Midterm 2 (Ch.10)

Question 1

define “concurrent schedules”

Answer 1

simultaneous presentation of tow or more independent schedules, each leading to a reinforcer

Question 2

what does the subject have a choice in when there is a concurrent schedule?

Answer 2

given a choice between responding for a reinforcer one one schedule or another

Question 3

define “matching law”

Answer 3

on concurrent VI schedules, the proportion (or percentage) of RESPONSES emitted on a schedule will approx. match the proportion of REINFORCERS earned on that schedule

Question 4

what does “Ra / (Ra + Rb) represent?

Answer 4

the proportion of RESPONSES made on a schedule

Question 5

what does “S ra / (S ra + S rb) represent?

Answer 5

the proportion of REINFORCERS earned on a schedule

Question 6

list the three deviations from matching

Answer 6

under-matching, over-matching and bias

Question 7

define “under-matching”

Answer 7

proportion of responding in the richer versus poorer schedule is LESS different than would be predicted by matching

Question 8

define “over-matching”

Answer 8

proportion of responding on the richer versus poorer schedule is MORE different that would be predicted

Question 9

define “bias” in the context of deviations from matching

Answer 9

one alternative receive a higher proportion of responding than would be predicted by matching regardless of whether it is the richer or poorer schedule

Question 10

list the two theories for why matching occurs

Answer 10

maximization (or optimization) theory and melioration theory

Question 11

define “maximization (or optimization) theory” in the context of matching theories

Answer 11

matching relative amount of responding to relative amount of reinforcement will somehow maximize overall reinforcement

Question 12

define “melioration theory” in the context of matching theories

Answer 12

matching occurs because we tend ti shift behaviour toward a higher value alternative regardless of its effect on overall amount of reinforcement

Question 13

what did Skinner think about self-control

Answer 13

self-control is not an issue of being confronted with choices that have conflicting outcomes

Question 14

what are the two types of self-control responses Skinner came up with

Answer 14

conTROLLING response and a conTROLLED response

Question 15

list the three types of conTROLLING responses

Answer 15

satiating yourself, doing something else, and self-reinforcement

Question 16

why can self-reinforcement be problematic

Answer 16

there is nothing stopping you from “short-circuiting the contingency”

Question 17

in general, our behaviour is more heavily influenced by _______ consequences than by _________

Answer 17

immediate, delayed

Question 18

self-control can be viewed as the act of choosing…..

Answer 18

a larger later reward (LLR) over a smaller sooner reward (SSR)

Question 19

impulsiveness is the act of choosing an ___ over an ___

Answer 19

SSR over an LLR

Question 20

which children withstood the “Mischel’s delay of gratification paradigm” test?

Answer 20

children who avoided paying attention the the reward (marshmallow) and children who thought about the reward in abstract terms

Question 21

what did follow-up studies show about the children who did well in the “Mischel’s Delay of Gratification Paradigm” test?

Answer 21

showed that children who were better at waiting were also more successful in later years

Question 22

what assumption is the “Ainslie-Rachlin Model of Self-Control based on?

Answer 22

the value of a reward is often a “hyperbolic function” of its delay

Question 23

describe the “Ainslie-Rachlin” Model of Self-Control

Answer 23

as time passes and a delayed reward draws closer and closer in time, the value of that reward increases more and more sharply as it becomes imminent