Chapter 10

the small-but-cumulative model suggests that self-control can be improved by _____. a. avoiding behavioral contracting b. focusing on the larger goal rather than a series of sub goals c. viewing each decision as an isolated event rather than part of a larger whole d. establishing rules to help clearly distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors

D

which statement accurately explains why some people are better at holding out for a larger later reward than other people? a. most people often become more impulsive after experiencing delayed rewards more often b. most people become more impulsive as they age c. some people see that other sources of reinforcement are available and are therefore more impulsive d. some people have a genetic predisposition towards impulsiveness

D

in which type of exception to the matching law is the proportion of responses on the richer schedule versus the poorer schedule more different than would be predicted by matching? a. melioration b. undermatching c. bias from matching d. overmatching

D

Michael is trying to get his entire family to eat more healthfully, so he threw out all of the cookies, chips, and ice cream that were in the house. Which of Skinner's (1953) type of controlling responses is Michael using? a. physical restraint b. self-reinforcement c. depriving and satiating d. doing something else

A

which model focuses on the fact that preference between smaller sooner and larger later rewards can shift over time? a. the Ainslie-Rachlin model of self-control b. the small-but-cumulative effects model c. the commitment-response model d. Mischel's delay of gratification paradigm

A

which statement about delayed gratification is true? a. being able to delay gratification can enhance many areas of one's life b. the ability to delay gratification seems to biological rather than based on strategy c. delayed gratification is easier when you keep your attention focused on the desired outcome d. delayed gratification means choosing a smaller, sooner reward over a larger, later reward

A

Graciela is a high school student who passed up the immediate rewards of socializing with friends after school each day in order to attend swim practice. At the end of the swimming season, her hard work resulted in the large reward of a first place medal in her favorite event. Graciela's experience best illustrates _____. a. depriving and satiating b. delayed gratification c. preference reversal d. impulsiveness

B

according to the Ainslie-Rachlin model of self-control, the value of a reward _____. a. decreases less sharply as it becomes more imminent b. increases more sharply as it becomes more imminent c. decreases more sharply as it becomes more imminent d. increases less sharply as it becomes more imminent

B

what is the problem with melioration? a. it is often the result of behavior being too strongly governed by delayed consequences b. overindulgence in a highly reinforcing alternative can lead to long-term habituation to that alternative c. the total amount of reinforcement obtained is often too high to be healthy for an individual d. it causes individuals to put forward less effort than needed in order to obtain all of the available reinforcers

B

Elliot is trying to establish a workout regimen, but he finds it easy to talk himself into making an exception to his workout routine. For example, one day he skipped a jog because it was raining, and the next day he didn't go to the gym because he chose to attend a friend's birthday dinner instead. Skipping a workout for one of these reasons would not undermine his fitness goals, but regularly skipping his workouts does. Elliot's experience is best explained by _____. a. the Ainslie-Rachlin model of self-control b. the commitment-response model c. the small-but-cumulative effects model d. Mischel's delay of gratification paradigm

C

a pigeon is given a choice between pecking a red button which delivers food every 20 pecks or a green button which delivers food every 50 pecks. Which type of a schedule of reinforcement is this pigeon on? a. alternative schedule b. interval schedule c. concurrent schedule d. ratio schedule

C

according to the matching law, there is a consistent relationship between _____. a. the number of responses emitted on a certain alternative and the degree of similarity of that alternative to instinctive behaviors b. the proportion of responses emitted on a certain alternative and the length of time between the delivery of each reinforcer c. the proportion of reinforcers obtained on a certain alternative and the proportion of responses emitted on that alternative d. the number of reinforcers obtained on a certain alternative and the number of responses emitted on that alternative

C

an action carried out at an early point in time that serves to either eliminate or greatly reduce the value of an upcoming temptation is a(n) _____. a. self-reinforcement b. undermatching goal c. commitment response d. preference reversal

C

bias in matching can be used to predict _____. a. how melioration will affect an individual's choices b. the optimum level of responding for maximum rewards c. degree of preference for different reinforcers d. an individual's level of self-control

C

how does time affect self-control? a. self-control strengthens the longer we are able to resist performing a certain action b. self-control weakens the longer we are able to resist performing a certain action c. people tend to have exhibit more self-control when they quickly decide whether or not to perform an action d. our behavior is more heavily influenced by immediate consequences than by delayed consequences

D

concurrent schedule of reinforcement

a complex schedule consisting of the simultaneous presentation of two or more independent schedules, each leading to a reinforcer

bias from matching

a deviation from matching in which one response alternative attracts a higher proportion of responses than would be predicted by matching, regardless of whether that alternative contains the richer versus poorer schedule

undermatching

a deviation from matching in which the proportion of responses on the richer schedule versus poorer schedule is less different than would be predicted by matching

overmatching

a deviation from matching in which the proportion of responses on the richer schedule versus poorer schedule is more different than would be predicted by matching

small-but-cumulative effects model

a model of self-control in which each individual choice between a smaller sooner and larger later reward has only a small but cumulative effect on our likelihood of obtaining the desired outcome

melioration theory

a theory of matching that holds that the distribution of behavior in a choice situation shifts toward those alternatives that have higher value regardless of the long-term effect on overall amount of reinforcement

commitment response

an action carried out at an early point in time that serves to either eliminate or reduce the value of an upcoming temptation. Also called a precommitment response

bias from matching*

deviation where one response alternative attracts a higher proportion of responses than would be predicted

undermatching*

less sensitivity to the relative rate of reinforcement than predicted by the comparable rate

overmatching*

more sensitivity to the relative rate of reinforcement than predicted by the comparable rate

matching law

the principle that the proportion of responses emitted on a particular schedule matches the proportion of reinforcers obtained on that schedule

self-control

with respect to choice between two rewards, selecting a larger later reward over a smaller sooner reward

impulsiveness

with respect to choice between two rewards, selecting a smaller sooner reward over a larger later reward