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Operant Conditioning quiz #3 Flashcards

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Operant Conditioning quiz #3
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1/23
  • Can extinction be explained as negative punishment?
    No, extinction involves withholding reinforcement, while negative punishment involves removing a pleasant stimulus.
  • How can you tell if a stimulus is a reinforcer to a particular organism?
    If the stimulus increases the likelihood of the behavior it follows, it is a reinforcer for that organism.
  • What is true regarding learning through operant conditioning?
    Learning is shaped by the consequences of behavior, with reinforcement increasing and punishment decreasing behavior frequency.
  • What is the weakening of behavior by ignoring it or making sure it is not reinforced called?
    Extinction.
  • What is an example of operant conditioning?
    A child receives praise for sharing toys, increasing the likelihood of sharing in the future.
  • In operant conditioning, what does performing a reinforced behavior in a different situation mean?
    Generalization.
  • What is it called when reinforcement is withdrawn or not provided after a behavior?
    Extinction.
  • In the context of operant conditioning, what is a true statement about negative reinforcement?
    Negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus.
  • What is an example of negative punishment?
    Taking away a teenager's phone after they break curfew.
  • In operant conditioning, when does extinction occur?
    Extinction occurs when reinforcement is no longer provided for a previously reinforced behavior, leading to a decrease in that behavior.
  • How can superstitious behavior be produced according to operant conditioning principles?
    Superstitious behavior can be produced when a behavior is accidentally reinforced, leading the individual to repeat that behavior even though it is not causally related to the reinforcement.
  • In operant conditioning, when does extinction occur?
    Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by reinforcement, leading to a decrease in the frequency of that behavior.
  • What is a Skinner box and what is its purpose in operant conditioning research?
    A Skinner box, or operant conditioning chamber, is a controlled environment used to study animal behavior, where animals can perform specific actions (like pressing a lever) to receive reinforcement or punishment, allowing researchers to observe the effects of consequences on behavior.
  • What is the main idea of operant conditioning?
    The main idea of operant conditioning is that the consequences of an organism's actions—reinforcement or punishment—determine how likely the behavior is to be repeated in the future.
  • What is an example of operant conditioning?
    An example of operant conditioning is a rat learning to press a lever to receive food, or a child receiving praise for completing homework, both of which increase the likelihood of the behavior being repeated.
  • Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which what factor determines future behavior?
    Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which the consequences of behavior—such as reinforcement or punishment—determine the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.
  • Who is considered the father of operant conditioning?
    B.F. Skinner is considered the father of operant conditioning.
  • How do extinction procedures vary based on the behavior being targeted in operant conditioning?
    Extinction procedures in operant conditioning vary based on the type of reinforcement or punishment maintaining the behavior, requiring the removal of the specific consequence that sustains the behavior.
  • How does extinction of behavior maintained by positive reinforcement work in operant conditioning?
    Extinction of behavior maintained by positive reinforcement works by withholding the positive reinforcer after the behavior, leading to a decrease in that behavior over time.
  • In operant conditioning, what is the term for what occurs after a behavior?
    In operant conditioning, a consequence is what occurs after a behavior.
  • How does a consequence affect a person’s behavior according to operant conditioning?
    A consequence affects a person's behavior by either increasing it through reinforcement or decreasing it through punishment.
  • What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers in operant conditioning?
    Primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs (like food or shelter), while secondary reinforcers are learned associations with primary reinforcers (like money or grades).
  • What are the four types of consequences in operant conditioning and how do they differ?
    The four types of consequences are positive reinforcement (adding a stimulus to increase behavior), negative reinforcement (removing a stimulus to increase behavior), positive punishment (adding a stimulus to decrease behavior), and negative punishment (removing a stimulus to decrease behavior).