Chapter 5 Basic Principles Of Operant Conditioning
1. Thorndike's explanation of the learning that took place in his puzzle box involved all of the
following except
a. the animal's knowledge
b. the animal's satisfaction
c. a strengthening of S-R connections
d. the law of effect
Answer: a
Rationale:
Thorndike's explanation focused on the relationship between the animal's behavior and its
consequences, emphasizing the law of effect, which states that behaviors followed by
satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated. Knowledge, in terms of cognitive
understanding, was not central to Thorndike's explanation of learning in the puzzle box.
2. A modern term for the law of effect is
a. reinforcement
b. classical conditioning
c. evolution
d. generalization
Answer: a
Rationale:
The law of effect essentially describes the principle of reinforcement, where behaviors that
are followed by rewards or positive consequences are more likely to be repeated. Thus,
"reinforcement" is the modern term that aligns with Thorndike's law of effect.
3. When photographing cats escaping their puzzle box, Guthrie and Horton found that
a. all cats learned to respond in the same way
b. a cat’s responses became more variable over trials
c. a cat’s responses became more consistent over trials
d. some cats never learned the escape response
Answer: a
Rationale:
Guthrie and Horton's findings indicated that all cats learned to respond in the same way when
escaping the puzzle box, suggesting a consistent pattern of behavior across subjects.
4. When photographing cats escaping their puzzle box, Guthrie and Horton found evidence
for
a. conditioned inhibition
b. spontaneous recovery
c. the stop-action principle
d. conditioned reinforcement
Answer: c
Rationale:
The stop-action principle refers to the phenomenon where behavior seems to freeze at the
moment when reinforcement occurs. This was observed in Guthrie and Horton's study when
photographing cats escaping the puzzle box.
5. Skinner's explanation of his superstition experiment made use of the concept of
a. interim behaviors
b. terminal behaviors
c. accidental reinforcement
d. none of the above
Answer: c
Rationale:
Skinner's explanation of superstition involved accidental reinforcement, where behaviors are
reinforced coincidentally rather than intentionally.
6. Experiments on superstitious behavior in humans have found
a. that adults cannot be fooled into developing superstitious behaviors in a laboratory setting
b. that children cannot be fooled into developing superstitious behaviors in a laboratory
setting
c. that if children are given periodic free reinforcers, they all develop the same superstitious
behavior
d. none of the above
Answer: d
Rationale:
Research has shown that both adults and children can develop superstitious behaviors under
certain conditions, suggesting that neither group is immune to such conditioning.
7. Experiments that repeated the basic procedure of Skinner’s superstition experiment found
a. no evidence that animals repeated similar behaviors trial after trial
b. evidence for adjunctive behaviors during the time between reinforce deliveries
c. evidence that one animal would learn a superstitious behavior by observing another animal
d. none of the above
Answer: d
Rationale:
Repeated experiments based on Skinner's superstition experiment did not specifically find
evidence for any of the given options, indicating the need for further research in this area.
8. The procedure of shaping usually involves
a. positive reinforcement
b. conditioned reinforcement
c. variability in behavior
d. all of the above
Answer: d
Rationale:
Shaping typically involves the use of positive reinforcement to gradually guide behavior
toward a desired outcome, often incorporating conditioned reinforcement and encouraging
variability in behavior as part of the shaping process.
9. Which of the following is an example of a conditioned reinforcer?
a. food
b. warmth
c. sexual stimulation
d. a good grade on an exam
Answer: d
Rationale:
A conditioned reinforcer is a stimulus that gains its reinforcing properties through association
with primary reinforcers. A good grade on an exam becomes reinforcing because it is
associated with other primary reinforcers like praise, recognition, or future opportunities.
10. In a percentile schedule of reinforcement,
a. a higher and higher percentage of responses receive reinforcement as training proceeds
b. a lower and lower percentage of responses receive reinforcement as training proceeds
c. a fixed percentage of responses receive reinforcement as training proceeds
d. the percentage of responses that receive reinforcement depends on how well the subject
performs
Answer: c
Rationale:
In a percentile schedule of reinforcement, a fixed percentage of responses receive
reinforcement regardless of the subject's performance, distinguishing it from other
reinforcement schedules where reinforcement is contingent on specific criteria being met.
