test 5

Question 1

.Distinguish between escape and avoidance behaviour. Be sure to mention the antecedents and consequences of each.

Answer 1

Escape – this is when the organism engages in a response that in the past has removed the present aversive stimulus.
Avoidance – this happens after trying some escape conditions. They will engage in responses that in the past have prevented coming in contact with aversive stimulus.
Escape has a present stimulus and avoidance is trying not to get to the aversive stimulus.
In escaping stimulus uses antecedents because the stimulus is presented prior to the response. Avoidance uses consequences because it is trying to avoid the consequence

Question 2

escape behaviour

Answer 2

this is when the organism engages in a response that in the past has removed the present aversive stimulus.

Question 3

avoidance behaviour

Answer 3

this happens after trying some escape conditions. They will engage in responses that in the past have prevented coming in contact with aversive stimulus.

Question 4

Describe the two-process theory of avoidance behaviour and provide a criticism of this theory.

Answer 4

There are 4 criticisms with this theory:
Argument: Avoidance responses are extremely persistent; why do they not extinguish?
Counterargument: Anxiety conservation hypothesis – responses occur so quickly that there is insufficient CS exposure to the feared stimulus for extinction to occur
Argument: Once the rat gets used to the procedure, it seems to show no fear but continues to avoid anyway
Counterargument: A slight amount of fear still remains, which is sufficient to continue to motivate avoidance

Question 5

Distinguish between time-out and response cost procedures.

Answer 5

Time out – this is when you lose access to positive reinforcements for a brief period of time because of problem behavior. Ex – sending a kid to time out in there room because they were not listening while playing video games

Response cost – this is the removal of a specified amount of reinforcer on the occurrence of problem behaviour. Ex – taking a quarter off there allowance when the boys fight.

Question 6

Time out

Answer 6

this is when you lose access to positive reinforcements for a brief period of time because of problem behavior. Ex – sending a kid to time out in there room because they were not listening while playing video games

Question 7

Response cost

Answer 7

this is the removal of a specified amount of reinforcer on the occurrence of problem behaviour. Ex – taking a quarter off there allowance when the boys fight.

Question 8

. Given what you’ve learned about conditioned and unconditioned stimuli in operant conditioning, define and describe the differences between primary (unconditioned) and secondary (conditioned) punishers.

Answer 8

Primary unconditioned – this is when the event is innately punishing. For example, getting a needle. Inherent
Secondary conditioned punisher- this is when the event that is punish is now associated with past/other punishers. Example going to the doctor. Because they could give you a needle
learned

Question 9

Briefly outline at least five of the problems listed concerning the use of punishment.

Answer 9

1. Punishment of the maladaptive behaviour doesn’t directly strengthen the occurrence of the adaptive behaviour.
2. Punishment may result in a generalized suppression of other behaviours.
3. Punishment is likely to elicit a strong emotional response.
4. Punishment is likely to elicit aggression.
5. Because punishment is immediately effective, the usage of punishment is often strongly reinforced

Question 10

Describe the theories of punishment.

Answer 10

Conditioned suppression theory- this is when the punishment does not weaken the behaviour, instead it makes a emotional response that interfere with behaviour occurrence
Avoidance theory – this is when punishment is a type of avoidance conditioning where the avoidance response is any behaviour other than behaviour being punished
Premack principal – this is when there is a low probability behaviour that can be used to punish high probability behaviour.
If you eat junk food you need to do 60 push ups. That will disurage you from eating junk food

Question 11

Conditioned suppression theory-

Answer 11

this is when the punishment does not weaken the behaviour, instead it makes a emotional response that interfere with behaviour occurrence

Question 12

Avoidance theory –

Answer 12

this is when punishment is a type of avoidance conditioning where the avoidance response is any behaviour other than behaviour being punished

Question 13

Premack principal –

Answer 13

– this is when there is a low probability behaviour that can be used to punish high probability behaviour.
If you eat junk food you need to do 60 push ups. That will disurage you from eating junk food

Question 14

Describe the basic experimental procedure (with control group) that was first used to demonstrate learned helplessness in dogs and the outcome that was observed.

