Unit 3

Question 1

Thorndike

Answer 1

Supernormal psychology of animals, law of effect
chicks and cats

Question 2

Law of Effect
+4 elements

Answer 2

Behaviour is a function of consequences.
Four key elements: environment, behaviour occurring, change in environment post-behaviour, change in behaviour produced by this consequence

Question 3

Metzgar

Answer 3

Released mice into habitat. Followed up with more mice, then released an owl; knowing the environment paid off.

Question 4

Skinner Box

Answer 4

Chamber with a food-magazine that drops pellets of food into a tray

Question 5

Operant Learning

Answer 5

instrumental learning, response learning, consequence learning, R-S learning;
when behaviour is altered by consequence
- behaviour is operating on environment

Question 6

Reinforcement

Answer 6

increase in strength of behaviour due to consequences
Reinforcement = ↑Strength of behaviour ∵Consequences

Question 7

Catania’s requirements

Answer 7

three req for experience to qualify as a reinforcement
1. Behaviour must have consequence
2. Behaviour must increase strength
3. Increased strength must be ∵ of the consequence.

Question 8

Positive reinforcement

Answer 8

consequence of behaviour is the appearance/increase in intensity of stimulus
behaviour -> reinforcer -> increase behaviour

Question 9

Positive reinforcer

Answer 9

Stimulus in positive reinforcement.
Usually sought out or positive

Question 10

Reward learning

Answer 10

aka Positive Reinforcement; consequences are considered rewarding
Skinner dislikes this term

Question 11

Negative reinforcement

Answer 11

the consequence of a behaviour is the decrease of intensity or removal of a stimulus

Question 12

Negative reinforcer

Answer 12

Stimulus in negative reinforcement; usually escaped or avoided

Question 13

Escape learning

Answer 13

aka Negative reinforcement from escaping

Question 14

Behavioural momentum

Answer 14

Nevin’s term - behaviour that is reinforced many times is more likely to persist when obstructed

Question 15

Primary reinforcers

Answer 15

Innately effective; Baum “phylogenetically significant events”

Question 16

Unconditioned reinforcers

Answer 16

aka Primary Reinforcers

Question 17

Satiation

Answer 17

when reinforcers lose their effectiveness

Question 18

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 18

not innate but rather are the result of learning experiences

Question 19

Conditioned reinforcers

Answer 19

aka secondary reinforcers

Question 20

Generalized reinforcer

Answer 20

a reinforcer paired with other reinforcers
e.g., money

Question 21

Natural reinforcer

Answer 21

spontaneously follow a behaviour
brush your teeth -> mouth feelings clean

Question 22

Automatic reinforcers

Answer 22

aka natural reinforcers

Question 23

Contrived reinforcers

Answer 23

provided for the purpose of behaviour modification

Question 24

Motivating operation

Answer 24

anything that changes the effectiveness of a consequence
two types

Question 25

Establishing operations

Answer 25

increase the effectiveness of a consequence

Question 26

Abolishing operations

Answer 26

decrease the effectiveness of a consequence

Question 27

ESB

Answer 27

electrical stimulation of the brain

Question 28

Reward pathway

Answer 28

the septal region that separates the cerebral hemispheres

Question 29

Dopamine

Answer 29

NT, precursor of epinephrine (adrenaline)

Question 30

Hull's Drive-Reduction Theory

Answer 30

Suggests that reinforcers decrease drives, and that is where their value comes from

Question 31

Drives

Answer 31

Innate motivational states; e.g., hunger

Question 32

Premack's Relative Value Theory

Answer 32

All behaviours have relative values and these values determine the reinforcing properties

Question 33

Premack principle

Answer 33

high-probability behaviour reinforced low-probability behaviour

Question 34

Response-deprivation Theory

Answer 34

Suggests that each behaviour has a baseline and when the baseline is not met, the individual will engage in behaviours to increase the desired behaviour.

Question 35

Two-Process theory

Answer 35

negative reinforcement theory; pavlovian and operant learning

Question 36

Sidman's avoidance procedure

Answer 36

rats avoid shock by pushing a lever - two-process theory - there is no escape, so why does the rat press the lever? What reinforces it?

