Ch 4: Practice Test

Question 1

_______ is defined as a process in which a behavior is strengthened by the immediate _______ that reliably follows its occurrence.

Answer 1

Reinforcement, consequence

Question 2

To say that a behavior is strengthened means that the behavior is more likely to _______ again in the future or that it will increase in _______ , _______ , _______ , or _______ in the future.

Answer 2

occur frequency, duration, intensity, speed

Question 3

A behavior that is strengthened through the process of reinforcement is called a(n) _______ behavior.

Answer 3

operant

Question 4

An _______ behavior acts on the _______ to produce a consequence and in turn is controlled by, or occurs as a result of, its _______ consequence.

Answer 4

operant, environment, immediate

Question 5

Positive reinforcement is when the occurrence of a behavior is followed by the _______ of a stimulus or an _______ in the intensity of a stimulus which results in the strengthening of the behavior.

Answer 5

addition, increase

Question 6

Negative reinforcement is when the occurrence of a behavior is followed by the _______ of a stimulus or a decrease in the intensity of a stimulus which results in the _______ of the behavior.

Answer 6

removal, strengthening

Question 7

Kevin’s behavior of giving his girlfriend a compliment was _______ reinforced with a kiss, and therefore, Kevin was more likely to compliment his girlfriend in the future.

Answer 7

positively

Question 8

Bonnie’s behavior of reaching over and turning off her alarm clock was _______ reinforced by the removal of the aversive buzzing, thus strengthening her behavior of turning off the clock when it buzzes.

Answer 8

negatively

Question 9

Negative reinforcement _______ or ________ a behavior.

Answer 9

increases, strengthens

Question 10

Punishment _______ or _______ a behavior.

Answer 10

decreases, weakens

Question 11

In negative reinforcement, the stimulus that is removed or avoided following the behavior is called a(n) _______ stimulus.

Answer 11

aversive

Question 12

The buzzer on the alarm clock is a(n) _______ stimulus that is removed when you turn off the alarm clock.

Answer 12

aversive

Question 13

An _______ reinforcer is a reinforcer that requires no training or conditioning to develop as a reinforcer.

Answer 13

unconditioned

Question 14

Examples of unconditioned positive reinforcers are

Answer 14

food, water, sexual stimulation

Question 15

Examples of unconditioned negative reinforcers are

Answer 15

pain, cold, heat, discomforting/aversive stimulation

Question 16

An unconditioned reinforcer is also called a

Answer 16

primary reinforcer

Question 17

A conditioned reinforcer is also called a

Answer 17

secondary reinforcer

Question 18

A conditioned reinforcer is a stimulus that was once _____ but became established as a reinforcer by being paired with an _______ reinforcer or an already _______ conditioned reinforcer.

Answer 18

neutral, unconditioned, established

Question 19

The five factors that influence the effectiveness of reinforcement are

Answer 19

1. the immediacy
2. consistency of the consequence
3. Motivating operations
4. individual differences
5. magnitude of the consequence

Question 20

_______ refers to the temporal relationship between a response and a reinforcer. For a consequence to be most effective as a reinforcer, it should occur _______ after the behavior occurs.

Answer 20

Contiguity, immediately

Question 21

The longer the delay between the response and the consequence, the ____ effective the consequence will be because the _______ or _______ between the two is weakened.

Answer 21

less, contiguity, connection

Question 22

A contingency exists between the response and the consequence when the response produces the _______ and the consequence does not occur unless the _______ occurs first.

Answer 22

consequence, response

Question 23

Reinforcement is most effective when the reinforcer is _______ on the behavior.

Answer 23

contingent

Question 24

An _______ operation is an event that makes a reinforcer more potent.

Answer 24

establishing

Question 25

Give 2 examples of an establishing operation

Answer 25

1. food will be a more powerful reinforcer when a person hasn’t eaten all day.
2. Water will be a more potent reinforcer for someone who has just run a race than for someone who has been sitting on the porch drinking iced tea.

Question 26

An _______ operation is an event that makes a reinforcer less potent.

Answer 26

abolishing

Question 27

Give an example of an abolishing operation.

Answer 27

Completing a large meal makes food less reinforcing at that time.

Question 28

A stimulus can be said to function as a _______ for an individual if the behavior which produced the stimulus increases (is strengthened) in the future.

Answer 28

reinforcer

Question 29

A _______ schedule is one in which each occurrence of a response is followed by a reinforcer.

Answer 29

continuous reinforcement

Question 30

In an ________ schedule, each occurrence of the behavior is not followed by a reinforcer.

Answer 30

intermittent reinforcement

Question 31

A CRF schedule is used when a person is learning a behavior or engaging in the behavior for the _______.

Answer 31

first time

Question 32

Once the person has acquired or learned a behavior, a(n) _______ schedule is used so that the person continues to engage in the behavior.

Answer 32

intermittent reinforcement

Question 33

In _______ and _______ schedules, the delivery of the reinforcer is based on the number of responses that occur.

Answer 33

fixed ratio (FR), variable ratio (VR)

Question 34

In a _______ ratio schedule of reinforcement, a specific number of responses must occur before the reinforcer is delivered.

Answer 34

fixed

Question 35

In a _______ ratio schedule, the number of responses required for reinforcement changes each time around an average number.

Answer 35

variable

Question 36

In fixed _______ and variable _______ schedules, a response is reinforced only after a period of time has passed.

Answer 36

interval, interval

Question 37

Ratio schedules are _____ likely to be used in training programs, because they produce ______ and more _____ rates of responding.

Answer 37

more, higher, steady