.

Question 15

_____ occurs when a previously conditioned response decreases in frequency and eventually disappears.

A) Extinction
B) Habituation
C) Adaptation
D) Deconditioning

Question 16

_____ refers to a decrease in the response to a stimulus when it is presented repeatedly,whereas _____ refers to the eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when an unconditioned stimulus is no longer presented.

A) Extinction;habituation
B) Habituation;extinction
C) Habituation;adaptation
D) Adaptation;habituation

Question 17

_____ is credited with laying the foundation for the study of classical conditioning in psychology.

A) Thorndike
B) Skinner
C) Pavlov
D) Watson

Question 18

_____ is the decrease in response to a stimulus that occurs after repeated presentations of the same stimulus.

A) Sensation
B) Disinhibition
C) Habituation
D) Conservation

Question 19

Jonas is a veteran of the war in Iraq.He suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Now,back home in a quiet California neighborhood,he jumps when he hears a firecracker or a car backfire.In the terminology of classical conditioning,these sounds are best thought of as _____ stimuli.

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

Question 20

Which pair below CORRECTLY identifies a stimulus or response in Watson and Rayner's "Little Albert" study?

A) Unconditioned stimulus-noise
B) Conditioned stimulus- fear
C) Unconditioned response-rat
D) Neutral stimulus-fear

Question 21

June's cat runs to the kitchen at the sound of the electric can opener,which she has learned is used to open her food when her dinner is about to be served.The cat does not run when a blender is used,although it sounds similar.June's cat is demonstrating stimulus:

A) control.
B) discrimination.
C) generalization.
D) diffusion.

Question 22

Rosa becomes anxious when she enters the examination room at the clinic before a blood test.She also squirms when she views injections on television.This illustrates:

A) observational learning.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) spontaneous recovery.
D) stimulus discrimination.

Question 23

Which of the following terms best expresses the relationship between stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination?

A) They are unrelated.
B) They are opposites.
C) They are the same thing.
D) Stimulus discrimination is a type of stimulus generalization.

Question 24

The most influential psychologist to study operant conditioning was:

A) Freud.
B) Watson.
C) Pavlov.
D) Skinner.

Question 25

_____ is learning in which a voluntary response is strengthened or weakened,depending on its favorable or unfavorable consequences.

A) Classical conditioning
B) Operant conditioning
C) Observational learning
D) Instrumental conditioning

Question 26

Which of the following is TRUE of stimulus generalization?

A) It is the process that occurs if two stimuli are sufficiently distinct from one another.
B) The greater the similarity between two stimuli,the greater the likelihood of stimulus generalization.
C) The conditioned response elicited by the new stimulus is usually more intense than the original conditioned response.
D) Stimulus generalization provides the ability to differentiate between stimuli.

Question 27

Janine completed several tours of duty in Afghanistan.She suffers from PTSD.Now,back home in Texas,she is frightened by firecrackers and cars backfiring.The fact that these sounds scare her reflects a process of stimulus:

A) diffusion.
B) discrimination.
C) generalization.
D) control.

Question 28

Which of the following approaches to treating a phobia is/are CORRECTLY matched with the type of learning it reflects?

A) Conditioning client to associate a response of relaxation rather than anxiety to the feared object - observational learning
B) Reinforcing client directly by interacting with the feared object - operant conditioning
C) Exposing client to a model interacting successfully with the feared object - classical conditioning
D) A new behavior is learned but not demonstrated until some incentive is provided for displaying it - perceptual learning

Question 29

Classical conditioning applies mostly to _____.Operant conditioning applies mainly to _____.

A) biological responses;voluntary responses
B) voluntary behavior;involuntary behavior
C) voluntary behavior;biological behavior
D) involuntary response;involuntary behavior

Question 30

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies spontaneous recovery?

A) Alexis is a former cocaine user.Now that she no longer uses cocaine,her hands no longer shake and her heart no longer pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive,like her dealer used to do in his car.
B) Alexis uses cocaine.She no longer feels quite the same rush as she did when she first started using.
C) Alexis is a former cocaine user in recovery.After a relapse,though,her hands shake and her heart pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive,like her dealer used to do in his car.
D) Alexis uses cocaine.She finds that she is slowly losing her sense of smell.

