practice qs Flashcards
The classical conditioning term for a stimulus that elicits a reflexive response in the absence of learning is:
Unconditioned stimulus
The broken vending machine in Cathy’s office dispenses soda inconsistently. Sometimes Cathy gets a soda after putting in two quarters, but sometimes she only gets a soda after putting in five or six quarters. In operant conditioning terms, Cathy is being reinforced on what type of schedule?
variable ratio
Imagine your mean neighbour has taught his dog to fear the sound of the doorbell by pairing it with a mild electrical shock. In this scenario, fear is first the conditioned stimulus and then becomes a .. .
conditioned response
Imagine that you are trying to teach three dogs – Snap, Crackle, and Pop - to run through a complicated obstacle course. You reward Snap with a doggie treat every time he completes the course correctly, but you don’t reward Crackle and Pop. A week later, Snap is running through the course no problem, whereas Crackle and Pop are still making errors. You decide that you better start rewarding Crackle and Pop too, so you give them a treat the next time they do something right. Immediately, they start performing at the same level as Snap. This is an example of:
latent learning
What did researchers learn from Bandura’s “Bobo doll experiment”?
Observational learning does not necessarily require reinforcement.
Learning the consequences of an action by observing the consequences happening to someone else is known as:
vicarious reinforcement
What causes the extinction of a conditioned responses?
Continual presentation of the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus
What did Hebb describe as the biological basis of learning?
Neurons that are consistently and simultaneously activated can form strong associations
Elena is attempting to train monkeys to sit quietly while their food is being delivered. If they sit quietly, Elena gives the monkeys tokens which the monkeys can exchange for treats later on. If they do not sit quietly, Elena does not give the monkeys any tokens. What is this an example of?
Using a secondary reinforcer and positive reinforcement
What do our discoveries regarding latent learning indicate about learning?
Learning can take place in the absence of reinforcement, and reinforcement will enhance performance
In lecture, a video was shown illustrating a study that found younger babies were able to distinguish between lemur faces but older babies could not. What is the mechanism thought to be behind this developmental change?
Synaptic pruning
Which of the following is a significant drawback to conducting cross-sectional studies?
Cohort effects
Which neurochemical is thought to play a large role in attachment between caregivers and infants?
oxytocin
What are the hallmarks of Piaget’s preoperational state?
) language acquisition, egocentrism, and illogical reasoning
Which of the following scenarios most accurately reflect how Kohlberg would predict an adolescent would reason about morality?
Rules govern moral behaviour and should be followed
Tom is conducting a study investigating how memory functions develop from childhood to adulthood. In his study, he recruits 100 babies at 6 months old. He gives the same memory test to the same group of 100 babies at 5 timepoints throughout their lives (between the ages of 6 months to 25 years old). What kind of study is this an example of?
Longitudinal study
If a split brain patient is shown an image of a trumpet in their left visual field, how might they best be able to identify the object?
They could attempt to draw it with their left hand
In the context of signal detection theory, which of the following scenarios represents a “miss”?
A person fails to identify a rare disease in a patient who is actually suffering from it.
A person correctly identifies the absence of a rare disease in a patient who is not actually suffering from it.
A person identifies a rare disease in a patient who is not actually suffering from it.
A person correctly identifies a rare disease in a patient who is actually suffering from it.
A person fails to identify a rare disease in a patient who is actually suffering from it.
Which of the following examples illustrates the gate control theory of pain?
A person takes a prescription painkiller and experiences complete relief from chronic pain.
After stubbing their toe, a person rubs the injured area and experiences a reduction in pain sensation.
A marathon runner feels aching pain in their legs after a long race.
A person accidentally touches a hot stove and immediately withdraws their hand due to the intense pain.
After stubbing their toe, a person rubs the injured area and experiences a reduction in pain sensation.
What is the primary characteristic of visual apperceptive agnosia?
Inability to recognize and name objects
Which structure of the eye is responsible for responding to changes in light levels?
The iris, which contracts or dilates the pupil.
What is the correct order of how sound travels through the ear?
Pinna -> Tympanic membrane -> Middle ear bones -> Oval window -> Cochlea -> Auditory nerve -> Brain
A weatherman is standing outside in a terrible hurricane, when the wind launches a giant piece of metal into the side of his head, above his right ear. This likely damaged his:
temporal lobe
Damage to this area of the weatherman’s brain (see previous the question), would likely lead to problems with:
hearing
A motor neuron is ___ , whereas a sensory neuron is ______
efferent; afferent
A young child is referred to Marco’s psychology practice following a severe accident. The child had vision prior to the accident, but because of a blow to the head, she can no longer see. Her eyes are still fully functional. Based on this information, Marco determines that the brain area most likely damaged in the accident is the:
occipital lobe
Studies have involved raising rats in environments that were either enriched (i.e., the environment was complex and offered many opportunities for engaging in different activities) or impoverished (i.e., the environment was sparse, and rats had very little to do). What did these studies show about how rats are affected by environmental conditions?
Environmental conditions can change brain size and the structure of neurons (e.g., by increasing the number of dendrites and synapses)
What is the main conclusion of the study regarding Patient George’s unique perceptual experiences while listening to the James Bond theme?
Patient George’s brain activity supports the subjective experiences he described, involving intense emotional arousal and activation of sensory and motor areas of the brain.
How do agonists enhance the actions of neurotransmitters?
By increasing their release, blocking reuptake, or activating postsynaptic receptors
Which neurotransmitter is involved in systems regulating sleep, appetite, mood, and aggression?
serotonin
Which area of the brain plays a crucial role in planning behavior, attention, and judgment?
frontal lobe
In the study by Caspi et al. (2002), which combination of gene and environmental factor was found to be associated with the most increased probability of being a violent criminal?
Lower levels of MAO gene + maltreatment during childhood
