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Chapter Six
Learning
Question
Classical conditioning is a form of learning
which is based on the association
between
a)
b)
c)
d)
two stimuli.
one stimulus and one response.
two responses.
rewards and punishments.
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Answer
Choice a is correct.
Classical conditioning involves repeatedly
pairing a neutral stimulus with a stimulus
that already triggers a reflexive response,
until the previously neutral stimulus alone
provokes a similar response. (Chapter 6,
Classical Conditioning: Learning Signals
and Associations section)
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Question
Your dog, Pavlov, runs quickly into the
kitchen any time you take out the can
opener. In this example, the can opener is
the ____________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
unconditioned stimulus
unconditioned response
conditioned stimulus
conditioned response
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Answer
Choice c is correct.
The conditioned stimulus is originally a
neutral stimulus that, via repeated
pairings with an unconditioned stimulus
(in this example, presumably, food), now
elicits a conditioned response (in this
example, running into the kitchen).
(Chapter 6, Pavlov’s Discovery section)
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Question
If you wanted to put Little Albert’s fear response
to the white rat through the process of
extinction, which of the following should you
do?
a) Give him candy whenever he encounters the
white rat.
b) Take away the loud noise whenever he
approaches the white rat.
c) Repeatedly present the white rat without the
loud noise.
d) Pair the white rat with the sound of the voice of
Little Albert’s mother.
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Answer
Choice c is correct.
Extinction involves the gradual disappearance
of a conditioned response (in this example,
Little Albert’s fear of the white rat). Extinction of
the conditioned response happens via the
repeated presentation of the conditioned
stimulus alone (white rat), without the
unconditioned stimulus (loud noise). (Chapter 6,
Conditioned Responses over Time: Extinction
and Spontaneous Recovery section)
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Question
While driving along, you hear the final song
from your senior prom. You immediately
experience a strong, positive emotional
response, despite not having heard that song or
having thought of your senior prom for several
years. This emotional reaction is similar to
which of the following classical conditioning
concepts?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus generalization
Stimulus discrimination
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Answer
Choice b is correct.
Spontaneous recovery involves the temporary
reappearance of a conditioned response after
extinction. Through its association with that
event (and the person with whom you attended
that event), the song has become a conditioned
stimulus that can evoke emotional responses
years later. (Chapter 6, Conditioned Responses
over Time: Extinction and Spontaneous
Recovery section)
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Question
Which of the following is a good example of
stimulus discrimination?
a) Your dog runs into the kitchen when you take
out the can opener, but not when you take out
the blender.
b) Your nephew squeals excitedly at the sound of
any song by the Wiggles.
c) You no longer wake up when your alarm clock
goes off each morning.
d) After being bitten by your neighbor’s
dachshund, you are now afraid of every dog
that you encounter.
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Answer
Choice a is correct.
Stimulus discrimination is a process through
which an organism learns to differentiate among
similar stimuli (the sounds of your actions in the
kitchen) and respond to each stimulus
appropriately (run into the kitchen when you
take out the can opener, but not when you take
out the blender). (Chapter 6, Stimulus
Generalization and Discrimination section)
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Question
The extra credit points that your instructor
gives you when you get this question
correct is an example of a(n)
____________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
positive reinforcer
negative reinforcer
operant response
discriminative stimulus
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Answer
Choice a is correct.
A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that
strengthens a response, if it follows that
response. Positive reinforcers can include
food, smiles, money, and other desirable
outcomes. (Chapter 6, Basic Components
of Operant Conditioning section)
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Question
When a person drinks a significant
amount of alcohol in order to forget about
his or her problems, we can say that this
drinking behavior is being maintained via
____________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
classical conditioning
stimulus discrimination
positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement
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Answer
Choice d is correct.
Negative reinforcement occurs when a
response is strengthened due to the fact
that that response terminates an aversive
stimulus (in this example, thinking about
his or her problems). (Chapter 6, Basic
Components of Operant Conditioning
section)
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Question
Shaping best explains which of the
following phenomena?
a) Your fear response when you hear the
sound of a dentist’s drill
b) Your putting on your seat belt in order to
make the light on your dashboard go out
c) Your dog’s cowering in fear whenever
you pick up a newspaper
d) The complex behaviors demonstrated
by the animals at Sea World
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Answer
Choice d is correct.
Shaping involves the reinforcement of
successive approximations of some final
desired response. Animal trainers use shaping
procedures to help animals learn to engage in
relatively complex behaviors, such as those
demonstrated by the animals at Sea World.
(Chapter 6, Forming and Strengthening Operant
Behavior section)
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Question
The points that you are given for
responding correctly to this question are
good examples of which of the following?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Primary reinforcers
Secondary reinforcers
Tertiary reinforcers
Discriminative stimuli
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Answer
Choice b is correct.
Secondary reinforcers are rewards that
organisms learn to like, typically via their
association with biologically important
needs. They are contrasted with primary
reinforcers, such as food and water,
which satisfy basic biological needs.
(Chapter 6, Forming and Strengthening
Operant Behavior section)
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Question
If you are paid by your employer on the
first day of each month, then your
behavior of showing up for work and
completing your tasks is being reinforced
via which of the following schedules of
reinforcement?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Fixed-ratio
Variable-ratio
Fixed-interval
Variable-interval
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Answer
Choice c is correct.
Fixed-interval schedules provide
reinforcement (in this example, a
paycheck) after some fixed time has
passed since the last reward (in this
example, one month). (Chapter 6,
Forming and Strengthening Operant
Behavior section)
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Question
Reinforcement always leads to a(n)
____________ in responding, whereas
punishment always leads to a(n)
____________ in responding.
a)
b)
c)
d)
increase; decrease
decrease; increase
decrease; decrease
increase; increase
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Answer
Choice a is correct.
Reinforcement, whether it is positive
reinforcement or negative reinforcement,
results in the strengthening of a response.
Punishment, in contrast, results in the
weakening of a response. (Chapter 6,
Punishment section)
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Question
Which of the following is NOT an example of
punishment?
a) Your parents take away your telephone
privileges because you failed your math test.
b) Your coach makes you run extra sprints after
practice because you showed up late for
practice.
c) The referee of your soccer match presents you
with a yellow card when you slide tackle an
opponent from behind.
d) You take medication to get rid of a migraine
headache.
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Answer
Choice d is correct.
Punishment results in the weakening of a
response. The first three examples would all
result in the decrease of the behavior’s
frequency. The final example depicts negative
reinforcement. In this instance, taking the
medication would increase in frequency
because it effectively removes an aversive
stimulus, namely, the headache. (Chapter 6,
Punishment section)
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Question
Training programs in certain occupations
that involve matching an apprentice with a
skilled or expert employee are most
closely connected to which of the
following types of learning?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Latent learning
Observational learning
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
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Answer
Choice b is correct.
Observational learning involves learning
by watching the behavior of others, such
as a skilled or expert employee.
Individuals learn to imitate the behavior of
models for appropriate behavior. (Chapter
6, Observational Learning: Learning by
Imitation section)
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