Question 31

_____ occurs if two stimuli are sufficiently distinct from each other that one evokes a conditioned response but the other does not.

A) Stimulus location
B) Stimulus generalization
C) Stimulus diffusion
D) Stimulus discrimination

Question 32

"Responses that lead to satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated." This is the law of:

A) consequences.
B) reward.
C) effect.
D) reinforcement.

Question 33

The root of operant conditioning may be traced to _____'s early studies of hungry cats learning to escape from cages.

A) Skinner
B) Thorndike
C) Watson
D) Pavlov

Question 34

A _____ is any stimulus that increases the probability that a preceding behavior will occur again.

A) catalyst
B) rejoinder
C) reinforcer
D) stimulant

Question 35

Stimulus _____ provides the ability to differentiate between stimuli.

A) control
B) discrimination
C) generalization
D) diffusion

Question 36

_____ is a process in which,after a stimulus has been conditioned to produce a particular response,stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus produce the same response.

A) Stimulus location
B) Stimulus generalization
C) Stimulus reflexive
D) Stimulus discrimination

Question 37

Operant conditioning most importantly involves forming associations between:

A) neutral and unconditioned stimuli.
B) stimuli and involuntary behavior.
C) behavior and consequences.
D) conditioned response and reflex.

Question 38

The process by which a stimulus increases the likelihood that a preceding behavior will be repeated is called:

A) habituation.
B) reinforcement.
C) learning.
D) spontaneous recovery.

Question 39

The reemergence of an extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest and with no further conditioning is known as _____.

A) extinction
B) habituation
C) spontaneous recovery
D) deconditioning

Question 40

In what way does learned taste aversion seem to contradict the basic principles of classical conditioning?

A) In learned taste aversion,the CS and the unconditioned response (UCR)are separated by only a brief interval.
B) Learned taste aversion can occur after only a single CS-UCR pairing.
C) Learned taste aversion takes longer to develop than do most classical conditioning processes.
D) Learned taste aversion is subject to biologically based constraints while,classical conditioning is not.

Question 41

The term reward is synonymous with:

A) positive reinforcement only.
B) reinforcement generally.
C) negative reinforcement only.
D) primary reinforcement only.

Question 42

Negative reinforcement:

A) is the same thing as punishment.
B) increases the likelihood that preceding behaviors will be repeated.
C) decreases the likelihood that a behavior will be performed.
D) is a stimulus whose removal leads to a decrease in the probability that a preceding response will be repeated.

Question 43

Dr.DiFonzo notices several students nodding in agreement as he lectures.Subsequently,his rhetoric becomes more confident and more passionate.The students have provided _____ reinforcement.

A) positive
B) secondary
C) conditioned
D) neutral

Question 44

Sheryl's parents have told her that she is "grounded" and will not be allowed to watch any television for a week,because she is not completing her assignments on time.This is an example of:

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

Question 45

Nature is to nurture what _____ reinforcers are to _____ reinforcers.

A) positive;negative
B) secondary;primary
C) unconditioned;conditioned
D) primary;secondary

Question 46

Which of the following is an example of negative punishment?

A) You fight with your significant other and walk away.
B) Spanking a child for misbehaving.
C) Yelling at your spouse for being irresponsible.
D) Informing an employee that he has been demoted because of a poor job evaluation.

Question 47

Which of the following reinforcers is INCORRECTLY categorized?

A) Food-primary reinforcer
B) Money-primary reinforcer
C) Praise-secondary reinforcer
D) Relief-primary reinforcer

Question 48

Which of the following is an example of positive punishment?

A) You fight with your significant other and walk away
B) Getting a speeding ticket
C) Grounding a child for misbehaving and not letting him/her watch television
D) Giving your dog a treat for rolling over

Question 49

Which of the following is an example of a secondary reinforcer?

A) Food
B) Sex
C) Money
D) Relief

Question 50

Reinforcers that satisfy a biological need are called _____ reinforcers.

