Psych 310 Exam 2 practice questions

Which of the following would be a discriminative stimulus for Jeremiah, a third grade student who takes pride in being labeled the class clown? a. the middle school bus b. the principal's office c. a roomful of students d. his father's tool shed

C

After playing outside all day in the woods, Luke's mother told him that he was too dirty to sit at the supper table. An operant conditioning researcher would predict that Luke will perform which of the following behaviors? a. wash his hands b. take a bath c. wash his face d. clean up

D

In many TV situation comedies, a woman will withhold sex from her husband until he stops an annoying behavior. It's a classic storytelling device. It's also an example of a. negative punishment using a primary reinforcer b. positive punishment using a secondary reinforcer c. positive reinforcement using a secondary reinforcer d. negative reinforcement using a primary reinforcer

A

To help his tired mom, one day Matt decided to vacuum and dust the house before she came home from work. Which of the following would be an effective punisher for Matt's behavior? a. Mom comes home and criticizes Matt's cleaning technique. b. Mom comes home and pays Matt ten dollars for his work. c. Mom comes home and thanks Matt helping with chores. d. Mom comes home and doesn't mention the clean house.

A

Which of the following is an example of negative punishment? a. not allowing a girl to go to a slumber party b. making a girl babysit her brother for free c. yelling at a boy for using curse words d. telling a boy to do extra weekend chores

A

How does the subject have significant control in the process of operant conditioning? a. by avoiding a discriminatory stimulus b. by assessing the payoff of a behavior c. by choosing a behavior's consequences d. by selecting the strength of a stimulus

B

Which of the following is a natural reinforcer for the team who is at bat in a baseball game? a. making a diving catch b. hitting a home run c. getting a big paycheck d. hearing the crowd cheer

B

Why do people more frequently pursue punishment strategies over reward strategies to change the behavior of others? a. Rewards are ineffective. b. Punishment works faster. c. Punishment can be positive. d. Rewards can be extinguished.

B

According to Thorndike's law of effect, a subject will repeat a behavior if a. a reflex response is elicited. b. it is intrinsically motivating. c. it offers pleasant consequences. d. the stimulus is strong enough.

C

How did Skinner think that operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning? a. He believed operant conditioning is reflexive. b. He believed classical reinforcement is unethical. c. He believed operant behavior is voluntary. d. He believed classical behavior has consequences.

C

In the language of operant conditioning contingencies, the word "negative" refers to a. unpleasant consequences b. application of punishment c. removal of a stimulus d. decline in emitted behavior

C

Which of the following methods is grounded in a step-by-step approach to behavioral learning? a. reinforcing b. discriminating c. shaping d. punishing

C

Iman recently adopted an older dog named Rusty. The shelter warned that Rusty will relentlessly beg for food, and his past owners let the dog become overweight. Now no matter how much Rusty looks at her with sad eyes, Iman will not give Rusty food except for his set mealtimes. What is Iman trying to accomplish with Rusty? a. punishment b. remission c. withdrawal d. extinction

D

In early November, Malcolm always buys a few cords of hardwood so keep his cabin warm in the winter. Which of the following best describes Malcolm's actions? a. escape activity b. intrinsic reinforcement c. positive reinforcement d. avoidance activity

D

What makes people decide to watch a kung fu movie marathon instead of studying for the bar exam, when getting into law school is clearly an important goal? a. delayed reinforcement b. intrinsic reinforcement c. primary reinforcement d. immediate reinforcement

D