UNIT 4
Whenever Teal would come home after her curfew, her parents would take away her car keys and not allow her to drive her car for a week. Teal's coming home after curfew behavior significantly decreased. When Teal turned 18, her parents decided that she was old enough that they shouldn't have to take away her keys when she came home late. Teal rate of coming home late increased soon after her parents stopped taking away her keys. This exemplifies: A)Respondent extinction B)Spontaneous recovery C)Operant extinction D)Recovery from punishment
D)Recovery from punishment In recovery from punishment, a previously punished behavior is strengthened by withholding punishment. In the above example, coming home past curfew was previously punished by the removal of car keys. When punishment was discontinued, coming home past curfew was strengthened.
Peter used to turn on and off the light switch very frequently. When this happened, the lights would go on and off in the room. One day, his mother decided to disconnect the light switch. Now, when Peter manipulates the switch, the lights do not go on or off in the room. After a couple of days, Peter stopped "playing" with the light switch. Which critical attribute of operant extinction is demonstrated by the fact that when Peter manipulates the light switch nothing happens now? A)The behavior has to be "weakened" B)None of these are attributes of operant extinction C) The behavior has to have been previously reinforced D)Reinforcement has to be withheld each and every time the behavior occurs
D)Reinforcement has to be withheld each and every time the behavior occurs The fact that when Peter manipulates the light switch nothing happens now illustrates the disruption of the response-reinforcer contingency. It describes the extinction procedure.
Cynthia is a 70-year old woman who lacks self-care skills. Recently, when group home staff persons ask her to take her nightly shower, she threatens the staff with such phrases as, "I'll scratch your eyes out!" Staff persons usually quickly walk away, and Cynthia does not take a shower that evening. Cynthia has been making these threats for several months (since she had a bad sunburn on her shoulders last summer), and her skin hygiene is becoming an increasing problem. Cynthia's threats are most likely maintained by: A)Socially mediated positive reinforcement B)Automatic positive reinforcement C)Automatic negative reinforcement D)Socially mediated negative reinforcement
D)Socially mediated negative reinforcement The person issuing the demand ("take shower") removes the demand, so it is socially mediated; the demand is removed contingent on the threat, so it is "negative"; the behavior is being maintained over time, so it is being reinforced. This all adds up to socially mediated negative reinforcement. But look also at the etiology of this: It has been happening for several months, ever since Cynthia was sunburned. Shower water probably hurt her shoulders at that time, so the shower task became highly aversive. Now she avoids it, even when the sunburn pain will no longer intensify, contingent on the shower water hitting it.
Operant selection consists of all of the following processes, except: A)Selected responses are repeated (reproduced) over time B)Specific responses are strengthened or weakened by contingent consequences C)Behavioral variation occurs naturally D)The person selects which response to emit, based on environmental conditions
D)The person selects which response to emit, based on environmental conditions The person does not select! The environment selects, via consequences.
Which of the following is the most likely example of an unconditioned punisher? (Note: you are the behaver in each scenario) A)You walk down a dark city alleyway, and your money is stolen by a mugger B)You do not finish your work and get fired from your job C) You say something stupid and experience an angry look from your significant other D)You look away from your work and bang your finger with a hammer
D)You look away from your work and bang your finger with a hammer An angry look, getting fired, and being robbed need to acquire the capacity to punish behavior. Therefore, they are not unconditioned punishers. Pain from a hit from a hammer does not have to be learned.
A schedule of reinforcement specifies all of the following, except the: A)number of responses which must occur prior to the delivery of a reinforcer. B)interval of time after which a response is eligible for reinforcement. C)All of these are specified by a schedule of reinforcement. D)amount of reinforcers that are delivered contingent on a response
D)amount of reinforcers that are delivered contingent on a response A schedule of reinforcement can specify the interval of time after which a response is eligible for reinforcement. For example, if you wait 3 minutes and then ask a question, you will receive an answer (this is an "3-min interval" schedule of reinforcement). A schedule of reinforcement can also specify a number of responses that need to occur for a reinforcer to be delivered. For example, if you complete 5 math problems, you will get a star on your paper (this is a 5 response "fixed-ratio" schedule of reinforcement). Schedules of reinforcement do not specify parameters of reinforcement (e.g., quantity, magnitude, duration).
