Reinforcement

Question 1

The unwanted effects of negative reinforcement are…
A. Essentially the same as the unwanted effects of positive reinforcement
B. Factors that contribute to the effectiveness of negative reinforcement
C. Eliminated by following guidelines for effective use
D. Essentially the same as the unwanted effects of punishment

Answer 1

D
Negative reinforcement and punishment are both processes of aversive control. With punishment, admitting a response results in aversive stimulation. With negative reinforcement, admitting a response terminates or avoids and aversive stimulus. Both procedures often produce such unwanted effects as elicited negative emotional responses, avoidance of the contingency manager, counter control, and aggression

Question 2

A child gets one hour to play computer games after he completes his homework. When the hour is up, the child begs for and gets more time to play. Begging just began with this new contingency.
A. This illustrates the matching law
B. Begging is a function of the ineffectiveness of the homework completion to yield the additional computer time
C. Begging and completing homework or topographically dissimilar, functionally equivalent, and part of different response classes.
D. This illustrates an increase in an undesirable behavior that is a member of the same response class as the behavior being reinforced.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A potential unwanted effect of reinforcing an alternative behavior to replace undesirable behavior is that…
A. Respondent behavior may be elicited by the reinforcer
B. Undesirable behaviors on an independent schedule of reinforcement will be reinforced
C. The individual may start approaching the person who is providing the reinforcers
D. Undesirable behaviors that are members of the same functional response class may be strengthened as well

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A potentially undesirable effect if positive reinforcement is…
A. Approaching the contingency manager to receive an earned reinforcer
B. Undesirable behavior revoked by delivery of the reinforcer
C. A behavior burst evoked by a strong reinforcer
D. An increase in the target behavior in other settings as a result of behavioral contrast

Answer 4

B

Question 5

A potential unwanted affect of using highly preferred items or activities as reinforcers is…
A. A reduced rate of the target behavior because of withholding a favorite item and requiring specific behaviors to regain access to it
B. Extreme variations in the target behavior
C. A reduced rate of the target behavior because of interfering behavior evoked by the reinforcer
D. Strengthening other behaviors that are members of the functional response class

Answer 5

C

Question 6

A teacher tells her student that she will take him for a walk on the nature trail when he completes his math assignment. Instead of doing his assignment, he asks the teacher question after question about what they might see on the walk. If the questioning is not maintained by escape, it is likely…
A. Operant behavior that competes with the target behavior
B. Elicited behavior that is incompatible with the target response
C. A decrease in desirable behaviors that are members of the same functional response class
D. Approach to the reinforcing agent

Answer 6

A

Question 7

Increasing the rate of reinforcement for a particular behavior may…
A. Strengthen all the behaviors in the same response class
B. Induce respondent aggression
C. Temporary decrease appropriate behavior that is part of the same functional response class
D. Illicit behavior that is incompatible with the target response

Answer 7

C

Question 8

A potential problem when using reinforcing stimuli that also function as conditioned elicitors is…
A. Elicited behavior may produce an alternative source of reinforcement to the target response
B. A decrease in appropriate behavior that is part of a different functional response class
C. Strengthening other behaviors that are members of the functional response class
D. Elicited behavior may be incompatible with the target response

Answer 8

D

Question 9

A possible disadvantage of the use or miss use of punishment is…
A. Modeling appropriate use of punishment
B. An increase in short term costs
C. A decrease in short term costs
D. It encourages approaches to the punishing agent

Answer 9

B

Question 10

a possible disadvantage of punishment is…
A. Limited or restricted response generalization
B. Inappropriate stimulus generalization
C. Inappropriate antecedent generalization
D. Inappropriate response generalization

Answer 10

B

Question 11

A possible disadvantage of punishment is…
	A. Synchronous control
	B. Counter control
	C. Adaptation to the aversive stimuli
	D. Recovery of adaptive behavior

Answer 11

B

Question 12

A possible disadvantage of punishment is…
A. That you can punish behavior while continuing to reinforce it
B. That reinforcement must cease before punishment can be used
C. That the presumed punisher is actually a reinforcer
D. That the presumed reinforcer is actually a punisher

