Deck 6: Schedules of Reinforcement and Choice Behavior

Question 1

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

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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

Answer 2

D

Question 3

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

Answer 3

A

Question 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

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

Question 10

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

Question 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

A rat is reinforced only if it presses the bar within 5 seconds of its last bar press.This is an example of

A) differential reinforcement of low rates.
B) variable interval training.
C) differential reinforcement of high rates.
D) fixed interval training.

Question 15

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 16

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 17

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 18

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 19

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.

Question 20

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 21

Response rate schedules are most likely to occur for

A) a baker with a cake in the oven.
B) a dancer learning steps to new music.
C) a gambler at a slot machine.
D) a student in a course with pop quizzes.

Question 22

In studies of self control,researchers have found that pigeons are 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 23

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 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

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 28

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 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

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 31

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 32

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 33

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 34

A concurrent schedule of reinforcement is used to investigate

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

Question 35

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 36

A junior high school student complains to you that he is having a difficult time with his school work.On the one hand,he has to study enough to pass the frequent quizzes.On the other,he doesn't want to study so much as to be considered a nerd.You realize he is having trouble learning to respond to a new

A) variable interval schedule.
B) response-rate schedule.
C) fixed interval schedule.
D) variable ratio schedule.

Question 37

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 38

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 39

A pigeon is reinforced only if it waits 30 seconds from its last keypeck before it pecks again.This is an example of

A) differential reinforcement of low rates.
B) a variable interval schedule.
C) differential reinforcement of high rates.
D) a variable ratio schedule.

Question 40

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 41

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

Question 42

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.

Question 43

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

Question 44

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

Question 45

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

Question 46

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 47

Describe various theoretical explanations of the matching law.

Question 48

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

A) V = M/(1 + KD)
B) M = V/(1 - KD)
C) K = M/(1 - VD)
D) D = V/(1 + KM)

Question 49

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

A) 2
B) 2K
C) M/(1 + 2K)
D) 2M/(1 + K)

Question 50

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

Question 51

Describe how response rate schedules are designed and what their effects are.

Question 52

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 53

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 54

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

Question 55

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

Question 56

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 57

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