AP Psych Unit 4 learning Multiple choice examples

Four-year-old Della asks her mother for a special treat every time they go to the grocery store. At first her mother granted every request, but now she does so less consistently. Research suggests that Della will

continue to ask for a treat nearly every time she goes to the store

The way slot machines reward gamblers with money best illustrates

partial reinforcement

A fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement is one in which a response is reinforced only after a(n)

specified number of responses have been made

Question 4
Coffee shops that reward customers with one free cup of coffee after every ten coffee purchases are using a ________ reinforcement schedule.

Fixed ratio

Luana edits manuscripts for a publisher and is paid $25 for every three pages she edits. Luana is reinforced on a ________ schedule.

fixed ratio

Blake is a carpet installer who wants to be paid for each square foot of carpet he lays rather than with an hourly wage. Blake prefers working on a ________ schedule of reinforcement.

fixed ratio

A variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement is one in which a response is reinforced only after

an unpredictable number of responses have been made

Which of the following behaviors is typically reinforced on a variable-ratio schedule?

inserting coins into a slot machine

Purchasing state lottery tickets is reinforced with monetary winnings on a ________ schedule.

variable ratio

Asking for dates is most likely to be reinforced on a ________ schedule.

variable ratio

Glancing at the television in the next room in hopes of seeing the beginning of the evening news is likely to be reinforced on a ________ schedule.

fixed interval

A small-town radio disc jockey frequently announces how much money is currently in a jackpot. Every day several randomly selected residents are called and asked to identify the amount, and thereby win it. Those who keep track of the jackpot amount are most likely to be reinforced on a ________ schedule.

variable interval

A fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement is one in which a response is reinforced only after a(n)

specified time period has elapsed

An executive in a computer software firm works with his office door closed. At the same time every hour he opens the door to see what his employees are doing. The employees have learned to work especially hard during the five minutes before and while the door is open. Their work pattern is typical of responses that are reinforced on a ________ schedule.

fixed interval

A variable-interval schedule of reinforcement is one in which a response is reinforced only after a(n)

unpredictable time period has elapsed

On the first day of class, Professor Wallace tells her geography students that pop quizzes will be given at unpredictable times throughout the semester. Clearly, studying for Professor Wallace's surprise quizzes will be reinforced on a ________ schedule.

variable interval

Watching the night sky for shooting stars is likely to be reinforced on a ________ schedule.

variable interval

A choppy stop-start pattern of operant responding is associated with the ________ schedule of reinforcement.

fixed interval

A slow but steady rate of operant responding is associated with the ________ schedule of reinforcement.

variable interval

An event that decreases the behavior that precedes it is a

punishment

The introduction of a pleasant stimulus is to ________ as the withdrawal of a pleasant stimulus is to ________.

reinforcement and punishment

Which of the following is true of negative reinforcement and punishment?

Negative reinforcers increase the rate of operant responding; punishments decrease the rate of operant responding.

The introduction of an unpleasant stimulus is to ________ as the withdrawal of an unpleasant stimulus is to ________.

punishment and reinforcement

Myron quit gambling after he lost more than a thousand dollars betting on horse races. This best illustrates the effects of

punishment

A child who is punished for swearing at home but reinforced for swearing on the school playground is most likely to demonstrate a patterned habit of swearing that is indicative of

discrimination

Punishment is a potentially hazardous way for teachers to control young children's behaviors because

the use of punishment could condition children to fear and avoid school.

When 4-year-old Michael hit his sister, his Mom placed him in a time-out by having him stand in a corner for 4 minutes. A time-out is considered to be

negative punishment

Robert was late for school, so he parked in a space reserved for teachers. Later, when he went to get his car, he noticed a yellow parking ticket under the windshield wiper. The parking ticket would be considered

positive punishment

A young child who is spanked after running into the street learns not to repeat this behavior. In this case, the spanking is a

positive punishment

Revoking the driver's license of a reckless driver is intended to serve as a

negative punishment

For purposes of effective child-rearing, most psychologists favor the use of

reinforcement over punishment

Operant response rates remain highest when individuals anticipate that their behavior will actually lead to further reinforcement. This best illustrates the importance of ________ in operant conditioning.