Answer 12

C

Question 13

A possible disadvantage of punishment is…
A. It teaches appropriate social behavior
B. Individuals becoming conditioned reinforcers
C. Perpetuation of punishment
D. The need for the absence of the punishing agent

Answer 13

C

Question 14

Behavior contrast, as an unwanted effective punishment, is the…
A. Increase of a behavior that is punished and the increase of a functionally different behavior
B. Reduction in one behavior due to the increase of reinforcement of another behavior
C. Increase of the problem behavior in one setting when it is punished in a different setting
D. Reduction of her behavior due to punishment and an increase in a behavior due to the change in schedule of reinforcement

Answer 14

C

Question 15

A parent complains that she cannot use time out with her five-year-old because she has a bad back and the child will not walk to the timeout area. This is an example of…
	A. Modeling or avoidance
	B. Diminishing self-esteem
	C. Increased short term costs
	D. Escape or counter control

Answer 15

D

Question 16

A child demands candy at the store and has a tantrum when told “no.“ The parent never provides candy when this happens, but the tantrums continue. The tantrums may continue because…
A. It is a way for the child to get even with the parent
B. The tantrum is an elicited emotional response
C. The parent does not combine extinction with a punishment procedure
D. The tantrum is receiving reinforcement of parent attention

Answer 16

D

Question 17

Teachers started using escape extinction when a child refused to do his work. The Escape behavior is increasing in rate and intensity. You recommend
A. Adding a response cost
B. Teaching and reinforcing acceptable ways to request breaks
C. Continuing the intervention as is for another week
D. Adding a verbal reprimand

Answer 17

B

Question 18

The recommended way to minimize the unwanted effects of extinction is to…
A. Explain the procedure to the participant before implementing it
B. Obtain informed consent from the client/guardian
C. Always combine extinction with other treatment procedures
D. Conduct a functional behavior assessment to determine the reinforcers maintaining the problem behavior

Answer 18

C

Question 19

Generalized reinforcers maintain the EO for the reinforcer because…
A. Generalized reinforcers often possess strong evocative affects due to pairing with primary Reinforcers
B. The generalized reinforcer has been paired with many primary and secondary Reinforcers
C. A characteristic of generalized reinforcement is that it helps prevent deprivation
D. Satiation on all reinforcers for which a generalized reinforcer could be exchanged is unlikely

Answer 19

D
Generalized reinforcers (tokens etc) are affective with a wide variety of behaviors and can generally be exchanged for a wide variety of back up reinforcers. The variety of backup reinforcers reduces the problem of satiation. Money is an example of a generalized reinforcer

Question 20

To maintain performance by not allowing the establishing operation to diminish would involve…
A. Using more primary reinforcers
B. Providing reinforcers more frequently
C. Using a few reinforcers and varying them from trial to trial
D. Using more preferred reinforcers on a slightly thinner schedule

Answer 20

C

Question 21

Direct reinforcement contingencies…
A. Yield immediate reinforcement not aided by another person
B. Delay improvement in performance
C. Foster maintenance and generalization
D. Increase participant/therapist interactions

Answer 21

A

Question 22

To maintain potent establishing operations (EO’s) for reinforcers, you may…
A. Vary antecedent conditions or allow natural deprivation
B. Give choice or vary the setting
C. Use larger and or frequent reinforcers
D. Give choice or allow natural deprivation

Answer 22

D
The EO for a reinforcer is enhanced or maintained by using a variety of reinforcers, varying properties of the reinforcers, giving choice, removing and then introducing the reinforcer, allowing natural deprivation, and using generalized Reinforcers

Question 23

To maintain potent establishing operations (EO’s) for reinforcers, you may…
A. Provide more preferred Reinforcers on a slightly richer schedule
B. Vary the properties of the reinforcer
C. Add a delay/hold to the delivery of the reinforcer
D. Use more primary Reinforcers

Answer 23

B

Question 24

The magnitude of a reinforcer pertains to…
A. The intensity of the reinforcer
B. The learners interest in the reinforcer
C. The amount of behavior required to earn reinforcement
D. Conditioned reinforcement only