"An irritant or aversive antecedent condition must exist whose removal would be reinforcing." This statement must be true in order for: A) Negative reinforcement to occur B) Both positive and negative reinforcement C) Positive reinforcement to occur D) Neither positive nor negative reinforcement
A) Negative reinforcement to occur Positive reinforcement is defined as a stimulus, which follows a behavior and results in the increase or maintenance of that behavior in the future. However, negative reinforcement requires an antecedent aversive stimulus to be already present before the behavior occurs. Thus, this stimulus by its very presence, establishes its own termination as a form of reinforcement. In other words, it is reinforcement by relief from an already existing condition.
Jubal comes home from his first day in 3rd grade. "Hey Mom," he says, "guess what. The teacher gave us homework! Can I go out to play?" His mother says, "Well, Jubal, you are a big boy now, and remember what a struggle it was getting you to finish your little bit of homework last year. So, here is the new rule. You can go out to play, but only after you have finished all of your homework." "Aw, Mom!!!" Over time Jubal completes his homework every day, without a problem. This is an example of: A) The Premack Principle B) Behavior momentum C) Behavior contrast D) Unconditioned automatic reinforcement
A) The Premack Principle When access to a high probability behavior (playing) is made contingent on a low probability behavior (doing homework), the low probability behavior will increase in frequency. Playing is a form of learned, i.e., conditioned reinforcement.
Rocco loves potato chips more than any other food. Rocco will do chores just to earn potato chips. One day, Rocco gets a sore throat. He does his homework, and as usual, his mom tries to give him his earned bag of potato chips, but he refuses them, and asks instead for a cup of hot tea with honey and lemon. This exemplifies which of the following statements? A) What is reinforcing under some circumstances may not always be reinforcing B)Reinforcement works only sometimes. Other times it does not work C)Rocco probably grew out of his preference to earn potato chips D)Reinforcers reinforce the person, not the behavior.
A) What is reinforcing under some circumstances may not always be reinforcing The reinforcing effect of any stimulus is subject to many variables. Even unconditioned reinforcers (such as water) will not always function to reinforce specific behaviors (for example, if you have just drunk a quart of water, more water will probably not reinforce any specific behavior at that moment. The other statements are incorrect: Reinforcers do NOT reinforce the person—they DO reinforce specific behavior under specific circumstances. Reinforcement ALWAYS works, by definition, since reinforcement is a process, not a thing, and the process means that to be called "reinforcement" it must have had a strengthening effect. Finally, there is not indication that Rocco "grew out of" anything here.
Willie is 16-years old, and mows lawns in his neighborhood for $20. Most of the yards are about 100 feet by 50 feet, or 5000 square feet (minus the size of the house). Mr. Rodney also wants his yard mowed for $20, but his yard is on top of a hill, and is 200 feet by 100 feet (or 20,000 square feet, minus his large house). Will says it will cost more to mow, but Mr. Rodney insists on $20 only, and calls Willie lazy upon his refusal to do it for $20. Willie mows it one time, but refuses to ever do it again. His refusal is most likely based on which of the following? A)Response effort has an influence on the effectiveness of a reinforcer B)Mr. Rodney is a cheap old man and Willie does not like working for him c)Willie does not want $20. D)Willie is lazy and wants to do the least amount of work possible
A)Response effort has an influence on the effectiveness of a reinforcer There are several variables that affect reinforcer effectiveness, including the response effort necessary to earn the reinforcer. Willie works, and the idea he is lazy is both ludicrous a hypothetical construct. Rodney may be cheap, but this does not affect the relative value of the reinforcement. Willie clearly wants the $20 since he mows other yards, but the amount of work necessary to complete Mr. Rodney's yard outweighs the value of the $20 bill.
