Question 1

Which of the following best describes the Law of Effect as proposed by Edward Thorndike?

Accepted Answer

Behaviors that lead to a reward are learned, while behaviors that lead to a perceived punishment are not learned.

Question 2

In operant conditioning, what is the primary difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

Positive reinforcement involves presenting a desirable stimulus, while negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior.

Question 3

A teacher gives a student a gold star for completing homework, which increases the likelihood the student will do homework again. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Positive reinforcement

Question 4

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of shaping in operant conditioning?

Accepted Answer

A rat is rewarded for each step it takes toward pressing a lever, gradually requiring more precise actions until it presses the lever.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a secondary (conditioned) reinforcer?

Accepted Answer

Money

Question 6

A parent takes away a teenager’s video game privileges after they miss curfew. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment

Question 7

Which schedule of reinforcement is most resistant to extinction?

Accepted Answer

Variable ratio

Question 8

In Skinner’s operant chamber (Skinner box), what is the purpose of using shaping?

Accepted Answer

To gradually guide the animal toward the desired behavior by reinforcing successive approximations

Question 9

Which of the following best distinguishes operant conditioning from classical conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning involves voluntary actions influenced by consequences, while classical conditioning involves automatic reflexive responses.

Question 10

A student studies for an hour and then allows themselves to play a video game as a reward. This is an example of which principle?

Accepted Answer

Premack Principle

Question 11

Which of the following equations best represents the three-term contingency in operant conditioning?

Accepted Answer

$Antecedent \rightarrow Behaviour \rightarrow Consequence$

Question 12

A rat receives a food pellet every 5th time it presses a lever. This is an example of which schedule of reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

Fixed ratio

Question 13

Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with the reward system in operant conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine

Question 14

What is the process called when a learned behavior decreases after reinforcement is no longer provided?

Accepted Answer

Extinction

Question 15

A child learns to tie their shoes by first learning to hold the laces, then cross them, and finally make a bow. This process is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Chaining

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of positive punishment?

Accepted Answer

Scolding a student for talking in class

Question 17

In Thorndike’s puzzle box experiment, what was the dependent variable measured?

Accepted Answer

The time required for the cat to escape the box

Question 18

Which of the following best describes habituation?

Accepted Answer

A process where a response to a repeated stimulus declines across time

Question 19

A slot machine pays out after an unpredictable number of lever pulls. This is an example of which reinforcement schedule?

Accepted Answer

Variable ratio

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why drugs that act quickly are more addictive than those that act slowly, according to operant conditioning principles?

Accepted Answer

Immediate reinforcement strengthens the association between the behavior and the reward.

Operant Conditioning and Behaviourism: Key Concepts and Applications

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