Answer 24

A

Question 25

Satiation of a reinforcer is…
A. A reduction in responding caused by the behavior altering effect of an abolishing operation (AO)
B. A reduction in responding caused by the behavior altering affect of an establishing operation (EO)

Answer 25

A

Question 26

Labeled praise and descriptive praise…
	A. Compare the behavior to other inappropriate behaviors
	B. Always specify the target behavior
	C. Are not synonymous terms
	D. May state benefits of the behavior

Answer 26

D
Descriptive praise, labeled praise, and specific praise are synonymous terms. Such praise involves stating the target behavior and specifying the benefit of the behavior. It should also be delivered contingent on the occurrence of the target behavior. Such praise often functions as a positive reinforcer and provides a rule for future behavior and reinforcement

Question 27

To shift control from contrived to naturally occurring Reinforcers…
A. Provide both response prompts for the target behaviors and naturally occurring reinforcers
B. Teach responding with a response to reinforcement delay
C. Provide non-contingent reinforcement using naturally occurring reinforcers
D. Develop behavioral repertoires that produced naturally occurring reinforcers

Answer 27

D

Question 28

Descriptive praise often functions as a positive reinforcer for the behavior proceeding it and…
A. As a rule for future behavior and reinforcement
B. As an SD for future behavior
C. As a strong abolishing operation for attention
D. As a punish her for inappropriate behavior

Answer 28

A

Question 29

One method to teach delay of gratification (responding with a response to reinforcer delay) is to…
A. Offer a large and a small reinforcer, then gradually increase delay for the large reinforcer
B. Reduce effort required and delay the reinforcer
C. Start with a slight reinforcer delay with a new behavior
D. Offer a large reinforcer that requires a delay, then gradually increase delay to reinforcement

Answer 29

A

Question 30

A way to teach responding with a response to reinforcer delay is to…
A. Make reinforcers visible during the delay
B. Make reinforcers available during the delay
C. Provide constant, non-contingent access to reinforcers
D. Hide reinforcers during the delay

Answer 30

A

Question 31

A way to teach responding with a response to reinforcer delay is to…
A. Keep reinforcers out of sight during the delay
B. Use minimum to maximum prompting
C. Teach clients self prompting or self instruction
D. Teach clients self prompting or self reinforcement

Answer 31

C

Question 32

A behavior is likely the result of instructional control if…
A. The frequency of behavior changes due to changes in consequences
B. The frequency of behavior changes due to changes in antecedents
C. The behavior stops immediately when particular consequences are delivered
D. The intensity of behavior changes due to changes in consequences

Answer 32

B

Question 33

A behavior is likely the result of rule following a.k.a. instructional control if…
A. There is a large increase in frequency with many instances of reinforcement
B. The behavior changes with reinforcement
C. There is no identifiable antecedent
D. There is no identifiable immediate consequence

Answer 33

D

Question 34

One concern for the ethical use of negative reinforcement is…
A. Extremely aversive antecedents function as punishment for collateral behaviors
B. The negative reinforcement requires a contrast between aversive and appetitive consequences
C. Escape and avoidance behavior develops from prolonged use of negative reinforcement
D. Aversive antecedent events are generally justified for typical behavior change programs

Answer 34

C

Question 35

An ethical concern about the use of positive reinforcement is the…
A. Effect of avoidance of the reinforcing agent
B. Aversive nature of the consequences
C. Severity of the EO that occasions that behavior
D. Collateral behavioral effects

Answer 35

C

Question 36

In behavioral interventions, negative reinforcement…
A. Should be considered equally with positive reinforcement
B. Can often provide strong motivation for increasing the target behavior
C. Can often provide strong motivation for individuals implementing the intervention
D. Should never be considered due to ethical concerns

Answer 36

C

Question 37

One concern for the ethical use of negative reinforcement is…
A. Extremely aversive antecedent events are not justifiable for typical behavior change programs
B. Extremely aversive antecedents are required for an effective behavior change procedure
C. That negative reinforcement requires a contrast between aversive and appetitive consequences
D. Aversive antecedents must be avoided for the reinforcement to be affective

Answer 37

A
Negative reinforcement requires the presentation of an aversive antecedent event. The severity of the antecedent is an ethical issue. Aversive stimuli can also suppress desirable target behaviors.