Two-year-old Julianna is learning to use the toilet. When she is in the bathroom, and she "sits and urinates" into the toilet, her Mom provides her lots of praise and attention. When she is in the living room, or at the dinner table, or in the car, her Mom does not provide attention or praise for "sitting and urinating". Which of the following most accurately represents this scenario? A) S-R-S B) R-S C) S-S-R D)S-R
A)SRS This is a basic 3-term contingency. In the bathroom (S)—sitting and urinating (R) - results in praise and attention (S). The initial "S" is important since where Julianna is when she engages in the behavior is an important factor in whether or not the reinforcer is delivered for the response.
When Chris has her dive mask on, and she opens her eyes up while swimming underwater in the ocean around Hawaii, she can see very clearly. When she does not have her dive mask on, and she opens her eyes up underwater in that same area of ocean, she cannot see much at all. Which of the following represents this contingency? A)S—R—S B)R—S C)R—S—R D)S—R
A)S—R—S Dive mask on (stimulus condition 1) open eyes (response) see clearly (consequent stimulus 1). Dive mask off (stimulus condition 2) open eyes (response) no clear vision (consequent stimulus 2). The antecedent stimulus condition is linked to the likelihood of the consequent contingency (see clearly, or not). This is the 3 term contingency statement. S—R is the respondent paradigm. R—S is an operant contingency statement, but does not take the antecedent condition into account. R—S—R is not typically used to denote anything, but could be something like the middle section of a behavior chain, which does not apply here.
Which of the following is NOT a critical attribute of reinforcement? A)The environmental change is something the person likes B)The environmental change is contingent on the response C)The environmental change occurs immediately following the response D)All of these are critical attributes of reinforcement
A)The environmental change is something the person likes A person does not have to like something for it to function as a reinforcer. You may be in a desert, dying of thirst - and may have to drink the blood of a lizard to survive. You do not have to like it for it to be a reinforcing stimulus (i.e., you do it once and then you do it again and again). However, the reinforcing stimulus must come immediately after the response, and be in a contingent relationship with that response.
Radical behaviorism extended behavioral science to include the analysis of all of the following areas, except: A) The behavior of the scientist B) Analysis of dreams c) Private events, including emotions D) Verbal behavior
B) Analysis of dreams. The analysis of "deeper meaning of dreams" has been going on at least since biblical times, and the attempt to look at this semi-scientifically was pioneered by Freud and Jung well before Skinner. However, radical behaviorism does not consider dream analysis as a valid scientific endeavor, since it does not meet the test of at least one of the basic assumptions of science: it is purely interpretive, and is not based on direct observation of the phenomenon of interest. Rather, it relies on verbal reports of dimly remembered private events (which verbal reports ARE, by the way, subject to behavior analytical assessment).
Thorndike's experiments demonstrated that A)Dogs learn more quickly than cats when food is involved B) Cats learn from consequences of their actions C)Rats' wheel running behavior is related to antecedent signaling D)Pigeons peck more often when deprived of food
B) Cats learn from consequences of their actions All of the other answers are pure fiction. Thorndike's experiment was using cats, and timing their latency to tripping a mechanism to open their cage. The latency decreased as the cat gained experience.
Poohbear used to lick anything that was coated with honey. One day, he licked a beehive. He was stung all over his face by bees. The taste of honey was immediately paired with the searing pain of multiple bee-stings. Now, when Pooh tastes honey immediately following any behavior, that behavior decreases in the future. The taste of honey now functions as: A) Conditioned Negative Reinforcer B) Conditioned Punisher C)Unconditioned Negative Reinforcer D)Unconditioned Punisher
B) Conditioned Punisher The taste of honey became a punisher through the pairing with an unconditioned punisher (bee-sting). We can tell that the taste of honey became a punisher because it decreases the future frequency of anything that precedes it. In other words, any response that results in Poohbear taste of honey will be weakened.
