Experimental Studies of Operant Conditioning

Who performed the first experimental studies of operant conditioning in the 1890s?

• Ivan Pavlov

• John B. Watson

• B.F. Skinner

• Edwin L. Thorndike

What is the Law of Effect according to Edwin L. Thorndike?

• Behaviors that are rewarded are likely to be repeated.

• Behaviors leading to a satisfying state of affairs are strengthened, while behaviors leading to an unsatisfying state of affairs are weakened.

According to Edwin L. Thorndike, what determines whether a behavior will be repeated?

What did B.F. Skinner initially believe about most behaviors?

• They were learned through observation

• They were reflexes

• They were primarily operant behaviors

• They were unaffected by stimuli

What is the name of the experimental apparatus developed by B.F. Skinner?

• Pavlov's box

• Skinner box

• Operant conditioning chamber

• Reflex tester

According to the information provided, what are the two types of behavior as classified by B.F. Skinner?

• Voluntary and involuntary

• Reflexive and operant

• Conscious and unconscious

• Learned and innate

What type of behavior is controlled by the stimuli that precede it?

• Operant behavior

• Reflexive behavior

• Voluntary behavior

• Learned behavior

What type of behavior is voluntary and controlled by consequences?

• Reflexive behavior

• Operant behavior

• Involuntary behavior

• Stimuli-driven behavior

What did B.F. Skinner alter in Thorndike's law of effect?

• He added more laws to it.

• He emphasized the role of internal states.

• He removed the descriptors "satisfying state of affairs" and "unsatisfying state of affairs."

• He focused on the past consequences of behavior.

What did B.F. Skinner emphasize in his theory?

• The importance of internal states in determining behavior.

• The effect of the consequence on the future probability of the behavior.

• The role of past behaviors in shaping future actions.

• The significance of satisfying and unsatisfying states of affairs.