11. What makes shaping such a useful technique in behavior modification is that it
a. relies on instinctive behaviors
b. produces behavior changes that are permanent
c. can be used to produce behaviors the learner has never displayed before
d. does not require the use of reinforcement
Answer: c
Rationale:
Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior until the target
behavior is achieved. This process allows for the development of new behaviors that the
learner has not previously exhibited. By reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the
desired behavior, shaping enables the learner to ultimately display the desired behavior, even
if it has never been demonstrated before.
12. Unlike a discrete trial procedure, the free operant procedure involves
a. a response that the subject can perform at any time
b. just about any response the experimenter decides to examine
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b
Answer: a
Rationale:
In a free operant procedure, the subject can perform the response at any time, as opposed to a
discrete trial procedure where responses are typically prompted by specific cues or
instructions from the experimenter. This freedom allows for the observation and analysis of
behaviors occurring naturally within the subject's environment.
13. Which of the following is not part of the three-term contingency?
a. operant response
b. reinforcer
c. discriminative stimulus
d. conditioned stimulus
Answer: d
Rationale:
The three-term contingency consists of three components: the discriminative stimulus
(antecedent), the operant response (behavior), and the reinforcer (consequence). The
conditioned stimulus is not part of this contingency; it is a component of classical
conditioning, not operant conditioning.
14. If a response is reinforced, then reappears when another response is extinguished, this is
called
a. spontaneous recover
b. resurgence
c. disinhibition
d. generalization
Answer: b
Rationale:
Resurgence refers to the reappearance of a previously reinforced behavior when another
behavior, which had become dominant due to reinforcement, is extinguished. This
phenomenon highlights the complex dynamics of behavior change and the potential for
previously learned behaviors to resurface under certain conditions.
15. Money is an example of
a. a primary reinforcer
b. a generalized reinforcer
c. an unconditioned stimulus
d. none of the above
Answer: b
Rationale:
Money serves as a generalized reinforcer because its value is acquired through its association
with various primary reinforcers (such as food, shelter, or social approval). It can be
exchanged for a wide range of goods and services, making it a versatile reinforcer across
different contexts and behaviors.
16. A stimulus that occurs in the middle of a response chain serves as
a. a conditioned reinforcer
b. a discriminative stimulus
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b
Answer: c
Rationale:
A stimulus that occurs in the middle of a response chain can serve both as a discriminative
stimulus, signaling the opportunity for reinforcement, and as a conditioned reinforcer if it has
been paired with reinforcement in the past. This dual function highlights the interplay
between discriminative stimuli and conditioned reinforcers in shaping behavior.
17. In a response chain, the weakest response is usually
a. the response at the beginning of the chain
b. the response at the end of the chain
c. the last response the individual learns
d. the first response the individual learns
Answer: a
Rationale:
In a response chain, the weakest response is typically the one at the beginning of the chain
because it has not yet been reinforced through successive learning trials. As the chain
progresses, responses become more strongly associated with reinforcement, leading to
stronger performance of later responses in the chain.
18. All of the following can be observed in both classical and operant conditioning except
a. extinction
b. spontaneous recovery
c. generalization
d. none of the above (that is, all three can be observed in both)
Answer: d
Rationale:
Extinction, spontaneous recovery, and generalization are principles that apply to both
classical and operant conditioning. Extinction involves the decrease in a behavior's frequency
when reinforcement is withheld, spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of an extinguished
behavior after a delay, and generalization is the tendency for a learned response to occur to
similar stimuli. These phenomena occur in both types of conditioning paradigms.
19. From the perspective of traditional reinforcement principles, the most puzzling finding
made by the Brelands in their animal training was that
a. their animals had difficulty learning outside the laboratory
b. their animals had difficulty learning sequences of behavior
c. their animals exhibited behaviors that delayed the reinforcer
d. their animals exhibited various instinctive behavior patterns
Answer: c
Rationale:
The Brelands observed that their trained animals often exhibited behaviors that delayed or
interfered with the delivery of reinforcement, contrary to traditional reinforcement principles
which suggest that animals should quickly learn to perform behaviors that lead to
reinforcement. This finding challenged the simplistic view of reinforcement and highlighted
the complexity of behavior in real-world contexts.