An unconditioned punisher is a stimulus that: A)Has been unconditioned as a punisher via unpairing B) Does not have to acquire the capacity to punish behavior C) Has lost the capacity to punish behavior D)Has to acquire the capacity to punish behavior
B) Does not have to acquire the capacity to punish behavior An unconditioned punisher is a stimulus that does not have to acquire the capacity to punish behavior (it is due to phylogenic provenance). Unconditioned means "no learning needed", not that conditioning was somehow undone. An unconditioned stimulus exerts a particular influence without having to acquire that capacity - it naturally has that capacity as part of the phylogenic provenence of the behaver.
Matt drinks beer when he is around his friends, but when he is with Stacey on a date, he does not drink beer. He only drinks wine around her. The change in the reinforcer effectiveness of the beer is a result of: A) competing reinforcers B) Environmental context C)Response effort D)Deprivation and satiation
B) Environmental context The value of the beer does not change as a result of deprivation and satiation. The value of the beer does not change due to the amount of effort involved. The value of the beer does not change in relation to competing reinforcers (e.g., when wine is available). The value of the beer changes as a result of the situation or the context (in the context of a date, the beer is not as valuable).
Operant extinction consist of: A)A delayed and semi-permanent decrease in the rate of responding as a result of the passage of time B)A delayed and semi-permanent decrease in the rate of responding as a result of discontinuing reinforcement C)An immediate and momentary decrease in the rate of responding when there is no opportunity for the behavior to occur D)An immediate and momentary decrease in the rate of responding when a particular antecedent is present (such as the threat of punishment)
B)A delayed and semi-permanent decrease in the rate of responding as a result of discontinuing reinforcement Extinction is not a decrease in responding as a function of the passage of time (this is considered "forgetting"). Extinction is not a decrease in responding when an antecedent is present (this is considered an abative effect). Extinction is not a decrease in responding when there is no opportunity for behavior to occur (an example of this could be response blocking). Extinction consists of a decrease in the rate of responding, due to a specific procedure: the discontinuation (i.e., withholding) of reinforcement. This effect is delayed but semi-permanent.
Skinner was responsible for all of the following, except: A)Radical behaviorism B)An analysis of multiple functions of unconditioned stimuli C)The analysis of verbal behavior D)The experimental analysis of behavior
B)An analysis of multiple functions of unconditioned stimuli Pavlov was responsible for the basic discoveries of respondent conditioning, the area of behavior analysis where unconditioned stimuli are studied. Jack Michael expanded Pavlov's analysis to look at multiple functions of respondent stimuli.
Which of these could be an operant? A)A bright light eliciting a blink B)Reaching up and turning off a lamp, which terminates a bright light. C) Salivating in response to a bright light D)All of the above
B)Reaching up and turning off a lamp, which terminates a bright light. Operants are NOT stimuli, nor are they reflex responses (and every conditioned response is a reflex response, by definition). Operants are responses which are not reflex responses, which have an effect on the environment, and are under the control of both antecedents and consequences. The bright light which elicits the blink is an unconditioned response. Salivating in response to a light would be an example of a conditioned response. Reaching up and turning off a light is under the control of the antecedent (the light), and the consequence (the termination of the light), so it is an operant.
Avoidance behavior ____________: A)Terminates an unconditioned or strongly conditioned aversive stimulus. B)Terminates a warning stimulus (a type of conditioned aversive) C)Is under the control of negative punishment, and prevents further punishment D)Is evoked by a conditioned antecedent punishment stimulus
B)Terminates a warning stimulus (a type of conditioned aversive) Escape behavior terminates an unconditioned aversive: the bad thing is already happening, and escape behavior makes it go away. Punishment of any kind occurs after a behavior and weakens that behavior. Avoidance behavior is reinforced by delay or prevention of the onset of the significantly worsened condition (that is threatened). Only the warning stimulus is terminated.