Answer 14

The dogs were shocked so much that eventually they became helpless because they could not escape being shocked. In any other situation where they were presented with a shock, they also gave up.

Question 15

What is a concurrent schedule? Diagram or describe an example of a concurrent schedule as might be used in an operant conditioning experiment with pigeons.

Answer 15

This is when two or more contingencies or reinforcement, operate independently and simultaneously or for two or more behaviours.
Pigeons match their relative rate of responding on the two keys to the relative rate of reinforcement being delivered on the schedules associated with the two keys. (Matching law)

Red key: key peck (VI 30 secs) food
Green key : key peck (VI 60 sec)  food
look AT DIAGRAM

Question 16

Define the matching law. State the matching law as an equation, and define each of its terms.

Answer 16

The matching law holds that the proportion of responses emitted on a particular schedule matches the proportion of reinforcers obtained on that schedule.

Matching law: [(RA)/(RA+RB)] = [(SrA)/(SrA+SrB)]

Sr = number of reinforcers earned
SA, SB = schedule of reinforcement
RA = number of responses emitted on schedule A
RB = number of responses emitted on schedule B
SrA = number of reinforcers earned on schedule A
SrB = number of reinforcers earned on schedule B.

Question 17

Describe the relationships between choice, impulsiveness, delay discounting, and problematic behaviours such as drug use, risky sexual behaviour, and gambling.

Answer 17

Choice- this is distribution of operant behaviour among alternative sources of reinforcement.
Impulsive behaviour: Selecting an immediate, small outcome over a delayed, larger outcome
Delay discounting: The devaluation of reinforcers that are delayed into the future.
They are problematic because they can become addicting and unhealthy. They are also very hard to stop because you are getting that dopamine, that reward for doing those actions.

Question 18

With the help of a graph, describe the general effect of delay on reward value.

Answer 18

The reward is very big at the beginning, but by waiting/delaying the reward the value is going down.

Question 19

. List four of the variables that can affect the shape of the delay function and hence the extent to which a person or animal is likely to display self-control.

Answer 19

1. seem to have differences in impulsivity between species
2. there may be individual differences with some individuals being more impulsive than others
3. people generally become less impulsive as they get older
4. people generally become less impulsive after repeated experience with responding for delayed rewards

Question 20

. What is overmatching and undermatching?

Answer 20

Overmatching- this is when responding on the richer schedule is more extreme than predicted.
Undermatching - this is when responding on the richer schedule is less extreme than predicted, The difference is close to 50/50.

Question 21

What is bias in choice scenarios? What kinds of things could introduce bias in choice scenarios?

Answer 21

Bias choice is when you are choosing the most positive attributes to an option and ignore the other options. Once a decision is made there is no changing your mind.

Picking one because you are already a favor of it.Things that could introduce it to having easier access like it being your favorite color.

Question 22

What is a commitment response and how can it serve to facilitate self-control?

Answer 22

This is an action done early in time that wants to eliminate or reduce the value of an upcoming temptation. It can serve as self-control because you are forcing yourself to do it because you have predetermined it even if you no longer feel like It when the time comes.
Ex- if you like to run, but every day you are tired when you get home and just sit in the chair and watch tv. You would have to commit the day before by setting a time you want to go or go with a friend at a time.

Question 23

Negative reinforcement:

Answer 23

Negative reinforcement: A process or
procedure whereby a response causes a
stimulus to be removed from the
environment which leads to a future
increase in a dimension or maintenance of
that response

Question 24

One-Process Theory of Avoidance

Answer 24

Alternative to the two-process theory:
* Act of avoidance is negatively reinforced by a lower rate of aversive
stimulation. – Rat avoids shock simply because it results in fewer shocks – Advantage of this theory is that one does not have to speculate about
what a rat is feeling.

Question 25

Punishment

Answer 25

*Definition: A process or procedure
whereby a response causes (or is
followed by) a stimulus change in the
environment which leads to a future
decrease in a dimension of that
response.