20. The Brelands usually observed "instinctive drift" in their animals
a. early in training
b. after a response had been successfully learned
c. during extinction
d. when the animals were not highly motivated to work for food
Answer: b
Rationale:
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency for animals to revert to their species-specific instinctive
behaviors, interfering with operant conditioning processes, particularly after a response has
been successfully learned through reinforcement. This phenomenon often becomes apparent
as animals perform behaviors that are more typical of their natural behaviors, causing a drift
away from the trained responses.
21. Autoshaping will not be observed unless
a. illumination of the key light predicts an upcoming food delivery
b. a peck at the key produces immediate food
c. a peck at the key produces a darkening of the key light
d. all of the above
Answer: a
Rationale:
Autoshaping, also known as sign tracking, occurs when an organism's behavior is shaped by
the presence of a predictive stimulus, such as the illumination of a key light preceding a food
delivery. In autoshaping, the organism's behavior becomes associated with the predictive
stimulus, leading to behaviors like approaching or interacting with the stimulus. In this
scenario, option a is correct because it directly aligns with the definition of autoshaping,
where the key light serves as a signal for an upcoming food delivery. Options b and c do not
accurately describe the conditions necessary for autoshaping to occur.
22. The different topographies of a pigeon's autoshaped key pecks with food and water
reinforcers are most consistent with the theory that these behaviors are
a. superstitious behaviors
b. operant responses
c. classically conditioned responses
d. adaptive to environmental contingencies
Answer: c
Rationale:
The different topographies of a pigeon's autoshaped key pecks with food and water
reinforcers suggest that these behaviors are classically conditioned responses. Autoshaping
involves the association of a neutral stimulus (such as the key light) with a biologically
significant event (such as food or water delivery), leading to the development of a
conditioned response (such as pecking at the key). Option c is correct because it aligns with
the fundamental principle of classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus becomes
associated with an unconditioned stimulus, eliciting a conditioned response. Options a, b, and
d do not adequately explain the observed phenomena of autoshaping in this context.
23. The biggest problem with the superstition explanation of autoshaped behaviors is that
a. autoshaped responses persist even when each response cancels the reinforce delivery
b. the autoshaped response is sometimes very different from the unconditioned response to
the reinforcer
c. the form of the autoshaped response varies with the type of reinforcer that is used
d. autoshaped responses do not disappear with extensive training
Answer: a
Rationale:
The persistence of autoshaped responses even when each response cancels the reinforcement
delivery contradicts the superstition explanation. Superstitious behavior typically arises when
an organism associates a random behavior with a reinforcement, leading to the persistence of
that behavior. However, in autoshaping, the response persists even when it does not lead to
reinforcement, indicating a different underlying mechanism. Option a highlights this
inconsistency, making it the correct choice. Options b, c, and d do not address the
fundamental issue with the superstition explanation.
24. The biggest problem with the classical conditioning explanation of autoshaped behaviors
is that
a. there is no autoshaped responding if the key illumination is a redundant stimulus
b. the autoshaped response is sometimes very different from the unconditioned response to
the reinforcer
c. the form of the autoshaped response varies with the type of reinforcer that is used
d. autoshaped responses do not disappear with extensive training
Answer: b
Rationale:
The biggest problem with the classical conditioning explanation of autoshaped behaviors is
that the autoshaped response can sometimes be very different from the unconditioned
response to the reinforcer. Classical conditioning typically involves the association between a
neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response that
closely resembles the unconditioned response. However, in autoshaping, the response may
not directly resemble the unconditioned response, suggesting that classical conditioning alone
may not fully account for the phenomenon. Option b correctly identifies this discrepancy,
making it the most suitable choice. Options a, c, and d do not adequately address this
particular issue.
25. Regarding the topic of biological constraints on learning, today most learning theorists
believe that
a. it is not possible to discover general principles of learning
b. different general principles of learning are needed for different species
c. different general principles of learning are needed for different categories of behavior
d. many behaviors are controlled by a mixture of learning and hereditary factors
Answer: d
Rationale:
Today, most learning theorists acknowledge that many behaviors are controlled by a mixture
of learning and hereditary factors, indicating a nuanced understanding of biological
constraints on learning. This recognition suggests that both environmental and genetic
influences play significant roles in shaping behavior. Option d accurately reflects this
perspective, making it the correct choice. Options a, b, and c oversimplify the relationship
between biology and learning, failing to acknowledge the complex interplay between genetic
predispositions and environmental influences.
Test Bank for Learning and Behavior
James E. Mazur
9780205864812, 9780205246441