Cody is a puppy who loves to play with other dogs at the dog park. Sometimes he gets frisky and mounts other dogs. Whenever he does this, Catalina pulls him aside, away from the other dogs, for 5 minutes. Over time, his mounting of other dogs has decreased. This procedure best resembles: A) Time-out from punishment B)Time-out from positive reinforcement C)Time-out from negative reinforcement D)Operant extinction
B)Time-out from positive reinforcement Time-out from positive reinforcement involves the removal of an appetitive stimulus (presumably a reinforcer). In this example, playing with other dogs is the appetitive stimulus that gets removed contingent on target behavior (mounting other dogs).
Which of the following terms refer(s) to a situation in which a previously available consequence no longer occurs following a behavior? X = Recovery from punishment Y = Extinction Z = Negative Reinforcement A)None; all of these describe a situation wherein a previously available consequence no longer follows a behavior. B)X and Y but not Z C)Z only D)X only
B)X and Y but not Z Negative reinforcement is NOT the withholding of anything as a consequence: it is the removal of an existing stimulus following a behavior, which results in that behavior increasing or maintaining in the future. Extinction is the withholding of reinforcement (i.e., a situation in which a previously available reinforcing consequence no longer follows a behavior), whether that form of reinforcement was positive (something "good" added) or negative (something "bad" taken away) - and of course, the words "good" and "bad" are not technical behavioral terms. Recovery from punishment is the withholding of punishment, whether that form of punishment was positive(something "bad/aversive" was added) or negative (something "good/appetitive" was taken away).
Which of the following is not a variable that affects reinforcer effectiveness? A)Species-specific biological preparedness B)Deprivation and satiation C)Intrinsic value D)Environmental context
C) Intrinsic value The effectiveness of reinforcers is not due to their intrinsic value. Their value is extrinsic, even for unconditioned reinforcers. For example, ingesting water can function as an unconditioned positive reinforcer under certain states of deprivation, but not under certain states of satiation.
Read the following definition: "Reinforcement: An environmental change that follows a response and increases the future frequency of that response." What word is missing from that definition? A) Negative B) Positive C) Maintains D) Unconditioned
C) Maintains Reinforcement can either increase OR maintain a behavior. This definition subsumes both positive and negative reinforcement, and unconditioned and conditioned reinforcement.
Little Albert, a 2 year old boy, is in Dr. John's lab. Whenever Dr. John held out a fuzzy bunny, little Albert would reach for the bunny and, upon grabbing it, would cuddle with it. Now, each time little Albert reaches for the bunny, Dr. John's assistant uses a metal hammer to strike a large metal bar, near to but out of sight from little Albert, making a loud noise (CLANG!!). This causes Albert to flinch intensely and then cry. Soon, whenever Dr. John holds out the fuzzy bunny, little Albert no longer reaches out and grabs the bunny, but keeps his hands down. This decrease in his reaching out behavior in the presence of the bunny is best conceptualized as: A) Operant reinforcement B) Respondent extinction C) Operant behavior D) Respondent behavior
C) Operant behavior n this question, an unconditioned stimulus (loud clang) is paired with the presentation of a bunny (a neutral stimulus in relation to the reflex response), so that the bunny becomes a conditioned stimulus, eliciting the conditioned reflex response (flinching/crying). HOWEVER, the response in question is NOT the flinching and crying, but the reaching out and grabbing the bunny! Reaching out and grabbing is NOT a reflex response. There is no unconditioned stimulus that elicits "reaching out" behavior. The loud clang has punished his reaching and grabbing in the presence of the fuzzy bunny. Punishment is a consequential operation—and the behavior that has been decreased is therefore an operant behavior that has been altered by consequences.
