Key to Ch 6 Review Questions

6.1 What is Learning?

Which of the following is an example of a reflex that occurs at some point in the development of a human being?

child riding a bike
teen socializing
infant sucking on a nipple
toddler walking

C

Learning is best defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that ________.

is innate
occurs as a result of experience
is found only in humans
occurs by observing others

B

Two forms of associative learning are ________ and ________.

classical conditioning; operant conditioning
classical conditioning; Pavlovian conditioning
operant conditioning; observational learning
operant conditioning; learning conditioning

A

In ________ the stimulus or experience occurs before the behavior and then gets paired with the behavior.

associative learning
observational learning
operant conditioning
classical conditioning

D

Critical Thinking Questions

Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning. How are they alike? How do they differ?

Both classical and operant conditioning involve learning by association. In classical conditioning, responses are involuntary and automatic; however, responses are voluntary and learned in operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, the event that drives the behavior (the stimulus) comes before the behavior; in operant conditioning, the event that drives the behavior (the consequence) comes after the behavior. Also, whereas classical conditioning involves an organism forming an association between an involuntary (reflexive) response and a stimulus, operant conditioning involves an organism forming an association between a voluntary behavior and a consequence.

What is the difference between a reflex and a learned behavior?

A reflex is a behavior that humans are born knowing how to do, such as sucking or blushing; these behaviors happen automatically in response to stimuli in the environment. Learned behaviors are things that humans are not born knowing how to do, such as swimming and surfing. Learned behaviors are not automatic; they occur as a result of practice or repeated experience in a situation.

6.2 Classical Conditioning

A stimulus that does not initially elicit a response in an organism is a(n) ________.

unconditioned stimulus
neutral stimulus
conditioned stimulus
unconditioned response

B

In Watson and Rayner’s experiments, Little Albert was conditioned to fear a white rat, and then he began to be afraid of other furry white objects. This demonstrates ________.

higher order conditioning
acquisition
stimulus discrimination
stimulus generalization

D

Extinction occurs when ________.

the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
the unconditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with a conditioned stimulus
the neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
the neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without being paired with a conditioned stimulus

A

In Pavlov’s work with dogs, the psychic secretions were ________.

unconditioned responses
conditioned responses
unconditioned stimuli
conditioned stimuli

B

Critical Thinking Questions

If the sound of your toaster popping up toast causes your mouth to water, what are the UCS, CS, and CR?

The food being toasted is the UCS; the sound of the toaster popping up is the CS; salivating to the sound of the toaster is the CR.

Explain how the processes of stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination are considered opposites.

In stimulus generalization, an organism responds to new stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus. For example, a dog barks when the doorbell rings. He then barks when the oven timer dings because it sounds very similar to the doorbell. On the other hand, stimulus discrimination occurs when an organism learns a response to a specific stimulus, but does not respond the same way to new stimuli that are similar. In this case, the dog would bark when he hears the doorbell, but he would not bark when he hears the oven timer ding because they sound different; the dog is able to distinguish between the two sounds.

How does a neutral stimulus become a conditioned stimulus?

This occurs through the process of acquisition. A human or an animal learns to connect a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. During the acquisition phase, the neutral stimulus begins to elicit the conditioned response. The neutral stimulus is becoming the conditioned stimulus. At the end of the acquisition phase, learning has occurred and the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus capable of eliciting the conditioned response by itself.

6.3 Operant Conditioning

________ is when you take away a pleasant stimulus to stop a behavior.

positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement
positive punishment
negative punishment

D

Which of the following is not an example of a primary reinforcer?

food
money
water
sex

B

Rewarding successive approximations toward a target behavior is ________.

shaping
extinction
positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement

A

Slot machines reward gamblers with money according to which reinforcement schedule?

fixed ratio
variable ratio
fixed interval
variable interval

B

Critical Thinking Questions

What is a Skinner box and what is its purpose?

A Skinner box is an operant conditioning chamber used to train animals such as rats and pigeons to perform certain behaviors, like pressing a lever. When the animals perform the desired behavior, they receive a reward: food or water.

*What is the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?

In negative reinforcement you are taking away an undesirable stimulus in order to increase the frequency of a certain behavior (e.g., buckling your seat belt stops the annoying beeping sound in your car and increases the likelihood that you will wear your seatbelt). Punishment is designed to reduce a behavior (e.g., you scold your child for running into the street in order to decrease the unsafe behavior.)

*What is shaping and how would you use shaping to teach a dog to roll over?

Shaping is an operant conditioning method in which you reward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior. If you want to teach your dog to roll over, you might reward him first when he sits, then when he lies down, and then when he lies down and rolls onto his back. Finally, you would reward him only when he completes the entire sequence: lying down, rolling onto his back, and then continuing to roll over to his other side.

6.4 Observational Learning (Modeling)- Dr. Costa's favorite!

The person who performs a behavior that serves as an example is called a ________.

teacher
model
instructor
coach

B

In Bandura’s Bobo doll study, when the children who watched the aggressive model were placed in a room with the doll and other toys, they ________.

ignored the doll
played nicely with the doll
played with tinker toys
kicked and threw the doll

D

Which is the correct order of steps in the modeling process?

attention, retention, reproduction, motivation
motivation, attention, reproduction, retention
attention, motivation, retention, reproduction
motivation, attention, retention, reproduction

A

Who proposed observational learning?

Ivan Pavlov
John Watson
Albert Bandura
B. F. Skinner

C

Critical Thinking Questions

What is the effect of prosocial modeling and antisocial modeling?

Prosocial modeling can prompt others to engage in helpful and healthy behaviors, while antisocial modeling can prompt others to engage in violent, aggressive, and unhealthy behaviors.

Cara is 17 years old. Cara’s mother and father both drink alcohol every night. They tell Cara that drinking is bad and she shouldn’t do it. Cara goes to a party where beer is being served. What do you think Cara will do? Why?

Cara is more likely to drink at the party because she has observed her parents drinking regularly. Children tend to follow what a parent does rather than what they say.