A) primary
B) positive
C) unconditioned
D) reflexive

Question 51

As part of a behavior modification program,Kendra and her partner each agree to praise the other if she completes her assigned household chores by the end of the day.Such praise is an example of:

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

Question 52

Which of the following types of consequences is CORRECTLY matched with an example?

A) Positive reinforcement - Vickie applies lotion to lessen the discomfort of a small burn
B) Negative reinforcement - Ella's parents confiscate her car keys for breaking curfew
C) Positive punishment - Laurel's mother yells at her when Laurel takes $20 from her mom's purse
D) Negative punishment - Maddie receives a bonus for outstanding work performance

Question 53

A(n)_____ reinforcer is a stimulus added to the environment,like getting paid to work,that specifically brings about an increase in a preceding response.

A) primary
B) positive
C) unconditioned
D) neutral

Question 54

_____ weakens a response through the application of an unpleasant stimulus.

A) Negative reinforcement
B) Negative punishment
C) Positive punishment
D) Normative reinforcement

Question 55

_____ punishment consists of the removal of something pleasant.

A) Prescriptive
B) Negative
C) Positive
D) Normative

Question 56

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies negative reinforcement?

A) Vanna fastens her seatbelt as soon as she gets in her car to stop the annoying alert sound.
B) Drake no longer cuts class,now that his parents confiscated his iPod.
C) Maria now buys a different brand of cigarettes to get two packs for the price of one.
D) Nate no longer arrives late at work following a reprimand from his boss.

Question 57

One reason Carlos continues to work at his job is the check he receives every two weeks.Carlos' paycheck is a _____ reinforcer.

A) neutral
B) primary
C) secondary
D) negative

Question 58

A(n)_____ reinforcer refers to the removal of an unpleasant stimulus,putting on a sweater when your cold for example,which leads to an increase in the probability that a preceding response will be repeated in the future.

A) negative
B) secondary
C) unconditioned
D) neutral

Question 59

Which of the following types of consequences is CORRECTLY matched with an example?

A) Positive reinforcement - Harvey is suspended when he vandalizes school property
B) Negative reinforcement - Jeff puts up his umbrella when it starts to sprinkle so he won't get wet
C) Positive punishment - Jacqueline's teacher puts a cute sticker on an arithmetic exercise completed without mistakes
D) Negative punishment - Tommy receives a written reprimand from his boss following a series of customer complaints

Question 60

Which of the following scenarios exemplify negative punishment?

A) Astrid tells her daughter she is grounded for misbehaving and cannot meet her friends for a week.
B) Carly yells at her husband when he comes home drunk.
C) Jim makes his middle-schoolers run extra laps when they are unruly in gym class.
D) Joanie takes several ibuprofen tablets when she has a headache.

Question 61

Which of the following promotions exemplifies the use of a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement?

A) A café prints "You are a winner" on a random one-twelfth of its coffee lids;patrons receiving such a lid can redeem it for a free beverage.
B) A café offers its customers a punch card.Each time a patron purchases a beverage,a hole is punched;when ten holes are punched,the patron receives a free beverage.
C) A café offers each patron an early morning two-for-one free-beverage-with-purchase deal from 5 to 6 a.m.on Monday mornings.
D) Now and then,a café announces a two-for-one deal.

Question 62

Behavior that is reinforced every time it occurs is said to be on a(n)_____ reinforcement schedule.

A) secondary
B) positive
C) intermittent
D) continuous

Question 63

Dr.Arceneaux has developed several alternative plans to increase the number of online practice quizzes his students complete.Which plan below is INCORRECTLY matched with the related schedule?

A) 1 bonus point for every two online practice quizzes completed-fixed-ratio
B) 1 bonus point awarded every 2 weeks if two or more quizzes have been completed-fixed-interval
C) 1 bonus point awarded every now and then (about 2 weeks on average)if two or more quizzes have been completed recently-variable-ratio
D) 1 bonus point awarded randomly,either for every 2 online quizzes taken or 2 bonus points for all those students taken within the first week-variable-interval

Question 64

Typically long pauses in responding are found in _____ schedules.

