Unit 7
After exploring a complicated maze for several days, a rat subsequently ran the maze with very few errors when food was placed in the goal box for the first time. This performance illustrates:
latent learning
Jack finally takes out the garbage in order to get his father to stop pestering him. Jack's behavior is being influenced by:
negative reinforcement
Putting on your coat when it is cold outside is a behavior that is maintained by:
negative reinforcement
A response that leads to the removal of an unpleasant stimulus is one being
negatively reinforced
On an intermittent reinforcement schedule, reinforcement is given:
only some of the time
You teach your dog to fetch the paper by giving him a cookie each time he does so. This is an example of
operant conditioning
Reggie's mother tells him that he can watch TV after he cleans his room. Evidently, Reggie's mother is attempting to use ________ to increase room cleaning.
operant conditioning, secondary reinforcement, positive reinforcement
Shaping is a(n) ________ technique for ________ a behavior.
operant; establishing
A pigeon can easily be taught to flap its wings in order to avoid shock but not for food reinforcement. According to the text, this is most likely so because:
pigeons are biologically predisposed to flap their wings in order to escape aversive events and to use their beaks to obtain food.
Regarding theorists, operant conditioning is to ________ as classical conditioning is to ________.
BF skinner, Pavlov
One difference between classical and operant conditioning is that:
Classical conditioning is the relationship between stimuli, and operant is the behavior and consequences.
Punishment is a controversial way of controlling behavior because
behavior is not forgotten and may return, punishing stimuli often create fear, punishment often increases aggressiveness
Leon's psychology instructor has scheduled an exam every third week of the term. Leon will probably study the most just before an exam and the least just after an exam. This is because the schedule of exams is reinforcing studying according to which schedule?
fixed interval
You are expecting an important letter in the mail. As the regular delivery time approaches you glance more and more frequently out the window, searching for the letter carrier. Your behavior in this situation typifies that associated with which schedule of reinforcement?
fixed interval
Lars, a shoe salesman, is paid every two weeks, whereas Tom receives a commission for each pair of shoes he sells. Evidently, Lars is paid on a _____ schedule of reinforcement, and Tom on a _____ schedule of reinforcement.
fixed interval; fixed ratio
The "piecework," or commission, method of payment is an example of which reinforcement schedule?
fixed ratio
For operant conditioning to be most effective, when should the reinforcers be presented in relation to the desired response?
immediately after
In distinguishing between negative reinforcers and punishment, we note that:
in contrast to punishment, negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of a response by the termination of an aversive stimulus
Nancy decided to take introductory psychology because she has always been interested in human behavior. Jack enrolled in the same course because he thought it would be easy. Nancy's behavior was motivated by ________, Jack's by ________.
intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation
On-line testing systems and interactive software are applications of the operant conditioning principles of:
shaping and immediate reinforcement
After discovering that her usual route home was closed due to road repairs, Sharetta used her knowledge of the city and sense of direction to find an alternate route. This is an example of:
using a cognitive map
From a casino owner's viewpoint, which of the following jackpot-payout schedules would be the most desirable for reinforcing customer use of a slot machine?
variable ratio
The highest and most consistent rate of response is produced by a ________ schedule.
variable ratio