Question 37

One-process theory

Answer 37

Operant learning avoidance theory

Question 38

Thorndike studied animal learning as a way of measuring animal _____.

Answer 38

intelligence

Question 39

According to Thorndike’s law of _____, the strength of a behaviour depends on its _____.

Answer 39

effect consequences

Question 40

Positive and negative reinforcement have this in common: Both _____ behaviour.

Answer 40

strengthen

Question 41

The defining feature of primary reinforcers is that they are not dependent on_____.

Answer 41

learning

Question 42

_____ refers to the likelihood that a reinforcer will follow a behaviour.

Answer 42

Contingency

Question 43

In general, the more you increase the amount of a reinforcer, the _____ benefit you get from the increase.

Answer 43

less

Question 44

A motivating operation is anything that change the effectiveness of a _____.

Answer 44

reinforcer

Question 45

Positive reinforcement is associated with the release of _____ in the brain.

Answer 45

dopamine

Question 46

According to the Premack principle, _____ behaviour reinforces _____ behaviour.

Answer 46

high-probability low-probability

Question 47

According to the response-deprivation theory, schoolchildren are eager to go to recess because they have been deprived of the opportunity to _____.

Answer 47

move

Question 48

The two processes in the two-process theory are _____ and _____.

Answer 48

Pavlovian conditioning Operant learning

Question 49

Shaping

Answer 49

the reinforcement of successive approximations of a desired behaviour

Question 50

Behaviour Chain

Answer 50

a sequence of behaviours that is connected

Question 51

Chaining

Answer 51

teaching a behaviour through steps: task anaylsis -> forward/backward chaining

Question 52

Task analysis

Answer 52

The breakdown of a task into component elements

Question 53

Forward chaining

Answer 53

reinforce performance of the first link in the chain. Repeat until task is performed without hesitation, then add another task.

Question 54

Backward chaining

Answer 54

beginning with the final link in the chain and repeating until perfected. Then added the second to last (second to last -> last) until perfected. Repeat.

Question 55

Problem

Answer 55

A situation where reinforcement is available but the necessary behaviour is not.

Question 56

Superstitious behaviour

Answer 56

any behaviour that occurs repeatedly even without reinforcers to maintain it

Question 57

Learned helplessness

Answer 57

learning to be helpless

Question 58

Learned industriousness

Answer 58

learning to not quit

Question 59

Shaping is the reinforcement of successive _____ of a desired behaviour.

Answer 59

approximations

Question 60

What are parts of the chain known as brushing one’s teeth?

Answer 60

going to bathroom, getting toothbrush, getting tooth paste, applying toothpaste to tooth brush, wetting toothbrush, brushing teeth

Question 61

How would you use backward chaining to train a rat to run a maze?

Answer 61

put reward at the end of the maze release rat very close to end after success, release slightly further from reward, repeat

Question 62

Two forms of chaining are _____ and _____.

Answer 62

backward forward

Question 63

A problem is a situation in which _____ is available, but the behaviour necessary to produce it is not.

Answer 63

a reinforcer

Question 64

Harlow’s data show that “insightful” solutions may be arrived at _____ as a result of a number of learning experiences.

Answer 64

gradually

Question 65

The experiment by Epstein and colleagues demonstrated that insightful problem solving is largely a product of _____.

Answer 65

reinforcement/ reinforcement history

Question 66

The idea of increasing creativity by means of reinforcement seems illogical at first because reinforcement _____ .

Answer 66

strengthens a behaviour that occurs

Question 67

How could an auto manufacturer increase the creativity of its designers?

Answer 67

contingency between innovative designs and reinforcing consequences e.g., time off or bonuses or royalties for original design

Question 68

Superstitious behaviour by definition does not produce _____.

Answer 68

reinforcers to maintain it

Question 69

Exposure to _____ aversives leads to learned helplessness.

Answer 69

inescapable

Question 70

Learning industriousness is the opposite of _____ .