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

Question 65

The process of teaching a complex behavior by reinforcing closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior is called:

A) stimulus control training.
B) discrimination training.
C) shaping.
D) behavior modification.

Question 66

Imagine that you graphed the cumulative number of bar-press responses over time of four rats,each reinforced on a different one of the four schedules of intermittent reinforcement.Each rat's behavior is graphed on a separate line.The line with the greatest slope should be that displaying the behavior of the rat reinforced on the _____ schedule.

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

Question 67

A fixed-ratio schedule is a schedule:

A) by which reinforcement is given only after a specific number of responses are made.
B) by which reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses rather than after a fixed number.
C) that provides reinforcement for a response only if a fixed time period has elapsed,making overall rates of response relatively low.
D) by which the time between reinforcements varies around some average rather than being fixed.

Question 68

In general,_____ schedules of reinforcement yield high response rates.

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

Question 69

A fixed-interval schedule is a schedule:

A) by which reinforcement is given only after a specific number of responses are made.
B) by which reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses rather than after a fixed number.
C) that provides reinforcement for a response only if an unvarying time period has elapsed,making overall rates of response relatively low.
D) by which the time between reinforcements varies around some average rather than being constant.

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of punishment?

A) It is ineffective if it is not delivered immediately after the undesirable behavior.
B) Physical punishment sends the message that aggressive behavior is appropriate.
C) It tends to change behavior very slowly.
D) Punishment does not suggest which alternative behaviors might be more desirable.

Question 71

A variable-interval schedule is a schedule:

A) by which reinforcement is given only after a specific number of responses are made.
B) by which reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses rather than after a fixed number.
C) that provides reinforcement for a response only if a fixed time period has elapsed,making overall rates of response relatively low.
D) by which the time between reinforcements fluctuates around some average rather than being fixed.

Question 72

Paychecks and semester grades are delivered on a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

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

Question 73

Vending machine is to slot machine what _____ reinforcement is to _____ reinforcement.

A) secondary;primary
B) continuous;intermittent
C) partial;intermittent
D) variable;fixed

Question 74

Which of the following is TRUE about stimulus control training?

A) In stimulus control training,a behavior is reinforced in the presence of a specific stimulus.
B) In stimulus control training,a behavior is reinforced in the absence of a specific stimulus.
C) Stimulus control training is the process of teaching a complex behavior by rewarding closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
D) Stimulus control training is the process of teaching a simple behavior by rewarding closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Question 75

Sheryl makes pleasant small talk and pays her boss a compliment before asking for a personal day,because such a strategy was successful with a few of her previous bosses.This example most clearly illustrates:

A) stimulus generalization.
B) stimulus control.
C) stimulus discrimination.
D) shaping.

Question 76

A variable-ratio schedule is a schedule:

A) by which reinforcement is given only after a specific number of responses are made.
B) by which reinforcement occurs after a fluctuating number of responses rather than after a fixed number.
C) that provides reinforcement for a response only if a fixed time period has elapsed,making overall rates of response relatively low.
D) by which the time between reinforcements varies around some average rather than being fixed.

Question 77

Ewan is convinced that a woman across the bar is "sending signals." A learning theorist would term such signals:

A) conditioned stimuli.
B) discriminative stimuli.
C) positive reinforcers.
D) intermittent reinforcers.

Question 78

You don't receive a smile or a "thank you" each time you hold a door for the person behind you.It is acknowledged sometimes.Door-holding is reinforced on a(n)_____ reinforcement schedule.

A) continuous
B) partial
C) regular
D) fixed

Question 79

A privately funded program pays low-income parents $50 every two months for each child who attends school regularly during that period.This incentive illustrates a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

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

Question 80

Dr.Arceneaux wants his students to take advantage of online practice quizzes on his course site.Which of the following is the most effective plan to increase the number of practice quizzes completed?

A) 1 bonus point for every 2 online practice quizzes completed
B) 5 points deducted from course total if no quizzes are completed
C) 1 bonus point awarded every 2 weeks if 2 or more quizzes have been completed
D) 1 bonus point awarded every now and then (about 2 weeks on average)if 2 or more quizzes have been completed recently