Question 1

The way slot machines reward gamblers with money best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  spontaneous recovery. 
B)  partial reinforcement. 
C)  generalization. 
D)  shaping.

Question 2

The taste of food and relief from a headache are both ________ reinforcers.

Accepted Answer

A)  positive 
B)  negative 
C)  primary 
D)  conditioned

Question 3

Cats received a fish reward whenever they maneuvered themselves out of an enclosed puzzle box. With successive trials, the cats escaped from the box with increasing speed. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  latent learning. 
B)  the law of effect. 
C)  respondent behavior. 
D)  spontaneous recovery.

Question 4

Four-year-old Della asks her mother for a special treat every time they go to the grocery store. At first her mother granted every request, but now she does so less consistently. Research suggests that Della will

Accepted Answer

A)  soon give up asking for a treat entirely. 
B)  come to ask for a treat only occasionally. 
C)  continue to ask for a treat nearly every time she goes to the store. 
D)  ask for a treat every time her mother takes her out, even if they don't go to the grocery store.

Question 5

Operant response rates tend to be ________ when linked to a ratio schedule rather than an interval schedule. Operant response rates tend to be ________ consistent when linked to a variable schedule rather than a fixed schedule.

Accepted Answer

A)  higher; less 
B)  lower; more 
C)  higher; more 
D)  lower; less

Question 6

Jordan is frightened by the sound of a train whistle. The sound is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  intermittent reinforcement. 
B)  spontaneous recovery. 
C)  operant chamber. 
D)  stimulus.

Question 7

Janet has almost finished painting a neighbor's house, at which time she'll be paid $2000. The fact that she is increasingly unlikely to quit painting as she nears completion of the job best illustrates that operant behavior is strongly influenced by ________ reinforcers.

Accepted Answer

A)  primary 
B)  negative 
C)  immediate 
D)  partial

Question 8

Learning that some responses, but not others, will be reinforced is called

Accepted Answer

A)  respondent behavior. 
B)  secondary reinforcement. 
C)  discrimination. 
D)  latent learning.

Question 9

You would be most likely to use operant conditioning to teach a dog to

Accepted Answer

A)  fear cars in the street. 
B)  dislike the taste of dead birds. 
C)  wag its tail whenever it is emotionally excited. 
D)  retrieve sticks and balls.

Question 10

Laurie's thumbsucking has become habitual because she feels less anxious when she sucks her thumb. This best illustrates the process of

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

Skinner developed a behavioral technology that included a procedure known as

Accepted Answer

A)  shaping. 
B)  modeling. 
C)  latent learning. 
D)  intrinsic motivation.

Question 12

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be considered an important component of effective student instruction involving the use of interactive software?

Accepted Answer

A)  respondent behavior 
B)  immediate reinforcement 
C)  operant behavior 
D)  shaping

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a respondent behavior?

Accepted Answer

A)  studying for a test 
B)  blushing when embarrassed 
C)  thanking someone for their help 
D)  sniffing to locate the source of a strange odor

Question 14

A response that leads to the removal of an unpleasant stimulus is one being

Accepted Answer

A)  positively reinforced. 
B)  negatively reinforced. 
C)  punished. 
D)  extinguished.

Question 15

Five-year-old Trevor is emotionally disturbed and refuses to communicate with anyone. To get him to speak, his teacher initially gives him candy for any utterance, then only for a clearly spoken word, and finally only for a complete sentence. The teacher is using the method of

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary reinforcement. 
B)  delayed reinforcement. 
C)  spontaneous recovery. 
D)  shaping.

Question 16

B. F. Skinner's work elaborated what E. L. Thorndike had called

Accepted Answer

A)  shaping. 
B)  observational learning. 
C)  the law of effect. 
D)  latent learning.

Question 17

Administering an aversive stimulus following an operant response is

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

For Vina, cigarettes reduce feelings of tension and anxiety. Because of her heavy smoking, however, she has a bad morning cough and breathing difficulties. How can the principles of operant conditioning help to explain the development and continuation of Vina's self-defeating smoking habit? Explain the extent to which the reinforcement for Vina's habit is positive or negative, primary or conditioned, immediate or delayed, partial or continuous.

Accepted Answer

The answer of For Vina, cigarettes reduce feelings of tension...

Question 19

A partial schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses is a ________ schedule.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 20

The removal of electric shock is to the receipt of money as ________ is to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  delayed reinforcer; immediate reinforcer 
B)  primary reinforcer; conditioned reinforcer 
C)  discrimination; generalization 
D)  partial reinforcement; continuous reinforcement

Exam 21: Operant Conditioning