Chapter 4

Question 1

Define unconditioned reflex.

Answer 1

Reflex that is naturally innate to a person
1. hand twitching away when touching burning hot surface
2. Knee-jerk reflex

Question 2

Define conditioned reflex

Answer 2

a response elicited by a conditioned stimulus (CS) - the conditioned response of fear elicited by approaching the take off position because she had fallen multiple times

Question 3

What are two other names for respondent conditioning?

Answer 3

1. Pavlovian conditioning
2. Classical conditioning

Question 4

State the procedure and result of respondent conditioning

Answer 4

1. several pairings of a neutral stimulus (NS) and of an unconditioned stimulus (US) leading to a unconditioned response (UR),
2. results in a conditioned stimulus (CS)
3. approaching take off + bad fall & feeling of fear = approaching takeoff → feeling of fear

Question 5

Describe the procedure and result of extinction of a conditioned reflex (i.e respondent extinction)

Answer 5

repeated presentation of the CS by itself (no pairing to US), schoolkids running out the door when the bell rings, if you start enforcing them to stay calm for a reward they will lose the CS

Question 6

In respondent conditioning, what does each of the following stand for: NS, US, UR, CS, and CR?

Answer 6

1. NS = neutral stimulus
2. US = unconditioned stimulus
3. UR = unconditioned response
4. CS = conditioned stimulus
5. CR = conditioned response

Question 7

five variables that influence the development of a conditioned reflex.

Answer 7

1. the greater the number of pairings of a CS with a US, the greater the ability of the CS to elicit the CR
2. stronger conditioning if the CS PRECEDES the US by just a second
3. a CS acquires greater ability to elicit a CR if the CS is always paired with a given US
4. when several neutral stimuli precede a US, the stimulus that is most consistently associated with the US is the one most likely to become a strong CS
5. respondent conditioning will develop more quickly and strongly when the CS or US or both are intense

Question 8

distinguish between operant conditioning and Pavlovian conditioning

Answer 8

Operant conditioning is learning through consequences, with rewards or punishments for the behaviors
Pavlovian conditioning involves learning through association, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a reflexive response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally triggers that response.

Question 9

the procedure and result of positive reinforcement

Answer 9

reward follows a behavior, making it more likely to occur again. ie. giving praise for completing homework increases the chance of completing the homework again

Question 10

Define conditioned reinforcer.

Answer 10

unlike primary reinforcers (e.g., food, water, or shelter), it is a reinforcer that has been conditioned/learned
1. seeing a good time on the clock
2. getting a good jump

Question 11

Distinguish between a natural reinforcer and a deliberately-programmed reinforcer.

Answer 11

1. something naturally reinforced like eating when hungry - as opposed to something that can be adjusted to be reinforcing when done
2. natural reinforcer could be scoring a goal (only become programmed if adding a reward like candy)
3. deliberately programmed enforcer would be coach offering money for the players that work hard during practice

Question 12

sport example of positive reinforcement
illustrate the direct effect or indirect effect of positive reinforcement?

Answer 12

eating a candy after a hard interval - direct effect because it is within 30s

Question 13

Define the procedure and the result of operant extinction

Answer 13

doing the stimulus and the response but not getting the consequence will lead to doing the response during the stimulus less or not at all
leaning more far forward in race starts usually leads to better starts, but this time it does not, now the runner is less likely to do the same thing again

Question 14

What are two differences between the effects of continuous versus intermittent reinforcement?

Answer 14

1. Individuals are more likely to work much more consistently on intermittent reward schedules than continuous
2. intermittent rewarded behaviors take much longer to extinguish

Question 15

Define fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement

Answer 15

1. the reinforcement is after a set amount of the response
2. doing 10 reps of any exercise then getting the reinforcement - a drink/break

Question 16

Define fixed-ratio with a limited hold schedule of reinforcement

Answer 16

1. doing a FR with a limited hold (LH) is doing an amount within a certain time
2. doing 5 race starts within 5 minutes (FR 5/LH 5 minutes)

Question 17

Define variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement

Answer 17

1. a fixed amount that isn’t consistent/pre-determined by a specific number of responses
2. doing a feature correctly/perfectly, could happen on the next attempt or could take 10 or more

Question 18

Define fixed-duration schedule of reinforcement

Answer 18

1. doing a response for a certain amount of time
2. holding a plank for 3 mins - then get a break - FD 3 minute schedule

Question 19

Define variable interval schedule with a limited hold

Answer 19

1. a reward is available after an unpredictable amount of time, but only for a short window (limited hold)
2. at random intervals during the practice, the next player to make a three-point shot within the next minute will earn a reward

Question 20

Describe four categories (types) of punishers.

Answer 20

1. physical punishment - cold showers, holding an uncomfortable position for a period of time
2. reprimands - strong negative verbal stimuli
3. timeout - transferring individual from a more reinforcing to a less reinforcing situation following a particular behavior - put on the sidelines
4. response cost - removal of a specified amount of reinforcer following a particular behavior - player fines, points taken away by referee, disallowing a goal because a player was inside the crease

Question 21

List five troubling side effects of the use of punishment

Answer 21

1. can cause frustration and aggressive behavior
2. produce undesirable emotional side effects - nervousness and fear → interfere with skills
3. does not establish any new behavior - teaches what not to do
4. children are likely to model or imitate those who use punishment
5. cause the situation and people associated with the aversive stimulus to become conditioned punishers, thus an athlete may even quit the sport and even avoid other sports entirely

Question 22

Define escape conditioning

Answer 22

learn a response that allows escape from an aversive stimulus - squint to avoid the sun when walking from the dark into the light

Question 23

Describe two differences between punishment and escape conditioning.

Answer 23

1. escape conditioning is the opposite of punishment
   punishment: likelihood of a certain behavior is decreased as a result of punishment after the behavior (getting yelled at for doing something wrong)
   Escape Conditioning: likelihood of behavior increased as a result of punisher being terminated or removed after the behavior (skipping practice means no coach yelling at you)

Question 24

List three differences between operant behavior and respondent behavior

Answer 24

1. operant -
   voluntary behavior
   skeletal muscles
   emitted by individual
   response followed by reinforcer
2. respondent -
   reflexive
   smooth muscles and glands
   elicited by prior stimuli
   pairing of NS with an eliciting stimulus prior to a response

Question 25

Describe the procedure and result of both operant and respondent extinction

Answer 25

1. operant extinction procedure: a previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by reinforcement. The behavior was once reinforced (ie. rewarded), but now it no longer leads to the desired outcome. thus it will gradually disappear
2. Respondent Extinction Procedure: In respondent extinction, a CS that was previously paired with an US is repeatedly presented without the US. This weakens the CR over time. CR will decrease until it no longer appears