Chapter 8

Question 1

condition relation

Answer 1

a relation in which the significance of one stimulus or event depends on the status of another stimulus

Question 2

configural-cue approach

Answer 2

An approach to the analysis of stimulus control which assumes that organisms respond to a compound stimulus as an integral whole rather than a collection of separate and independent stimulus elements. (Compare with the stimulus-element approach.)

Question 3

descriptive stimulus

Answer 3

a stimulus that controls the performance of instrumental behavior because it signals the availability (or lack of) of reinforcement

Question 4

excitatory generalization gradient

Answer 4

A gradient of responding that is observed when organisms are tested with the S+ from a discrimination procedure and with stimuli that increasingly differ from the S+. Typically the highest level of responding occurs to the S+; progressively less responding occurs to stimuli that increasingly differ from the S+. Thus, the gradient has an inverted-U shape.

Question 5

facilitation

Answer 5

a procedure in which one cue designated when another cue will be reinforced. Also called occasion setting

Question 6

intradimentional discrimination

Answer 6

A discrimination between stimuli that differ only in terms of the value of one stimulus feature, such as color, brightness, or pitch.

Question 7

modulator

Answer 7

A stimulus that signals the relation between two other events. A modulator may signal that a CS will be followed by a US or that an instrumental response will be reinforced. The modulator is part of a conditional relation in which the status of a binary relation depends on the status of the modulator.

Question 8

multiple schedule of reinforcement

Answer 8

A procedure in which different reinforcement schedules are in effect in the presence of different stimuli presented in succession. Generally, each stimulus comes to evoke a pattern of responding that corresponds to whatever reinforcement schedule is in effect during that stimulus.

Question 9

negative patterning

Answer 9

A discrimination procedure in which reinforcement is provided when each of two stimuli appear by themselves (A+ and B+) but not when the two stimuli appear simultaneously (AB–)

Question 10

occasion settng

Answer 10

same as facilitation

Question 11

overshadowing

Answer 11

interference with the conditioning of a stimulus because of the simultaneous presence of another stimulus that is easier to condition

Question 12

peak-shade effect

Answer 12

A displacement of the highest rate of responding in a stimulus generalization gradient away from the S+ in a direction opposite the S–.

Question 13

positive patterning

Answer 13

A discrimination procedure in which reinforcement is provided when two stimuli (A and B) are presented simultaneously (AB+) but not when those stimuli appear by themselves (A– and B–).

Question 14

stimulus discrimination

Answer 14

differential responding in the presence of two or more stimuli

Question 15

stimulus discrimination training

Answer 15

Training with a stimulus discrimination procedure that results in stimulus discrimination.

Question 16

stimulus discrimination procedure (in classical conditioning)

Answer 16

(in classical conditioning) A classical conditioning procedure in which one stimulus (the CS+) is paired with the US on some trials and another stimulus (the CS–)
is presented without the US on other trials. As a
result of this procedure, the CS+ comes to elicit a
conditioned response and the CS– comes to inhibit
this response.

Question 17

stimulus discrimination procedure (in instrumental conditioning)

Answer 17

A procedure in which reinforcement for responding is available whenever one stimulus (the S+, or SD) is present and not available whenever another stimulus (the S–, or SΔ) is present.

Question 18

stimulus-element approach

Answer 18

An approach to the analysis of control by compound stimuli which assumes that participants respond to a compound stimulus in terms of the stimulus elements that make up the compound. (Compare with the configural-cue approach.)

Question 19

stimulus equivalence

Answer 19

Responding to physically distinct stimuli as if they were the same because of common prior experiences with the stimuli.

Question 20

stimulus generalization gradient

Answer 20

A gradient of responding that is observed if participants are tested with stimuli that increasingly differ from the stimulus that was present during training. (See also excitatory generalization gradient.)