Unit 2

Question 1

A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event.

Answer 1

Abolishing operation

Question 2

A set of stimuli that share a common relationship. All stimuli in an antecedent stimulus class evoke the same operant behavior, or elicit the same respondent behavior.

Answer 2

Antecedent stimulus class

Question 3

Antecedent stimuli that evoke the same response but do not resemble each other in physical form or share a relational aspect such as bigger or under.

Answer 3

Arbitrary stimulus class

Question 4

Punishment that occurs independent of the social mediation by others (that is, a response product that serves as a punisher independent of the social environment).

Answer 4

Automatic punishment

Question 5

Reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation of others (for example, scratching an insect bite relieves the itch).

Answer 5

Automatic reinforcement

Question 6

A complex example of stimulus control that requires stimulus generalization within a class of stimuli and discrimination between classes of stimuli.

Answer 6

Concept formation

Question 7

A motivating operation that increases the effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event as a reinforcer.

Answer 7

Establishing operation

Question 8

Stimuli that share common physical forms or structures or common relative relationships.

Answer 8

Feature stimulus class

Question 9

An environmental variable that (a) alters (increases or decreases) the reinforcing or punishing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event; and (b) alters (increases or decreases) the current frequency of all behavior that has been reinforced or punished by that stimulus, object, or event.

Answer 9

Motivating operation

Question 10

A neutral change that does not elicit respondent behavior.

Answer 10

Neutral stimulus

Question 11

Behavior that acts on the environment to produce an immediate consequence and, in turn, is strengthened by that consequence.

Answer 11

Operant behavior

Question 12

Occurs when a behavior in a particular situation is followed by a reinforcing consequence, thus making the behavior more likely to occur in similar circumstances in the future.

Answer 12

Operant conditioning

Question 13

An action that, when learned, produces corresponding modifications or covariation in other untrained behavior.

Answer 13

Pivotal behavior

Question 14

All of the behaviors that a person can do, or a set of behaviors relevant to a particular setting or task.

Answer 14

Repertoire

Question 15

Behavior that is elicited, or induced, by antecedent stimuli.

Answer 15

Respondent behavior

Question 16

A group of responses of varying typography, all of which produce the same effect on the environment.

Answer 16

Response class

Question 17

A behavior change produced by differential reinforcement, resulting in the emergence of a new response class.

Answer 17

Response differentiation

Question 18

The fundamental principle underlying operant conditioning. The basic tenet is that all forms of behavior, from simple to complex, are shaped, selected, and maintained by their consequences during an individual’s lifetime.

Answer 18

Selection by consequences

Question 19

A group of stimuli that all have the same functional effect on a particular behavior. For example, each stimulus in a stimulus class may function as a discriminative stimulus for a particular behavior.

Answer 19

Stimulus class

Question 20

The antecedent that is present when the behavior occurs, the behavior, and the reinforcing consequence.

Answer 20

Three-term contingency

Question 21

The response that is elicited by an unconditioned stimulus

Answer 21

Unconditioned response

Question 22

The stimulus component of an unconditioned reflex; a stimulus change that elicits respondent behavior without any prior learning.

Answer 22

Unconditioned stimulus