Operant Conditioning

Receiving a good grade for reading and responding to every two chapters of a novel is an example of a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

• fixed ratio

• fixed interval

• variable ratio

• variable interval

An athlete signs a contract whereby her salary increases are renegotiated every three years. This is an example of a _____ schedule of reinforcement.

• fixed ratio

• fixed interval

• variable ratio

• variable interval

Selling Girl Scout cookies door-to-door is reinforced on a _____ schedule.

• fixed ratio

• fixed interval

• variable ratio

• variable interval

Throwing the ball in hopes of getting a strike in bowling is reinforced on a _____ schedule.

• fixed ratio

• fixed interval

• variable interval

• variable ratio

Pop quizzes reinforce reading and studying on a _____ schedule.

• fixed ratio

• variable ratio

• fixed interval

• variable interval

The result of reinforcement is to

• cause a behavior to stop

• cause a behavior to diminish.

• cause a behavior to continue.

• strengthen the spontaneous recovery process.

• cause a behavior to occur for only a limited amount of time.

Which of the following describes negative reinforcement?

• Noah stops shooting bad free-throws because his coach benches him when he does.

• Sebastian studies hard because it earns him "A" grades in math.

• Deja used to walk to school but does not do so anymore because she was attacked by a dog in the neighborhood last month.

• Mia smokes because her anxiety is reduced when she does so.

• Darius wears his seatbelt because his driving teacher cited accident statistics in class.

Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely to be repeated is known as

• law of effect

• operant conditioning

• shaping

• respondent behavior

• discrimination

All of the following are examples of primary reinforcers except a

• rat's food reward in a Skinner box

• cold drink on a hot day

• high score on an exam for which a student studied diligently

• hug from a loved one

• large meal following an extended time without food

A father is frustrated because his 3-year-old daughter has started to spit frequently. He has decided to temporarily put one of her toys away each time she spits. He is going to continue doing this until she has stopped spitting. His plan uses

• positive reinforcement

• negative reinforcement

• positive punishment

• negative punishment