Chapter 2

Question 1

Independent Variable

Answer 1

The aspect of an experiment that is made to systematically vary across the different conditions in the experiment.

What is manipulated in an experiment

Question 2

Dependent Variable

Answer 2

The aspect of an experiment that is allowed to vary freely to see if it is affected by changes in the independent variable.

What we measure in an experiment

Question 3

Stimulus

Answer 3

Any event that can potentially influence behavior

Food, loud music, high grade on an exam

Question 4

Response

Answer 4

A particular instance of behavior

How you react to your neighbor playing loud music (bang on the wall), smile when you get a good grade

Behavior v.s. Response
-behavior of pressing a lever, each individual time the lever is pressed is the response

Question 5

Overt Behavior

Answer 5

Behavior that can potentially be observed by an individual other than the one performing the behavior.

Behavior that could be publicly observed if others were present

-a person’s response of saying hello and a rats response of pressing a lever

Behaviorists emphasize the study of overt (observable) behavior

Question 6

Covert Behavior

Answer 6

Behavior that can be perceived only by the person performing the behavior

Behavior that is subjectively perceived and is not publicly observable

-dreaming, thinking about your next chess move, visualizing how your date will go this weekend, and feeling anxious

Question 7

Appetitive Stimulus

Answer 7

An event that an organism will seek out

-food (seek out when hungry), water (when thirsty)

Question 8

Aversive Stimulus

Answer 8

An event that an organism will avoid

-electric shock, extreme heat

Question 9

Deprivation

Answer 9

The prolonged absence of an event

Question 10

Satiation

Answer 10

The prolonged exposure to or consumption of an event

Repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener
Perceived words as meaningless sounds.

Cessation of a desire or need by satisfaction of that desire or need.
-feeling full

Question 11

Contiguity

Answer 11

“Closeness or nearness”

Question 12

Temporal Contiguity

Answer 12

The extent to which events occur close together in time

• thunder and lightening
• rat will learn to press the bar sooner if given food immediately, kid will learn to cry to get candy if you give it to them to make them calm down

Question 13

Spatial Contiguity

Answer 13

The extent to which events are situated close to each other in space

It’s easier for a rat to learn to press the bar if food dispenser is near the bar
Learning knock is someone at the door sooner than learning door bell means the same thing, because the knock is closer to the actual door

Question 14

Contingency

Answer 14

A predictive (or functional) relationship between two events, such that the occurrence of one event predicts the probable occurrence of another

If a child receives a balloon every time they go to the dentist, the contingency exists between the balloon and visiting the dentist

Question 15

Recording Methods:

Rate of Response

Answer 15

The frequency with which a response occurs in a certain period of time.

Number of lever presses PER HOUR

Question 16

Recording Methods:

Cumulative Recorder

Answer 16

A classic device that measures the total number of responses over time and provides a graphic depiction of the rate of behavior

Roll of paper, steeper the line the higher rate of responses

Question 17

Recording Methods:

Intensity

Answer 17

The force or magnitude of the behavior.

Amount of saliva produced

Question 18

Recording Methods:

Duration

Answer 18

The length of time that an individual repeatedly or continuously performs a behavior

Increase study time, decrease tv time

Question 19

Recording Methods:

Speed

Answer 19

The length of time it takes for an episode of behavior to occur from start to finish

Question 20

Recording Methods:

Latency

Answer 20

The length of time required for a behavior to begin

How soon it takes the dog to start salivating after hearing the bell

Question 21

Recording Methods:

Interval Recording

Answer 21

The measurement of whether or not a behavior occurs during each interval within a series of continuous intervals

Every ten minutes, how often does a child perform aggressive behaviors in the class?

Question 22

Recording Methods:

Time Sample Recording

Answer 22

One measures whether or not a behavior occurs during each interval within a series of discontinuous intervals (intervals that are spaced apart)

Question 23

Recording Methods:

Topography

Answer 23

The physical form of the behavior

How the rat presses the level (which paw)
Teach a child to brush teeth, dress, write, etc.
teaching a dolphin to swim through a hoop

Question 24

Recording Methods:

Number of Errors

Answer 24

Any behavior in which responses can be categorized as right or wrong can be assessed in terms of the number of errors

How many wrong turns a rat takes before it finds its way through a maze
Number of errors on an exam

Question 25

Four advantages of using animals in research

Answer 25

1) ability to control genetic makeup
2) ability to control learning history
3) able to better control the experimental environment for animals than for humans
4) some research cannot be ethically conducted with humans

Question 26

Variable

Answer 26

Is a characteristic of a person, place, or thing that can change (vary) over time or from one situation to another.

-temperature, height/weight, marital status, age, hair color, preference for fun and friendship.