AP Psych - Unit 4 Test Review (AP Classroom Questions)

A dog retrieves the newspaper every day because in the past it received a food reward for this behavior. The dog's behavior is an example of which of the following? A An operant response B A discriminative stimulus C An unconditioned response D An unconditioned stimulus E A classically conditioned response

A An operant response

Maria was never afraid of spiders until a spider bit her when she was eight. Today, even the sight of a plastic spider upsets her. Which of the following learning processes best explains Maria's fear of spiders? A Classical conditioning B Operant conditioning C Discrimination D Observational learning E Scaffolding

A Classical conditioning

Responses extinguish fastest when they are learned through which type of reinforcement schedule? A Continuous B Negative C Variable-interval D Variable-ratio E Fixed-interval

A Continuous

Which of the following sets of concepts is central to social learning theory? A Observation, imitation, and modeling B Fixed interval, variable interval, and fixed ratio C Generalization, spontaneous recovery, and discrimination D Acquisition, extinction, and counter-conditioning E Higher-order learning, negative reinforcement, and variable ratio

A Observation, imitation, and modeling

A researcher is training laboratory rats to run a complex maze. Each time the rats learn a new part of the maze, they are rewarded with a pellet of food. Within a few hours, the rats have learned the entire maze. Which of the following did the researcher use to teach the rats the maze? A Shaping B Generalization C Negative reinforcement D A fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement E Spontaneous recovery

A Shaping

Children who are consistently praised for receiving high grades in school will likely continue to work for high grades. Using an operant conditioning explanation of this phenomenon, which of the following is true? A The praise functions as a positive reinforcer. B The praise functions as a generalized stimulus. C The grades function as the stimulus that elicits a response. D The grades function as a discriminant stimulus. E The school functions as a negative reinforcer.

A The praise functions as a positive reinforcer.

In a set of studies, Ivan Pavlov first touched a dog lightly on the side of its body and a few seconds later placed vinegar on the dog's tongue. The vinegar made the dog salivate. After several pairings of touch and vinegar, the dog began to salivate as soon as it was touched and before it was given the vinegar. In these studies which of the following was the conditioned stimulus? A Touch to the body B Vinegar on the tongue C Salivation to the vinegar D Salivation to the touch E Time interval between the touch and the vinegar

A Touch to the body

Robert Rescorla's contingency model of classical conditioning states that A conditioning occurs only when one event reliably predicts another B contiguity of stimuli is sufficient for conditioning to occur C reinforcement contingencies predict extinction D any stimulus can become conditioned when paired with an unconditioned stimulus E the only difference between the conditioned response and the unconditioned response is the stimulus used to elicit them

A conditioning occurs only when one event reliably predicts another

In a classic study, a group of rats learned to run through a maze to obtain food, and another group of rats explored the maze without receiving food. Some time later, the researcher compared the two groups of rats to determine if both groups would find the food at the end of the maze. According to the researcher, the untrained rats found the food at the end of the maze as quickly as the trained rats as a result of A latent learning B observational learning C avoidance learning D counterconditioning E aversive conditioning

A latent learning

In the first part of an experiment, one group of rats received reinforcement after correctly navigating a maze. A second group received no reinforcement after wandering around the maze. In the next part, both groups received reinforcement after navigating the maze. Despite not receiving reinforcement at the beginning of the experiment, the second group performed as well as the first. The learning that occurred in the second group in the absence of reinforcement is called A latent learning B extinction C partial reinforcement D observational learning E classical conditioning

A latent learning

Learned helplessness is most likely to result when A responses have no effect on the environment B young organisms fail to imprint at the critical period C a response is reinforced independently D reinforcement occurs on an intermittent schedule E an organism receives negative reinforcement

A responses have no effect on the environment

After several trials during which a dog is given a certain kind of food at the same time that a specific tone is sounded, there is evidence of conditioning if the dog salivates when A the tone only is presented B the food only is presented C the food and tone are presented together D a different tone is presented with the food E a different kind of food is presented without a tone

A the tone only is presented

In classical conditioning, stimulus generalization occurs when an organism responds A to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus B to stimuli that are similar to the unconditioned stimulus C to the conditioned stimulus the same way as to the unconditioned stimulus D with different types of responses to neutral stimuli E with different types of responses to the unconditioned stimulus

A to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus

Of the following, which is essential for operant conditioning to occur? A Partial reinforcement B A behavioral consequence C A stimulus substitution D Spontaneous recovery E Delayed conditioning

B A behavioral consequence

Which of the following responses was most likely acquired through classical conditioning? A The startle response of a baby the first time the baby hears thunder B A child's fear of dogs after the child has been bitten by a dog C The cry of pain expressed by a man whose hand has been cut on a piece of broken glass D The uncontrollable blinking of a woman who has just gotten dust in her eye E The salivation of a dog that is halfway through a bowl of its favorite food

B A child's fear of dogs after the child has been bitten by a dog

Which of the following would a social learning theorist be most likely to propose as a cause for a fear of flying? A A person has maladaptive thoughts about the safety of planes. B A person observed someone else's fear of flying. C A person had been negatively reinforced for flying on a plane. D The fear was passed on from parents genetically. E The fear is related to childhood trauma.