cognitive processes

If rats are allowed to wander through a complicated maze, they will subsequently run the maze with few errors when a food reward is placed at the end. Their good performance demonstrates

latent learning

Some psychologists believe that rats develop mental representations of mazes they have explored. These representations have been called

cognitive maps

The best evidence that animals develop cognitive maps comes from studies of

latent learning

Studies of latent learning highlight the importance of

cognitive processes

Elijah has learned to expect that whenever he studies diligently for tests, he will receive good grades. This suggests that associative learning involves

cognitive processes

What type of learning sometimes occurs after an extended period of thinking about a problem but little or no direct, systematic interaction with the environment?

insight learning

Professor Kohler observed chimpanzees discover a novel way to reach a banana hung out of their reach. This scenario is most likely an example of which type of learning?

insight learning

Caroline was halfway through writing an essay for her English class, when she couldn't think of what to say next. She decided to stop working on the essay for a while. When she returned to her desk, she suddenly realized what she should write. Caroline's experience best illustrates

insight

The desire to engage in an activity for the sake of its own enjoyment involves

intrinsic motivation

Marcy grows roses for the sheer joy of it; Jennifer grows them to sell at a profit. Marcy's behavior reflects ________, whereas Jennifer's behavior reflects ________.

intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation

Promising people monetary rewards for doing what they already enjoy doing is most likely to undermine

intrinsic motivation

Using rewards to bribe people to engage in an activity they already enjoy is most likely to inhibit

intrinsic motivation

The desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment involves

extrinsic motivation

Caroline loves to read and enjoys looking up the meanings of words she does not know. In school, her teacher promises a gold star to students each time they learn a new word. The teacher's behavior is most likely to undermine

intrinsic motivation

Researchers trained pigs to pick up large wooden "dollars" and deposit them in a piggy bank. Instead of picking up the wooden discs, the pigs would drop them, push them with their snouts, and then pick them up to put them in the piggy bank. This behavior best illustrates

instinctive drift.

It is easier to train a dog to bark for food than to train it to stand on its hind legs for food. This best illustrates the importance of ________ in learning.

biological predispositions

It's easier to train a pigeon to peck a disk for a food reward than to flap its wings for a food reward. This illustrates the importance of ________ in learning.

biological predispositions

After pigs learned to pick up and deposit wooden coins in a piggy bank, the pigs subsequently dropped the coins repeatedly and pushed them with their snouts. This best illustrates the importance of ________ in operant conditioning.

biological predispositions

Animals tend to revert from newly learned habits to their biologically predisposed behaviors. This is an example of

instinctive drift

According to B. F. Skinner, human behavior is controlled primarily by

external influences

In explaining prosocial behavior, B. F. Skinner would most likely have emphasized

the beneficial consequences of prosocial behavior

B. F. Skinner's critics have claimed that he neglected the importance of the individual's

personal freedom

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be considered an important component of effective student instruction involving the use of interactive software?

respondent behavior

B. F. Skinner believed that teaching machines could promote effective learning because they allow for both

shaping and immediate reinforcement

Golf instruction that reinforces short putts before attempting to reinforce long putts best illustrates the process of

shaping

Alex learned how to make 3-point basketball shots by successfully making very short shots before shooting from increasingly longer distances from the hoop. This learning strategy best illustrates the process of

shaping

Tennis instruction that reinforces soft, short lobs over the net before attempting to reinforce hard, long, cross-court hits best illustrates the process of

Shaping

Mr. Schlenker has improved worker productivity at his furniture manufacturing plant by occasionally sending notes of appreciation to his hard-working employees. Mr. Schlenker has improved productivity by means of

operant conditioning

Two years ago, the de Castellane Manufacturing Company included its employees in a profit-sharing plan in which workers receive semi-annual bonuses based on the company's profits. Since this plan was initiated, worker productivity at de Castellane has nearly doubled. This productivity increase is best explained in terms of

operant conditioning

Compared with apartment dwellers whose landlords pay their electricity costs, those apartment dwellers who pay their own electric bills use less electricity. This most clearly illustrates that consumer electricity usage is influenced by

operant conditioning

Using an operant chamber, Skinner timed food pellets to drop every 15 minutes. If a rat was in a certain location just before the food was presented, the rat went to that location more frequently even though it was not directly tied to the appearance of food. Which of the following best explains this superstitious behavior?