______ behavior is under the control of __________. A) Operant; antecedents only B) Respondent; antecedents and consequences C) Operant; antecedents and consequences D) Operant; consequences only
C) Operant; antecedents and consequences Respondent behavior is defined by a strict S—R relationship. The "S" is the antecedent stimulus that controls the occurrence of the response. But operant behavior is defined within an S—R—S relationship: The response is governed by both the antecedent that evokes it and, more importantly, by the contingency relationship between the response and the consequence that follows it. That consequence leads to a strengthening or weakening of the response over time.
Which of the following is not a critical attribute of operant extinction? A)Reinforcement has to be withheld each and every time the behavior occurs B)The behavior has to be "weakened" C) Pairing has to be withheld each and every time a stimulus occurs D)The behavior has to have been previously reinforced
C) Pairing has to be withheld each and every time a stimulus occurs There needs to be a contingency of reinforcement before extinction can occur. The procedure that leads to operant extinction is withholding reinforcement for behavior every time, and this leads to a decrease in the frequency of responding (behavior is "weakened). Unpairing does not lead to operant extinction...it leads to respondent extinction.
Which of these events (in bold) is NOT likely to be a conditioned reinforcer? A)A smartphone app that you use to remotely control your thermostat B) An ornate Chinese fan you use to cool off C) Returning to a normal temperature when you remove your winter coat (inside a warm house) D)All of these are examples of conditioned reinforcers
C) Returning to a normal temperature when you remove your winter coat (inside a warm house) The Chinese fan, and the smartphone app are both learned stimuli - and thus by definition, are conditioned - and are likely to function as reinforcers under some circumstances, (especially when you are overheated). However, temperature regulation of the body (e.g. getting cooler when hot, warmer when cold) is an unconditioned reinforce, due to our genetic endowment.
Which of the following are NOT types of consequences? X = Unconditioned and conditioned stimuli Y = Unconditioned and conditioned negative reinforcement Z = Unconditioned and conditioned positive punishment A) None; all are types of consequences B) X and Z C) X only D) Y and z
C) X only Unconditioned and conditioned stimuli are not consequences! These terms are only used to describe antecedent eliciting stimuli in respondent relationships
Marshall bangs his head on walls. When asked why he has said (very rarely), "Head hurt. Light bad". He had tears in his eyes when he said this. Marshall's doctor believes he may have migraine headaches. Additionally, direct care staff persons have noticed that after a short duration of head banging, he often stops banging, smiles, laughs and resumes activity engagement (e.g., watching TV). His behavior analyst believes that when Marshall bangs his head, his headache pain may be lessened. Assuming that his behavior analyst has drawn the correct conclusion, head banging behavior is most likely maintained by: A)Socially mediated negative reinforcement B)Automatic positive reinforcement C)Automatic negative reinforcement D)Socially mediated positive reinforcement
C)Automatic negative reinforcement With automatic reinforcement, the response produces the reinforcing consequence directly, without the mediation of another person. In this example, Marshall's head bangs attenuate (reduce) pain. Therefore, head-bang behavior obtains automatic negative reinforcement.
You complete an important project and hand it to your boss. Immediately, he praises you and tells you what a great job you have done. In the future, you continue completing projects. The effect that praise had on completing projects illustrates: A) Conditioned negative reinforcement B)Unconditioned negative reinforcement C)Conditioned positive reinforcement D) Unconditioned positive reinforcement
C)Conditioned positive reinforcement The behavior in this scenario is completing a project. The consequence for completing a project is receiving praise. Since the consequence consists of receiving praise, something is added, it is positive (onset or magnification). Receiving praise has to acquire the capacity to reinforce behavior. Since the reinforcing effect is due to ontogenic provenance, it is conditioned.