B A person observed someone else's fear of flying.

A rat always completes a maze successfully but is only rewarded every third trial. The rat is being rewarded using which of the following reinforcement schedules? A Fixed-interval B Fixed-ratio C Variable-ratio D Variable-interval E Continuous

B Fixed-ratio

Four-year-old Scott fell down the stairs at his grandmother's house. Although he was not badly hurt, he was very frightened. Now, whenever his parents mention visiting his grandmother's house, he feels anxious and fearful. In classical conditioning terms, what are the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in the scenario, respectively? A Grandmother's house; fear B Grandmother's house; falling C Fear; grandmother's house D Falling; anxiety E Anxiety; fear

B Grandmother's house; falling

Raul wants to teach his daughter Sonia to tie her shoes. First he praises her when she manipulates her shoelaces in any way. Then he praises her when she makes a simple knot. Once she does that consistently, he praises her only when she makes the knot and a loop. He continues the pattern until she can do all the steps required to tie her shoes. Raul's actions are an example of which of the following techniques? A Modeling B Shaping C Rehearsal D Classical conditioning E Negative reinforcement

B Shaping

Researchers paired rats' drinking of saccharin-sweetened water with injections of a drug that weakened the immune system. After repeated pairings, sweetened water triggered the rats' immune systems to break down. What was the conditioned stimulus in the study? A The drug B Sweetened water C The immune system weakening in response to the drug D The immune system weakening in response to the water E The immune system getting stronger

B Sweetened water

B. F. Skinner's claim that the environment determines an individual's behavior was criticized for A failing to explain how personality can change over time B failing to acknowledge cognitive influences on behavior C failing to acknowledge situational factors D attributing behavior solely to genetics E emphasizing unconscious influences on behavior

B failing to acknowledge cognitive influences on behavior

When Mary was young, her father was trying to learn how to speak German and would listen to German tapes for hours in her presence. Mary paid very little attention to the tapes. Many years later, when Mary was in Germany, she was able to say a few German words in order to make herself understood. This is an example of A procedural memory B latent learning C regression D telegraphic speech E retroactive interference

B latent learning

In operant conditioning, the concept of contingency is exemplified by an "if A, then B" relationship in which A and B, respectively, represent A stimulus, response B response, reinforcement C stimulus, reinforcement D response, stimulus E stimulus, stimulus

B response, reinforcement

Money most often modifies people's behavior because it is a powerful A negative reinforcer B secondary reinforcer C conditioned stimulus D high-order stimulus E discriminative stimulus

B secondary reinforcer

Jeff always tells his children not to use bad language when something does not go the way they want. Unfortunately, Jeff uses bad language occasionally and his children have observed him do so. Now Jeff's children use bad language. This can be explained by A learned helplessness B social learning theory C representativeness D classical conditioning E self-efficacy

B social learning theory

A monkey's choosing a circle from an array of geometric shapes in order to be rewarded with a banana is an example of A stimulus habituation B stimulus discrimination C positive transference D disinhibition E latent learning

B stimulus discrimination

In high school, it did not seem to make a difference how much Clive studied Spanish; he always earned poor grades. Now that Clive is in college, he is required to take Spanish again. According to the concept of learned helplessness, which of the following statements can be most expected from Clive as he starts the new Spanish class? A "Spanish is a difficult subject that I am very poor at." B "I sure hope that my Spanish professor is better than my high school Spanish teacher." C "Why study? There isn't anything I can do to improve my Spanish skills." D "If I spend more time studying, I'm sure I will do better than in high school." E "I need to find a good tutor to help me learn Spanish; I can't learn it on my own."

C "Why study? There isn't anything I can do to improve my Spanish skills."

To stop his uncle's constant requests, Jimmy takes out the garbage. This makes him more likely to take out the garbage in the future. Jimmy's behavior is being controlled by which of the following types of reinforcement? A Intermittent B Positive C Negative D Vicarious E Delayed

C Negative

Which of the following best reflects contemporary interpretations of classical conditioning? A They remain relatively unchanged from earlier interpretations by people like E. L. Thorndike. B They are primarily based on the theory of contiguity. C They take into account cognitive processes like expectancy. D They are in agreement with the interpretations of behaviorists like B. F. Skinner. E They make a clear distinction between long-term and short-term memory.

C They take into account cognitive processes like expectancy.

