Question 1

One characteristic of behaviorism is an emphasis on

Accepted Answer

A)   observable events.
B)   the importance of how people think and plan.
C)   one-trial learning.
D)   introspection. A

Question 2

Warren has earned himself a reputation for being the class clown. His teacher, Ms. Washington, used to laugh at Warren's funny remarks, but is now trying to discourage Warren's disruptive behavior by ignoring his jokes. In operant conditioning terminology, Ms. Washington is now trying to modify Warren's joke-telling behavior through

Accepted Answer

A)   stimulus discrimination.
B)   extinction.
C)   shaping.
D)   negative reinforcement. B

Question 3

Which of the following supports the operant conditioning explanation for why some children become aggressive?

Accepted Answer

A)   they mentally link aggression with negative consequences
B)   they identify with aggressive characters on TV
C)   when they are aggressive, they tend to get their way
D)   their basic physiological needs are not met C

Question 4

Pavlovian (classical) conditioning is to involuntary response as operant conditioning is to _______ response.

Accepted Answer

A)   extinguished
B)   generalized
C)   fixed
D)   voluntary

Question 5

Which form of conservation are children likely to master last?

Accepted Answer

A)   volume
B)   area
C)   length
D)   liquid

Question 6

Object permanence refers to the belief that

Accepted Answer

A)   objects cannot be destroyed.
B)   objects continue to exist even when out of sight.
C)   objects are permanent while beliefs are not.
D)   infants cannot understand conservation of matter.

Question 7

The constructivist approach to instruction is most based upon the theories of

Accepted Answer

A)   Bandura.
B)   Harlow.
C)   Skinner.
D)   Piaget.

Question 8

Teresa has a painful experience at the dentist's office. The next time her mother brings her to the dentist's office, Teresa begins to get tense and anxious. Teresa's anxiety is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)   unconditioned stimulus.
B)   operant response.
C)   conditioned stimulus.
D)   conditioned response.

Question 9

Generalizing from research on maintaining behavior over the long run, we can say that behavior that is reinforced intermittently is more resistant to extinction than behavior that is reinforced continuously.

Accepted Answer

A)   true
B)   false

Question 10

Of all the operant conditioning techniques and principles discussed in the text, which did Skinner (and others) recommend avoiding?

Accepted Answer

A)   extinction
B)   punishment
C)   shaping
D)   positive reinforcement

Question 11

Object permanence is emphasized in which of Piaget's stages?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Object permanence is emphasized in which of...

Question 12

Private speech is normal and common in young children.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Serafina can go beyond what she sees in the real world and can consider possibilities and scenarios that don't exist. She is likely in which of Piaget's stages?

Accepted Answer

A)   concrete operational
B)   formal operational
C)   egotistic
D)   preoperational

Question 14

Newborns are in which Piagetian stage?

Accepted Answer

A)   formal operations
B)   preoperational
C)   concrete operations
D)   sensorimotor

Question 15

Why do constructivists advocate making student thinking public?

Accepted Answer

A)   to help reveal student misconceptions
B)   to improve student public speaking
C)   so that other students do not make the same mistakes
D)   to create a community of practice

Question 16

Teresa has a painful experience at the dentist's office, so her mother takes Teresa to a new dentist, one who takes great care to make her visits painless. Teresa is anxious at first, but after a few visits, Teresa gradually becomes less resistant about going to the new dentist. Teresa's change in behavior can probably best be explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

A)   extinction.
B)   generalization.
C)   higher-order conditioning.
D)   sensory preconditioning.

Question 17

Edward is severely beaten by his alcoholic father on several occasions. Before long, Edward begins to shake whenever his father approaches. In this situation, Edward's father is

Accepted Answer

A)   an unconditioned stimulus.
B)   a conditioned stimulus.
C)   an unconditioned response.
D)   a conditioned response.

Question 18

One of the key criticisms of Piaget's theory of cognitive development centers on the fact that he

Accepted Answer

A)   underestimated the intellectual capabilities of adolescents.
B)   underestimated the intellectual capabilities of young children.
C)   failed to consider the active role of children in their own development.
D)   focused too much attention on the biological components of development.

Question 19

A child who watches a chef in a pizza restaurant flatten a ball of dough into a crust may comment, "Wow! It sure got a lot bigger when you did that." This type of thinking is most closely associated with the Piagetian concept of

Accepted Answer

A)   accommodation.
B)   adaptation.
C)   conservation.
D)   disequilibrium.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes direct instruction?

Accepted Answer

A)   Students are motivated as they discover concepts for themselves.
B)   Students are explicitly taught everything they are supposed to know.
C)   Each student constructs his or her own understanding.
D)   Each teacher creates a curriculum based on his or her own strengths.

Exam 3: Classic Theories of Learning and Cognition