Operant Conditioning

A child receives praise and a sticker for completing their homework. As a result, they begin to do their homework more regularly.

What type of operant conditioning is demonstrated in this scenario?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A dog stops barking excessively after its owner sprays it with water whenever it barks.What type of operant conditioning is being applied here?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A teenager loses their video game privileges for failing to clean their room.What is the consequence being applied in this scenario?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A student studies harder after finding that their grades improve as a result of their efforts. What kind of operant conditioning is taking place?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A cat learns to sit on command when it receives a treat every time it performs the action. What is the primary reinforcement method used?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A parent removes dessert from their child’s dinner if they refuse to eat their vegetables. What type of operant conditioning is being utilized?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A player is penalized with a yellow card for a foul in a soccer match, which discourages them from committing fouls in the future. What type of operant conditioning does this scenario illustrate?

• Positive reinforcement

• Positive punishment

• Negative reinforcement

• Negative punishment

A child feels anxious every time they hear the sound of an ambulance siren, having previously experienced a traumatic event associated with it. What is the conditioned stimulus (CS) in this case?

• The ambulance

• The traumatic event

• The anxiety

• The siren sound

A person begins to feel hungry when they smell their favorite food cooking, even if they are not hungry at the moment. What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in this example?

• The smell of the food

• The feeling of hunger

• The favorite food

• The cooking process

A cat becomes startled every time it hears a can opener, having previously associated the sound with being fed. What is the unconditioned response (UCR) here?

• The sound of the can opener

• The feeding

• The startle reaction

• The cat’s excitement