Which of the following is a partial reinforcement schedule that is most resistant to extinction? A Noncontingent B Shaping C Variable ratio D Fixed ratio E Fixed interval

C Variable ratio

A person eats a hamburger at a restaurant and develops a very bad stomachache after finishing eating. As a result of the sudden illness, the person cannot eat hamburgers anymore. Just thinking about them makes the person feel sick to the stomach. In this scenario, the thought of a hamburger is A an unconditioned stimulus B an unconditioned response C a conditioned stimulus D a conditioned response E a negative reinforcer

C a conditioned stimulus

Learning that is not demonstrated at the time it occurs is called A conceptualization learning B social learning C latent learning D schematic learning E insight learning

C latent learning

A particular group of brain cells seems to provide a basis for observational learning. Researchers call these specialized cells A efferent neurons B afferent neurons C mirror neurons D motor neurons E Schwann cells

C mirror neurons

Elizabeth picks up the clothes from her bedroom floor and puts them away to avoid her mother's repeated nagging. Elizabeth's behavior is being influenced by A classical conditioning B positive reinforcement C negative reinforcement D extinction E punishment

C negative reinforcement

Punishment is most effective in eliminating undesired behavior when the A behavior is complex B behavior was very recently acquired C punishment is delivered soon after the behavior D punishment is delivered by someone with authority E punishment is both mental and physical

C punishment is delivered soon after the behavior

In phase one of a study, a researcher classically conditions a dog to salivate to the ringing of a bell. In the second phase, the researcher pairs a flashing light with the ringing of the bell. After several pairings of the light and the bell, the dog will A no longer salivate when the bell is rung B only salivate when the bell is rung C salivate when the light is flashed D stop salivating when the light is flashed E salivate when the researcher comes into the room

C salivate when the light is flashed

The first time four-year-old Savannah attempted to make her bed, her father praised her for covering the pillow with a blanket. After a few times, her father began praising Savannah for covering the pillow and tucking in the corners of the sheet. Finally, Savannah's father praised her when she covered the pillow, tucked in the corners of the sheet, and smoothed the blanket. The process described in this scenario is known as A negative reinforcement B spontaneous recovery C shaping D latent learning E implicit learning

C shaping

Studies of learning have shown that animals develop an aversion for tastes associated with A electric shock B extinguished associations C sickness D novel stimuli E starvation

C sickness

Which of the following is the best example of shaping? A A child receives five dollars each time he cleans his room. B An employee receives a termination notice after coming to work late every day over a period of three months. C A child gets candy from a dispenser one time but gets nothing from the dispenser the next two times. D A teacher rewards a student for sitting quietly for ten minutes on Monday, fifteen minutes on Tuesday, twenty minutes on Wednesday, and thirty minutes on Thursday. E A rat receives a mild shock each time it tries to open the door of its cage.

D A teacher rewards a student for sitting quietly for ten minutes on Monday, fifteen minutes on Tuesday, twenty minutes on Wednesday, and thirty minutes on Thursday.

Which of the following statements best describes the role of biological processes in classical conditioning? A A biologically-based unconditioned stimulus (UCS) must immediately follow a conditioned stimulus (CS) for learning to occur. B Any novel or familiar stimulus could serve as a CS because the biological mechanisms underlying learning are very powerful. C Because all animals share a common cellular history, the laws of classical conditioning apply to all species. D Certain species are biologically predisposed to learn particular associations that enhance their survival. E Biological reinforcers foster learning more quickly than do environmental reinforcers.

D Certain species are biologically predisposed to learn particular associations that enhance their survival.

Emiko's cat often meows for food. Emiko decides to eliminate the behavior by feeding the cat only when it does not meow. Over the next few weeks, she sometimes ignores the cat when it meows. Other times, she feeds the cat when it meows. Which of the following is the most reasonable prediction to make about the cat's meowing for food? A It will disappear due to extinction. B It will decrease overall but not extinguish. C It will remain unchanged due to a continuous schedule of reinforcement. D It will increase due to a variable schedule of reinforcement. E It will increase due to positive punishment.

D It will increase due to a variable schedule of reinforcement.

Taking a painkiller to relieve a toothache is behavior learned through which of the following processes? A Shaping B Punishment C Positive reinforcement D Negative reinforcement E Omission training

D Negative reinforcement

For extinction to occur, which of the following must be true of the conditioned response (CR), the conditioned stimulus (CS), and the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) ? A The CR occurs after the CS but does not occur after other stimuli. B The CR occurs after a stimulus that is similar to the CS. C The CS and the UCS are repeatedly paired, and the CR gains strength. D The CS is repeatedly presented in the absence of the UCS, and the CR loses strength. E When the CR loses strength, a rest period is given, after which the CS again elicits the CR.

