HSP3U Operant Conditioning

Sam is studying different approaches in psychology. He learns about a psychologist who is considered to have developed true behaviorism because of his focus on observable behaviors rather than mental processes. Who is this psychologist?

• Sigmund Freud

• B.F. Skinner

• Carl Jung

• Ivan Pavlov

Answer explanation

B.F. Skinner is known for developing true behaviorism, emphasizing observable behaviors and their reinforcement, unlike Freud and Jung, who focused on mental processes.

Sarah teaches her cat to come when called by giving it a treat each time it responds correctly and ignoring it when it does not. What technique is Sarah using to shape her cat's behavior?

• Classical Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning

• Cognitive Therapy

• Psychoanalysis

Answer explanation

Sarah is using Operant Conditioning, as she reinforces her cat's behavior by providing treats for correct responses and ignoring incorrect ones, shaping the cat's behavior through rewards.

Henry is conducting experiments to study how animals learn new behaviors. He decides to use the same types of animals that B.F. Skinner famously used in his research. Which animals does Henry choose for his studies?

• Dogs and cats

• Monkeys and apes

• Rats and pigeons

• Fish and birds

Answer explanation

Henry chooses rats and pigeons for his studies, as these are the same types of animals used by B.F. Skinner in his research on operant conditioning and behavior learning.

In a psychology experiment, Samuel is observing how a rat interacts with a Skinner Box. What is the primary function of the bar or pedal that the rat can press inside the box?

• To release a food pellet into the cage

• To open the cage door

• To turn on the signal lights

• To activate the shock generator

Answer explanation

The primary function of the bar or pedal in a Skinner Box is to release a food pellet into the cage. This mechanism reinforces the rat's behavior through positive reinforcement, encouraging it to press the bar for food.

When Chloe receives praise from her teacher for completing her homework, what is the likely effect of this reinforcing stimulus on Chloe's homework behavior?

• It decreases the probability of the behavior occurring in the future.

• It has no effect on the behavior.

• It increases the probability of the behavior occurring in the future.

• It causes the behavior to become extinct immediately.

Answer explanation

Chloe's teacher's praise acts as a positive reinforcement, which is likely to increase the probability of Chloe completing her homework in the future. Positive feedback encourages repetition of the behavior.

Chloe is conducting an experiment with a rat in an operant conditioning chamber. She notices that there are signal lights above the lever. What is the function of these signal lights in the chamber?

• To indicate when the lever is active

• To show the time remaining

• To provide a distraction

• To measure the animal's response time

Answer explanation

The signal lights indicate when the lever is active, guiding the rat's behavior during the experiment. This helps in understanding the relationship between the lever press and the reward.

James is training his dog to sit by giving it a treat every time it follows the command. In this scenario, what is an example of a stimulus used for positive reinforcement?

• Water

• Light

• Food

• Sound

Answer explanation

In this scenario, food is the stimulus used for positive reinforcement. James gives his dog a treat (food) every time it sits on command, encouraging the behavior through the reward.

In Charlotte's classroom, a loud alarm goes off whenever the students talk during quiet time. What action by Charlotte leads to the removal of the loud noise?

• Pressing a button

• Running in a wheel

• Climbing a ladder

• Eating food

Answer explanation

Charlotte can stop the loud alarm by pressing a button, which likely controls the noise. The other options, like running in a wheel or climbing a ladder, do not logically relate to silencing the alarm.

Charlotte receives praise from her teacher every time she completes her homework on time. What is the effect of this positive reinforcement on Charlotte's behavior?

• Increases the frequency of desirable behavior

• Decreases the frequency of undesirable behavior

• Removes a stimulus to decrease behavior

• Applies a stimulus to decrease behavior

Answer explanation

The praise Charlotte receives acts as positive reinforcement, which encourages her to complete her homework on time more frequently. This increases the frequency of her desirable behavior.

James's teacher stops giving him extra homework when he finishes his assignments on time, which encourages him to keep finishing his work promptly. Which type of reinforcement is this?

• Positive Reinforcement

• Negative Reinforcement

• Positive Punishment

• Negative Punishment

Answer explanation

This is an example of negative reinforcement. James's teacher removes extra homework when he completes assignments on time, which encourages him to continue finishing his work promptly.