Which of the following describes the environmental change in the "withholding" of a consequence? A)Withdraw B)Offset or attenuation C)No change D)Onset or magnification
C)No change Withholding means making no change. It is a word that is sometimes incorrectly confused with the word, "withdraw"; but withdraw means to "subtract", meaning to either attenuate (reduce) a stimulus, or remove the stimulus (offset). Withhold means to "not provide".
Which of the following is the very simplest type of operant contingency? A)S—R—S B)A—B—C C)R—S D)S—R
C)R-S The S—R relationship is explored in the respondent paradigm. Skinner did stress the importance of antecedents in the analysis of operant contingencies (thus, identifying the S—R—S contingency string of events). However, the very simplest operant contingency is the one that refers to a behavior followed by a contingent consequence, regardless of the antecedent condition: R—S. This type of simple contingency is important (as you will see later) in distinguishing between such procedures as differentiation versus discrimination.
Which of the following is a correct way to use the term punishment? A)Russell punished his dog B)All of these are correct ways to use the term punishment C)Russell's contingent application of water spray punished his dog climbing on the sofa D)Russell punished his dog climbing on the sofa
C)Russell's contingent application of water spray punished his dog climbing on the sofa Remember that what gets punished is behavior, not the organism. So, it would be incorrect to say something like Russell punished his dog. Also, keep in mind that what punished climbing on the sofa is the contingent application of water spray, not Russell.
When the opportunity to engage in a high probability behavior is made contingent on first engaging in a low probability behavior, the low probability behavior increases along some dimension over time. This is a technical definition of: A)Behavior contrast B)Behavior momentum C)The Premack principle D)Socially-mediated reinforcement
C)The Premack principle This is definitional. Behavior momentum is the likelihood of low probability behavior to occur after a series of higher probability behaviors are prompted and reinforced. Behavior contrast is the change in a behavior in one environment as a result of a change in consequential arrangements in another environment. Socially mediated means "through the mediation of another person".
Which of the following is not a type of reinforcement? A)Unconditioned positive reinforcement (SR+) B) Conditioned positive reinforcement (Sr+) C)Unconditioned respondent reinforcement (SrR) D) Conditioned negative reinforcement (Sr-)
C)Unconditioned respondent reinforcement (SrR) Reinforcement is unconditioned or conditioned (certain consequences function as reinforcers without prior learning, others require pairing). Reinforcement is positive or negative (the presentation of, or termination of specific consequences can reinforce behavior). Reinforcement is automatic or socially mediated (requires the mediation of another person, or does not). However, reinforcement is an operant process; there is no such thing as "respondent reinforcement" (respondents are strictly under the control of antecedent stimuli—consequences have no effect).
I pair praise with edibles, toys, fun activities, etc. Eventually, praise delivered contingently after a wide variety of different behaviors results in an increase in that behavior. This is evidence that praise now functions as a: A) Conditioned stimulus B) Unconditioned reinforcer C) Conditioned conditioner of a conditioned conditioner (CC/CC) D) Generalized conditioned reinforcer
D) Generalized conditioned reinforcer A conditioned stimulus refers to an antecedent in a respondent relation. CC/CC refers to one of the functions of a conditioned stimulus in high order respondent conditioning. Praise as a reinforcer is due to an organism's learning history and is therefore not an unconditioned reinforcer. Praise, in this example, has been paired with a variety of reinforcers, and its effectiveness as a reinforcer generalizes.
Which type of selection always occurs during the life of an individual organism? A) Natural selection B) All of these always occur in the life of a single individual C) Cultural selection D) Operant selection
D) Operant Selection Natural selection occurs over the span of the species evolution (and relates to phylogenic provenance); cultural selection occurs across generations in regard to cultural practices; operant selection occurs through selection of behavior via consequences (and relates to ontogenic provenance).
