Question 1

When the owner of the bakery gave Francine a tart for coming in and chatting, what type of reinforcer did she get?

Accepted Answer

A) primary 
B) conditioned 
C) secondary 
D) intermittent

Question 2

If an employee of a company that conducts telephone surveys receives $1.00 for every three completed surveys he conducts, which schedule is he being paid on?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

When does instinctive drift occur?

Accepted Answer

A) when an animal's innate response tendencies interfere with the conditioning process 
B) when an animal acquires a behaviour that is present in all other members of its species 
C) when an animal can learn a behaviour that is instinctive in another species 
D) when an animal's innate response tendencies facilitate the conditioning process

Question 4

Which modification goal responds best to behaviour modification?

Accepted Answer

A) a specific overt behaviour; for example, "I will walk the dog every day" 
B) a specific goal; for example, "I will get a 4.00 GPA this semester" 
C) a broadly defined behaviour; for example, "I will be friendlier" 
D) a personality trait; for example, "I will stop being irritable"

Question 5

Which example of behaviours is NOT learned through classical conditioning?

Accepted Answer

A) the physiological functioning of the immune system 
B) voluntary behaviours such as setting the table for dinner 
C) both pleasant and unpleasant emotional responses 
D) simple reflexive behaviours such as blinking

Question 6

The advertising industry often attempts to manipulate consumers so that they will have positive associations with a company's product. Which learning principles are typically applied for this purpose?

Accepted Answer

A) observational learning 
B) operant conditioning 
C) behaviour modification 
D) classical conditioning

Question 7

When Beth goes with her dad to the grocery store, she always asks him to buy chocolate ice cream. Approximately once a month he will purchase the ice cream. On what type of schedule is Beth's asking for chocolate ice cream being reinforced?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

In an operant conditioning study, what is the device that creates a graphic record of an organism's response and reinforcement over time?

Accepted Answer

A) cumulative recorder 
B) response monitor 
C) Pavlov Box 
D) Skinner Box

Question 9

After responding at a steady rate for several minutes, a rat pauses and does not respond at all for a period of time. How would this pause be reflected in the cumulative record?

Accepted Answer

A) a gradually increasing slope 
B) a vertical line 
C) a gradually decreasing slope 
D) a horizontal line

Question 10

Ivan Pavlov and B. F. Skinner viewed conditioning as a purely mechanical process, but how do modern learning psychologists view conditioning?

Accepted Answer

A) It is still viewed as a clearly mechanical process. 
B) It is seen as a predominantly passive process. 
C) It is seen as also involving cognitive components. 
D) It is seen as a predominantly active process.

Question 11

If you wanted to teach your pet parakeet to give you a kiss on the cheek, which technique would be most effective?

Accepted Answer

A) higher-order conditioning 
B) modelling 
C) shaping 
D) classical conditioning

Question 12

In classical conditioning, what is a conditioned response?

Accepted Answer

A) unlearned reaction to a stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning 
B) stimulus that evokes a response without previous conditioning 
C) previously neutral stimulus that has acquired the capacity to evoke a learned response 
D) learned reaction to a stimulus that occurs as a result of previous conditioning

Question 13

Pat studies in order to get good grades and to receive praise. Kelly studies so that her mother will stop nagging her, and to avoid failing. What is the difference between Pat's and Kelly's behaviour?

Accepted Answer

A) Pat gets negative reinforcement but Kelly gets positive reinforcement. 
B) Pat gets positive reinforcement but Kelly gets negative reinforcement. 
C) Pat is avoiding negative punishment but Kelly is avoiding positive punishment. 
D) Pat experiences punishment but Kelly experiences reinforcement.

Question 14

The cats that escaped from Thorndike's puzzle boxes got faster at escaping over time, but the change was quite gradual. What did Thorndike interpret about this pattern of behaviour change?

Accepted Answer

A) Learning occurs as a result of gradual strengthening of rewarded behaviours. 
B) Learning is enhanced when there is time for reflection in between trials. 
C) Cats require exposure to experienced models in order to learn appropriately. 
D) Cats are capable of thinking and understand the problems they solve.

Question 15

When an organism that has learned a conditioned response also responds with the same response to a new stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus, what is that called?

Accepted Answer

A) spontaneous recovery 
B) stimulus discrimination 
C) extinction 
D) stimulus generalization

Question 16

Imagine a couple asking Albert Bandura for advice on how they should teach their young child to say "please" and "thank you." What would Bandura most likely suggest?

Accepted Answer

A) Use negative reinforcement and withhold the requested item until the child says "please." 
B) Consistently say "please" and "thank you" in your interactions with others, and reinforce any similar behaviour by the child. 
C) Give the child positive reinforcement for saying "please" and "thank you." 
D) Modelling the behaviour of saying "please" and "thank you" will be sufficient for observational learning to occur.

Question 17

B. F. Skinner demonstrated that organisms tend to repeat responses that are followed by favourable consequences. What did Skinner call these favourable consequences?

Accepted Answer

A) bribes 
B) reinforcers 
C) rewards 
D) unconditioned stimuli

Question 18

What is the first step in a behaviour modification program?

Accepted Answer

A) Pick an appropriate reinforcement. 
B) Design the program. 
C) Gather baseline data. 
D) Specify a target behaviour.

Question 19

Which unifying theme in psychology is reflected by the existence of biological constraints on learning, such as instinctive drift and conditioned taste aversions?

Accepted Answer

A) Psychology is empirical. 
B) Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour. 
C) Psychology is theoretically diverse. 
D) Our behaviour is shaped by our cultural heritage.

Question 20

Which term refers to an unlearned reaction to a stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning?

Accepted Answer

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

Exam 6: B: Learning