D The CS is repeatedly presented in the absence of the UCS, and the CR loses strength.

A mental image of a spatial layout is called A an algorithm B a mental set C a heuristic D a cognitive map E insight

D a cognitive map

A cancer patient becomes nauseated following chemotherapy treatments. After a few treatments, the patient begins having a sick feeling whenever entering the treatment room. The treatment room has become A a primary reinforcer B a conditioned reinforcer C a neutral stimulus D a conditioned stimulus E an unconditioned stimulus

D a conditioned stimulus

The principles of operant conditioning are best illustrated by A exposing a client to anxiety-provoking stimuli B replacing a response to a stimulus with an alternative response C deep relaxation techniques D a token economy to reinforce adaptive behaviors E development of intrinsic motivation

D a token economy to reinforce adaptive behaviors

Edward L. Thorndike argued that responses that lead to satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated, and that responses followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to be repeated. This became known as the law of A reinforcement B associations C punishment D effect E outcomes

D effect

When a conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, a resulting decrease in the conditioned response is called A acquisition B incremental learning C discrimination D extinction E generalization

D extinction

Whenever Sarah's mother answered the phone, Sarah would yell for her mother's attention and her mother would end the phone conversation. Then Sarah's mother began ignoring Sarah's yelling and eventually Sarah stopped behaving that way. The change in Sarah's behavior is an example of A discrimination B response generalization C systematic desensitization D extinction E spontaneous recovery

D extinction

An individual's fear of dogs that is lost as the individual is exposed to dogs in nonthreatening situations is referred to by behaviorists as a fear that has been A satiated B suppressed C repressed D extinguished E punished

D extinguished

A child who learns that spoons are tableware and then correctly calls forks and knives tableware is demonstrating A rote learning B imitation training C discrimination training D stimulus generalization E classical conditioning

D stimulus generalization

Which of the following is an example of discrimination learning? A A pigeon trained to peck a red key sometimes pecks an orange key. B A four year old calls her aunt "Mommy." C A dog still salivates to the sound of a bell after ten trials of extinction. D A rat avoids an electric shock by responding to the light that always precedes it. E A dog trained to salivate to a particular tone does not salivate to any other tone.

E A dog trained to salivate to a particular tone does not salivate to any other tone.

The idea that the explanation for prejudice lies in children's modeling of their parents' prejudicial beliefs, emotions, and behaviors is most closely aligned with the theories of which of the following? A Lev Vygotsky B John B. Watson C Jean Piaget D B. F. Skinner E Albert Bandura

E Albert Bandura

Because studies of learning show that events occurring close together in time are easier to associate than those occurring at widely different times, parents should probably avoid which of the following? A Corporal punishment B Mild punishment C Consistent punishment D Inescapable punishment E Delay of punishment

E Delay of punishment

Kelly, a first-year student at a local university, is surprised at how easily she can locate the building and classroom for each of her classes on the first day of school. Kelly attributes her success to the campus tour she took the previous spring. Which of the following concepts best supports Kelly's belief? A Modeling B Spontaneous recovery C Classical conditioning D Stimulus generalization E Latent learning

E Latent learning

Which of the following kinds of learning is involved when a person displays a new behavior after watching someone else perform it? A Generalization B Latent learning C Insight learning D State-dependent learning E Observational learning

E Observational learning

Which of the following provides an effective explanation for the data above? (bar graph of violence & tv shows) A Operant conditioning B Classical conditioning C Prepared conditioning D Self-actualization E Observational learning

E Observational learning

The terms "modeling" and "imitation" are most closely associated with which of the following? A Classical conditioning B Gestalt theory C Hypothesis testing D Operant conditioning E Social learning theory

E Social learning theory

A technique that enables a person to control physiological responses that are normally involuntary, such as level of blood pressure, is known as A general adaptation B positive reinforcement C reward training D modeling E biofeedback

E biofeedback

In Ivan Pavlov's experiments in classical conditioning, the dog's salivation was A an unconditioned stimulus only B an unconditioned response only C a conditioned response only D both an unconditioned and a conditioned stimulus E both an unconditioned and a conditioned response

E both an unconditioned and a conditioned response

Dylan has difficulty solving a physics problem in class. The next day, he suddenly thinks of a solution to the problem as he is watching a friend play the guitar. The thought process that Dylan experienced is an example of A spontaneous recovery B social learning C discrimination D latent learning E insight learning

E insight learning

Individuals who believe that an unpleasant experience is unavoidable and therefore do nothing to change the course of events are exhibiting A self-actualization attributes B the fight-or-flight response C attributional deficits D cognitive dissonance E learned helplessness

E learned helplessness

The technique of strengthening behavior by reinforcing successive approximations is called A positive reinforcement B negative reinforcement C distributed practice D modeling E shaping

E shaping