Question 26

Positive punishment

Answer 26

Positive punishment – presentation of a stimulus (usually aversive)
following a response; leads to decrease in future strength of that response

Question 27

negative punishment

Answer 27

removal of stimulus follwoing a response leads to decrease in future strength of that response

Question 28

Types of Punishment

Answer 28

Intrinsic punishment – inherent aspect of the behavior being punished; activity itself
is punishing (e.g., smoking makes you feel nauseated)
Extrinsic punishment – not an inherent aspect of behavior being punished; simply
follows the behavior (e.g., being told “You smoke?! Is that ever disgusting!”)
Primary (unconditioned) punisher – event that is innately punishing (e.g. being
jabbed with a needle)
Secondary (conditioned) punisher – event that is punishing because of past
association with other punishers (e.g., going to a doctor who often gives you a needle)
Generalized (generalized secondary) punisher – event that is punishing because of
its past association with many other punishers (e.g., a mean look from someone)

Question 29

Intrinsic punishment

Answer 29

Intrinsic punishment – inherent aspect of the behavior being punished; activity itself
is punishing (e.g., smoking makes you feel nauseated)

Question 30

Extrinsic punishment

Answer 30

– not an inherent aspect of behavior being punished; simply
follows the behavior (e.g., being told “You smoke?! Is that ever disgusting!”)

Question 31

Primary (unconditioned) punisher –

Answer 31

– event that is innately punishing (e.g. being
jabbed with a needle)

Question 32

Secondary (conditioned) punisher

Answer 32

– event that is punishing because of past
association with other punishers (e.g., going to a doctor who often gives you a needle)

Question 33

Generalized (generalized secondary) punisher –

Answer 33

– event that is punishing because of
its past association with many other punishers (e.g., a mean look from someone)

Question 34

How to Make Punishment More Effective

Answer 34

• Unlike reinforcement, contingencies of
  punishment do not teach or condition new behavior. Punishment is more effective when:
• Abrupt introduction of punishment
• Intensity of punishment
• Immediacy of punishment
• Schedule of punishmen
  t * Reduce the effectiveness of positive reinforcement
• Arrange response alternatives

Question 35

Concurrent Schedule of
Reinforcement * Occurs when

Answer 35

• (a) two or more contingencies of reinforcement
• (b) operate independently and simultaneously
• (c) for two or more behaviours.
• For example: Concurrent FI-30’ FI-30’ schedule

Question 36

Deviations from Matching

Answer 36

Undermatching: Proportion of responding on the richer versus poorer schedule is less different than would be predicted by matching. That is, the richer schedule is less preferred than is predicted by matching.

Question 37

Overmatching

Answer 37

Proportion of responding on the richer versus poorer
schedule is more different than would be predicted by matching. That is, the richer schedule is more preferred than is predicted by
matching.

Question 38

Concurrent-Chains Schedules

Answer 38

• A concurrent chains schedule consists of a single
  initial link and two terminal links. * Initial link: Two identical VI schedules run concurrently on two white keys. Responding on a
  key produces access to the terminal link associated
  with that key. The key changes color (e.g., to green)
  and the other key goes dark.
• Terminal links: Each terminal link arranges primary
  reinforcement on some schedule of reinforcement
  (e.g., FR-10). The schedules of the terminal links
  may be the same or different

Question 39

Concurrent chains allows us to
assess:

Answer 39

• whether organisms can
  demonstrate self-control. * Choosing larger, later over
  smaller, sooner reinforcers
• AND how delays can
  influence self-control: * How delays cause the value of
  the larger, later reinforcer to
  decay/diminish/discounted

Question 40

Impulsive behaviour

Answer 40

: Selecting an
immediate, small outcome over a
delayed, larger outcome.

Question 41

• Self-control behaviour:

Answer 41

r: Selecting a
larger, delayed outcome over a smaller,
immediate outcome.

Question 42

Ainslie–Rachlin principle:

Answer 42

Reinforcement value decreases
hyperbolically as delay between making
the choice and obtaining the reinforcer increases.

Question 43

Commitment response:

Answer 43

behaviour emitted at a time prior to the choice
point, when the large, delayed reward
is at high value, which eliminates
choosing the small, immediate reward

Question 44

• Delay discounting:

Answer 44

The devaluation of reinforcers that are delayed into the
future. * Decisions between small, immediate and large, delayed outcomes.