Operant Conditioning Quiz

Which of the following is NOT a key figure in the study of operant conditioning?

• B. F. Skinner

• Edward L. Thorndike

• Ivan Pavlov

• John B. Watson

What happens to ineffective responses according to Thorndike's study?

• They become more frequent

• They remain the same

• They become less frequent

• They are eliminated immediately

What is a secondary reinforcer associated with?

• Pain

• Benefit

• Association with punisher

• No effect

What is the purpose of positive punishment?

• Adding something pleasant to increase a behavior

• Removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior

• Adding something unpleasant to decrease a behavior

• Removing something pleasant to decrease a behavior

Which of the following is an example of negative punishment?

• Adding something pleasant to increase a behavior

• Removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior

• Adding something unpleasant to decrease a behavior

• Removing something pleasant to decrease a behavior

What is the main difference between reinforcement and punishment?

• Reinforcement increases behavior, punishment decreases behavior

• Reinforcement decreases behavior, punishment increases behavior

• Both reinforcement and punishment increase behavior

• Both reinforcement and punishment decrease behavior

What is the effect of positive reinforcement on behavior?

• Decrease behavior

• Increase behavior

• No change in behavior

• Reverse behavior

What is the effect of positive punishment on behavior?

• Decrease behavior

• Increase behavior

• No change in behavior

• Reverse behavior

What is a primary punisher?

• A stimulus that is naturally painful or unpleasant

• A stimulus that is learned over time

• A stimulus that is always positive

• A stimulus that is neutral

What is a variable-interval schedule?

• Reinforcement occurs after a fixed number of responses.

• Reinforcement occurs after the first response following a fixed time interval.

• Reinforcement occurs after a variable number of responses.

• Reinforcement occurs after the first response following an average time interval.