Chapter 4 Review
PSYCH 315

1. Learning theorists have explained the formation and maintenance of a phobia in terms of

backward conditioning and positive reinforcement
classical conditioning and negative reinforcement
blocking and classical conditioning
negative reinforcement and punishment

2. The Law of Effect suggests that

practice produces learning
performance does not indicate learning
neither practice nor reward are important to learning
reinforcement affects behavior

3. According to Skinner

response leads to a satisfying state of affairs
behavior is controlled by its consequences
contiguity is another name for reinforcement
responses are elicited

4. A researcher is training rats to run down a maze for food. This situation is an example of instrumental conditioning because the researcher is

constraining the rats’ opportunity to respond for reinforcement
presenting am UCS without a CS
unable to observe exactly when learning takes place
conditioning the rats in a very unusual environment

5. All of the following factors except one increase the strength of secondary reinforcement. Which of the following statements does NOT pertain to the strengthening of secondary reinforcement?

increasing the number of pairings of a secondary reinforcer and a primary reinforcer strengthens the secondary reinforcer
once the secondary reinforcer is established, repeated presentations of the secondary reinforcer without the occurrence of the primary reinforcement strengthens the effect of the secondary reinforcer
as the magnitude of the primary reinforcer increases, the strength of the secondary reinforcer paired with the primary reinforcer also increases
as the interval of time between the presentation of the secondary reinforcer and the primary reinforcer increases, the strength of the secondary reinforcer decreases

6. People who pick lottery numbers hoping to win a large cash prize have their behavior regulated by a _______ schedule of reinforcement.

variable interval
fixed ratio
variable ratio
fixed interval

7. Scalloping is to _______ as procrastination is to _______

variable-interval; variable-ratio
variable-ratio; fixed-ration
fixed-interval; variable-interval
fixed-interval; fixed-ratio

8. Crespi (1942) conducted a classic study in which he varied the magnitude of reward given to rats after they ran a maze. Crespi also shifted the magnitude of reward such that one group of rats which had been given a moderate level of reward were switched to a low level of reward and another group of rats which had been given a low level of reward were switched to a moderate level of reward. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding Crespi’s finding?

as the magnitude of reward is increased, the running speed of the rats also increased
a shift from a low to a moderate level of reward is accompanied by a short-term elation or positive contrast effect
performance differences following shifts in reward magnitude indicate the influence of non-motivational factors upon behavior
a shift from a moderate to a low level of reward is accompanied by a short-term depression or negative contrast effect

9. Amsel (1958) proposed that extinction of an instrumental response for reward results in the subject experiencing frustration. In turn, the presence of frustration is assumed to produce

inhibitory properties that block the occurrence of behavior
reinforcing properties that allow for learning of new responses
motivational properties that activate the occurrence of competing behaviors
greater attention to the stimuli in the subject’s environment

10. The term, contingency management, has replaced the term, behavior modification, and means that

reinforcement and non-reinforcement are used to increase the frequency of appropriate behaviors and decrease the frequency of inappropriate ones
reinforcement is used to increase the frequency of appropriate behaviors and punishment is used to decrease the frequency of appropriate ones
reward is used to increase the frequency of appropriate behaviors and frustration is used to decrease the frequency of inappropriate ones
reinforcement in humans is distinct from reinforcement in nonhumans

Name:

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