Any behavior that is accidentally reinforced is more likely to be repeated.

Marvin happens to wear a red shirt when he takes a test he expects to fail. Surprisingly, he does well on the test, so he wears the red shirt every time he takes a test. Which of the following explains Marvin's superstitious behavior?

Any behavior that is accidentally reinforced is more likely to be repeated.

If a baseball player gets a hit after tapping the plate with the bat, he is more likely to repeat that behavior the next time he's up to the plate. Which of the following best explains this superstitious behavior?

Reinforced behavior, even if it is accidental, is more likely to be repeated.

To modify your own behavior using operant conditioning principles, you should

monitor and record the actual frequency of the operant behavior you wish to promote.

The results of early research on biofeedback were surprising because they indicated that people could learn to control bodily functions regulated by the

autonomic nervous system

Which of the following is an example of biofeedback?

Milos learns to relax by being provided with information on changes in his heart rate.

A psychologist would most likely use biofeedback to provide clients with information about their

muscle tension

The most important benefit of biofeedback is its capacity to

facilitate the relaxation response.

Neal Miller observed that rats decrease their heartbeat if they receive pleasurable brain stimulation when their heartbeat slows. This best illustrated that

biofeedback can facilitate control of autonomic nervous system functioning

Electronically recording, amplifying, and displaying information regarding subtle physiological responses is called

biofeedback

A learned association between a response and a stimulus is to ________ as a learned association between two stimuli is to ________.

operant conditioning; classical conditioning

Both classical and operant conditioning are forms of

associative learning

Classical conditioning involves a learned association between

two stimuli

A learned association between two stimuli is central to

classical conditioning

Operant conditioning involves a learned association between

behavior and its consequence

A learned association between a response and a consequence is central to

operant conditioning

Automatically blinking to an air puff is to ________ as raising your hand to answer a question is to ________.

classical conditioning and operant conditioning

After being classically conditioned to salivate to a tone, a dog continues to hear a tone but does not receive food; as a result, salivation will decrease, then disappear. A dog owner may use operant conditioning to train a dog to "sit" by presenting a treat each time the dog sits. However, the behavior may diminish if the treats are discontinued. Both examples illustrate

Extinction

Jeremy wears his baseball cap backward because he noticed his older brother does so. This illustrates the importance of

modeling

Dan and Joel, both 4-year-olds, have been watching reruns of "Superman" on television. Joel's mother recently found the boys standing on the garage roof, ready to try flying. What best accounts for the boys' behavior?

Observational learning

The tendency for children to imitate behaviors seen on television best illustrates the importance of

modeling

Our ability to learn by witnessing the behavior of others best illustrates

observational learning

Without any explicit training from adults, many 8-year-old children know how to turn the ignition key to start their parents' cars. This best illustrates the importance of

observational learning

The transmission of cultural fads and fashions best illustrates the impact of

observational learning

Rhesus macaque monkeys are more likely to reconcile after a fight if they grow up with forgiving older macaque monkeys. This best illustrates the impact of

observational learning

Chimpanzees learn foraging and tool use by observing other chimpanzees. This best illustrates

modeling

Which of the following factors most influences whether we will imitate a model?

whether the model is rewarded or punished

Researchers discovered that the regions of the frontal lobe activated when a monkey moves peanuts to its own mouth are also activated when the monkey simply observes other monkeys move peanuts to their mouths. This discovery pointed to the significance of

mirror neurons

Mirror neurons provide a biological basis for

observational learning

Which of the following become active both when people watch an action being performed and when they perform that action themselves?

mirror neurons

Which of the following are most clearly activated both by picking up a spoon and by simply watching another person pick up a spoon?

mirror neurons

Neuroscientists have discovered mirror neurons in the

frontal lobe adjacent to the motor cortex

Mirror neurons most clearly provide us with the capacity for

imitation

Children are helped by ________ to develop a theory of mind.

mirror neurons

The reduced imitative yawning displayed by people with autism is most directly related to their reduced levels of

mirror neuron activity

We find it harder to frown when viewing a smile than when viewing a frown. This can most clearly be attributed to

mirror neurons

In a well-known experiment, preschool children pounded and kicked a large inflated Bobo doll that an adult had just beaten on. This experiment served to illustrate the importance of

observational learning

Skinner is to shaping as Bandura is to

modeling