QCAA Psychology - Skinner (1948)

Select the terms to complete the sentence below correctly.​

In Operant Conditioning, consequences can be reinforcers or punishments.

​ (a)   make the desired behaviour more likely to occur again. (b)   , however, make the behaviour less likely to occur again.

• Reinforcers
• Punishments

Select the correct terms to complete the sentences below.

​ (a)   reinforcement involves the addition of a wanted stimulus.

​ (b)   reinforcement involves the removal of an unwanted stimulus.

Both of these types of consequences will make the desired behaviour ​ (c)   likely to occur again.

• Positive
• Negative
• more
• less

Recall the term that negative punishment can also be known as.

• Removal punishment

• Response cost

• Cost of behaviour

• A fine

Answer explanation

Negative punishment is also called response cost because it involves the removal of a wanted stimulus as a punishment.

Recall the characteristics of behaviour in operant conditioning.

You should select TWO options.

• Voluntary

• Passive

• Active

• Inactive

Answer explanation

In operant conditioning, the learner's behaviour is active and voluntary, because the learner chooses to perform the behaviour in response to the antecedent.

In Skinner's experiments, pigeons pecked a button to turn off the electric grid in the Skinner box which was causing them pain.

Identify what type of consequence is occurring when the pigeon pecks the button.

• Negative reinforcement

• Positive reinforcement

• Response cost

• Punishment

Answer explanation

This is an example of negative reinforcement, where an unwanted stimulus (the electricity through the flooring) is being taken away in order to reinforce a behaviour (pecking the button).

With reference to operant conditioning, distinguish between reinforcers and punishments and the effects they have on behaviour.

Answer explanation

Example Model Answer

In operant conditioning, consequences can either be reinforcers or punishments. Reinforcers are consequences that strengthen the behaviour, making it more likely to occur again, whereas punishments are consequences that weaken the behaviour, discouraging the behaviour from occurring again.

In your response, you should outline the differences between reinforcers and punishments with reference to operant conditioning and the effect it has on behaviour, specifically:

• reinforcers make the behaviour more likely to occur again;

• punishments make the behaviour less likely to occur again.

Select the correct terms to complete the sentence below.

Stimulus ​ (a)   occurs when the learner performs the behaviour in response to many similar antecedents. However, stimulus ​ (b)   occurs when the learner only performs the behaviour in response to the specific antecedent.

• generalisation
• discrimination

Select the term to correctly complete the sentence below.

In operant conditioning, ​ (a)   occurs when the behaviour is not consistently reinforced, so the association between the behaviour and consequence is weakened until the learner no longer performs the behaviour in response to the antecedent.

• extinction
• spontaneous recovery

Identify the definition of spontaneous recovery, in relation to operant conditioning.

• When the strength of the response weakens due to inconsistent reinforcement.

• When the learner no longer exhibits the behaviour in response to the antecedent.

• After extinction, the learner exhibits the behaviour again in response to the antecedent.

• After extinction, the conditioned stimulus elicits the conditioned response again.

Answer explanation

In operant conditioning, spontaneous recovery can occur after a period of extinction. This is when the learner exhibits the behaviour again in response to the antecedent, after a period of rest.

With reference to operant conditioning, describe stimulus generalisation.

Answer explanation

In operant conditioning, stimulus generalisation occurs when the learner performs the behaviour in response to similar antecedents. For example, a dog sits when its owner says the command 'sit', but also when the owner says something similar like 'pit'.

Your response should include a definition of stimulus generalisation in reference to operant conditioning.

You should use terminology specific to operant conditioning, including antecedent and behaviour.