A conditioned punisher is conditioned through: A)Intent B)Consequences C)Repetition D) Pairing
D) Pairing A conditioned punisher acquires its punishing properties from being paired with unconditioned punishers or powerful conditioned punishers. The pairing must occur as a consequential operation, but the conditioning operation must be a pairing operation, not just a consequence. Repetition helps, but again, conditioning can occur after only one pairing operation, so repetition is not the key variable. Intent is irrelevant.
Little Albert, a 2 year old boy, is in Dr. John's lab. Dr. John held out a fuzzy bunny to little Albert and Dr. John's assistant uses a metal hammer to strike a large metal bar, making a loud noise (CLANG!!). This causes Albert to flinch intensely, and then cry. Soon, whenever Dr. John holds out the fuzzy bunny to little Albert, he flinches and cries immediately, without any hammer strike being made to the metal bar. Little Albert's flinching and crying in reaction to the presentation of the bunny (without hearing the CLANG sound) is best understood as: A)Instrumental learning B)Learning through consequences C)Operant behavior D) Respondent behavior
D) Respondent behavior In this question, an unconditioned stimulus (loud clang) is paired with the presentation of a bunny (a neutral stimulus in relation to the reflex response), so that the bunny becomes a conditioned stimulus, eliciting the conditioned reflex response (flinching/crying). A conditioned response is, by definition, respondent behavior. Instrumental learning, operant behavior and learning through consequences are all related to operant conditioning processes.
Which of the following is NOT an operant response? A) Thinking about sneezing B) None of these are operants C) Spitting out food that is too peppery D) Sneezing in reaction to pepper
D) Sneezing. in reaction to pepper Sneezing in response to pepper is a reflex response (autonomic physiological response to an external stimulus), so therefore is a respondent not an operant response. You may ask, can thoughts be classifiable as operants? Yes, even though operants are typically defined by movements of the skeletal frame via the muscles. Thoughts (as private behavior) can have effects on the environment through a chain of behavior that often ends in some public response(s). The environmental effects that follow thoughts, whether internal or external, can strengthen or weaken the likelihood of that thought in the future. As such, thoughts are subject to long term change based on consequences. Remember - operant behavior is under the control of both antecedents and consequences. Spitting out food is not a reflex response: where is the unconditioned reflex for "spitting"? However, when overly peppered food hits your tongue, the taste is unpleasant, and when you spit it out, the unpleasant taste is removed/reduced.
Which of the following is a critical attribute of reinforcement? A)The stimulus change usually requires some form of explanation of the contingency to the behaver B) The stimulus change is something the person likes, regardless of its long term effect C)The stimulus change comes within a few minutes after the response D) The stimulus change is contingent on the response
D) The stimulus change is contingent on the response The reinforcing stimulus change must be contingent on the response. The change must also be immediate, not within a few minutes. The long term effect on behavior is what determines whether the stimulus change has functioned as a reinforcer or not. Also, a person does not have to like something for it to function as a reinforcer. You may be in a desert, dying of thirst - and may have to drink the blood of a lizard to survive. You do not have to like it for it to be a reinforcing stimulus (i.e., you do it once and then you do it again, and again). No explanation of the contingency in necessary for the contingency to work.
Which of the following terms describe the sudden and temporary reappearance of a previously reinforced behavior, which has then been reduced by extinction? A)Respondent spontaneous recovery B)Negative Reinforcement C)Recovery from punishment D)Operant spontaneous recovery
D)Operant spontaneous recovery This is definitional. Respondent spontaneous recovery relates to the reappearance of a conditioned reflex response. Negative reinforcement is the removal of an antecedent aversive; recovery from punishment is the increase in a behavior that is no longer being punished.
"Organisms can learn through consequences". This statement best reflects which of the following? A) Pavolv's Respondent conditioning B) The behavior altering effects of reinforcement C)Thorndike's law of effect D)The function altering effects of antecedents
Thorndike's law of effect This one is definitional. Also, antecedents are behavior-altering, while consequences are function-altering. Pavlov did not study the effect of consequences on behavior.
