Extra exam prep 2

Question 1

Dr. Walsh is interested in seeing whether symptoms of depression can be manipulated using principles of CC. For several weeks of an experiment, he gives a group of patients sweetened soda that has a mood-enhancing drug in it and notices that symptoms of depression improve significantly. Then he removes the drug from the beverage and notices that the symptoms are still improved when patients consume the soda. What is the conditioned stimulus?

Answer 1

The sweetened soda
CS = used to be neutral, but through conditioning, it acquired the capacity to evoke a conditioned response)

Question 2

Mary is often tired when she wakes up, so she starts drinking coffee everyday at 8:00 am, which makes her feel energized. One morning she’s coming home from the grocery store and she notices the time - its 8am! She had not wanted coffee before she checked the time, but she suddenly felt tired and craved the drink. Mary’s sudden craving for coffee after noticing the time is an example of …

Answer 2

Conditioned response
(Learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous conditioning)

Question 3

Kelly and Jeff live together, and Kelly always yells at Jeff to clean his dishes in the kitchen. She tells him that she’ll stop nagging if he does the chore. He finally cleans the dishes and Kelly, in turn, stops nagging him. As a result, Jeff is more likely to clean his dishes in the future. What is this scenario an example of?

Answer 3

Negative reinforcement
(removing an aversive stimulus)

Question 4

Dr. Soreth is a behavioural researcher who uses pigeons in her research; she teaches the birds to peck a green button and receive a treat. She wants to try out a new schedule of reinforcement for the pigeons. She wants them to peck as much as possible, and to have their pecking behaviour happen at a steady rate with very little pausing in between responses, Which schedule of reinforcement would be best for her to choose?

Answer 4

Variable ratio
(A type of reinforcement schedule where a response is reinforced after an unpredictable amount of responses, leads to a high steady response rate, results in only a brief pause after reinforcement)

Question 5

Tim is a snowboard sales man. For every 15 snowboards he sells, his company gives him a monetary bonus.
What schedule of reinforcement describes Tim’s bonus arrangement?

Answer 5

Fixed ratio
(reinforcement given after a specific amount of responses are completed)

Question 6

Arya is studying for her final exam in her psychology class.
For every 45 minutes that she studies, she gives herself a mini doughnut, then goes back to studying.
What schedule or reinforcement is Arya using?

Answer 6

Fixed interval
(reinforcement given after a certain amount of time has passed)

Question 7

Dr. Soreth is teaching a pigeon to peck a green button. First she reinforces the pigeon for turning toward the green button, then for approaching the button, and so on in very small steps. She does this until the pigeon is successfully and consistently pecking the button. What principle of learning is Dr. Soreth using?

Answer 7

Shaping/Acquisition
(Operant conditioning)

Question 8

How a person would extinguish a response using the principles of operant conditioning?

Answer 8

If the rewards are no longer given, the behaviour would decrease and eventually stop

Question 9

Fixed action patterns are responses to a particular type of stimuli that result from . . .

Answer 9

Innate learning
(fixed action patterns considered “hard wired” or innate)

Question 10

Stuart acquires a classically conditioned fear of ducks. Now he shows a phobic response not just to ducks, but other birds as well, especially ones that can swim. What are the changes in his phobia an example of?

Answer 10

Stimulus generalization

Question 11

A researcher notices that each time she makes a loud noise, her research subject jumps. The researcher then shines a bright light before making a loud noise. After a few pairings, she notices her subject jumps when only the light is flashed. What is light considered to be?

Answer 11

Conditioned stimulus
(light used to be a neutral stimulus and subject learned to be afraid of it)

Question 12

In classical conditioning, the order that the unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus are presented impacts learning. What form of conditioning results in the fastest and most resistant form of learning?

Answer 12

The CS is presented before the UCS and briefly overlaps

Question 13

In Pavlov’s experiments, the dog’s salivation triggered by the sound of the tone was considered what?

Answer 13

CR (acquired)

Question 14

Your dogs loves to go on walks around the neighbourhood. You begin an experiment by clapping your hands 3 times before getting the leash to walk your dog. Soon every time you clap your hands the dog comes running. This is an example of what concept?

Answer 14

Classical conditioning

Question 15

During which stage of classical conditioning is the conditioned stimulus presented alone without the unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 15

Extinction
(unpairing 2 stimuli)

Question 16

Food in dog’s mouth will automatically stimulate salivation. In terms of Pavlov’s experiments, this salivation stimulation is
a(n)…

Answer 16

Unconditioned response

Question 17

Food in a dog’s mouth will automatically simulate salivation. In terms of Pavlov’s experiments, the food is . . .

Answer 17

Unconditioned stimulus
(food is causing a response = stimulus)

Question 18

A manager decides to perform unannounced checks to monitor employee performance. On Monday and Wednesday, she monitors every hour. On Tuesday and Friday, she monitors every two hours. On Thursday, she monitors every twenty minutes. This describes a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 18

Variable interval
(Employees are monitored after a variable amount of time has passed)

Question 19

When Ira goes to restaurants and orders appetizers, he sometimes receives them within five minutes, sometimes within ten minutes, and sometimes within fifteen minutes. This describes a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 19

Variable interval
(appetizers delivered after an unpredictable amount of time has passed)

Question 20

Some restaurants reward customers with a free meal after they have purchased ten entrees. This describes a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 20

Fixed ratio
(Customers are rewarded after a set number of behaviors occur)

Question 21

Russell has learned that every time he sees a green flag flying atop the life guard’s stand at the beach the conditions are perfect for swimming and that he can go into the water. This describes a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 21

Continuous
(Russell’s behavior is reinforced every time he sees a green flag)

Question 22

Each year, working Americans are required by law to file their income taxes by the April 15 deadline. This describes a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 22

Fixed interval
(Behavior occurs after a specified amount of time (one year) has elapsed)