Learning is solely about conditioning and association with rewards and punishment

Note: Select an answer for each question, then click the “Evaluate Quiz” button at the bottom of the page to check your answers.

1. Sometimes a solution to a problem suddenly comes to us. This event is called

   a. trial-and-error.
   b. latent learning.
   c. insight.
   d. observational learning.
   

2. A phobia is the

   a. stimulus that naturally evokes a specific response.
   b. gradual appearance of the CR in response to the CS.
   c. sudden return of a response that had formerly been extinguished.
   d. irrational fear of particular objects or situations.
   

3. Refer to the figure. Advertisements such as the one shown here are an attempt to use _______ on consumers.
   

   
   a. sensory adaptation
   b. second-order conditioning
   c. imprinting
   d. stimulus discrimination
   

4. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge, skill, attitudes, or understanding as a result of

   a. sensory adaptation.
   b. dishabituation.
   c. intelligence.
   d. experience.
   

5. For someone to emulate modeled behavior, the person must

   a. be keenly aware of the cognitive processes involved.
   b. receive positive reinforcement.
   c. be motivated to reproduce the behavior.
   d. perform the behavior to avoid an aversive stimulus.
   

6. The research of Albert Bandura is most closely associated with

   a. fear conditioning.
   b. latent learning.
   c. classical conditioning.
   d. social learning.
   

7. When one individual imitates another, _______ has occurred.

   a. modeling
   b. imprinting
   c. shaping
   d. conditioning
   

8. Andre was unable to make a paper airplane until he watched his cousin Miriam make a few. Now Andre can fold his own paper airplanes. This is an example of

   a. second-order conditioning.
   b. observational learning.
   c. insight.
   d. operant conditioning.
   

9. _______ learning occurs when the subject has learned something but does not demonstrate it right away.

   a. Observational
   b. Social
   c. Non-associative
   d. Latent
   

10. Behaviorists were especially critical of Edward Tolman’s research because it seemed to indicate that learning could occur

    a. after just a single trial.
    b. without reinforcement.
    c. without any cognitive functioning.
    d. only after months of effort.
    

11. Which of the following is an example of a primary reinforcer?

    a. A salary increase
    b. A piece of blueberry pie
    c. An employee-of-the-month award
    d. A new motorcycle
    

12. You are reading a really boring assignment for another class. To motivate yourself to keep going, you promise yourself a piece of chocolate for every ten pages you read. You are using a _______ reinforcement schedule.

    a. fixed ratio
    b. variable ratio
    c. fixed interval
    d. variable interval
    

13. After a behavior is established, the best way to maintain it for the long run is to reinforce it

    a. once.
    b. constantly.
    c. frequently.
    d. intermittently.
    

14. Escape conditioning is a form of _______ in which the subject learns to perform a response to remove an aversive stimulus.

    a. negative reinforcement
    b. negative punishment
    c. positive reinforcement
    d. positive punishment
    

15. Reinforcement can be distinguished from punishment in that reinforcement _______ a target behavior, whereas punishment _______ a target behavior.

    a. removes; establishes
    b. increases; decreases
    c. discourages; encourages
    d. inhibits; enhances
    

16. The process of shaping

    a. is highly effective, but only for lower-level behaviors.
    b. has been shown to inhibit learning in intelligent subjects.
    c. not only speeds up learning, but it can also be used to teach very complex tasks.
    d. generates many responses at first, but high response rates are not sustainable.
    

17. A Skinner box is most likely to be used in research on _______ conditioning.

    a. classical
    b. operant
    c. fear
    d. taste-aversion
    

18. Thorndike’s research led him to believe that the learning process is

    a. insightful.
    b. methodical.
    c. sudden.
    d. gradual.
    

19. Almost every time Angelo tries to shoot baskets, he misses the hoop; sometimes his shots miss the backboard entirely. Based on the law of effect, it is likely that Angelo will

    a. become highly motivated to perfect his shooting.
    b. develop a fear of basketball courts.
    c. lose interest in all sports.
    d. stop playing basketball.
    

20. Your uncle is about to undergo chemotherapy and is worried about the nausea that often accompanies such treatment. You should advise him to eat

    a. as little as possible before or after starting treatments.
    b. only his very favorite foods.
    c. foods he dislikes right as he begins treatments.
    d. foods he dislikes right after he begins to feel sick.
    

21. What is spontaneous recovery?

    a. The return of a previously extinguished CR in response to the CS after a period of rest
    b. The gradual appearance of the CR in response to the CS
    c. The loss of the CR caused by repeated presentation of the CS without the US
    d. A CR to stimuli that are similar, but not exactly identical, to the CS used in training
    

22. Luther is deathly afraid of spiders. Yesterday he saw a scorpion and became very fearful. This is probably due to

    a. non-associative learning.
    b. spontaneous recovery.
    c. stimulus generalization.
    d. sensitization.
    

23. Pavlov placed meat powder in the mouths of dogs, and they began to salivate. The food acted as

    a. an unconditioned response.
    b. an unconditioned stimulus.
    c. a conditioned response.
    d. a conditioned stimulus.
    

24. When Laura began wearing glasses they felt uncomfortable on her face, but after a few days she didn’t even notice she was wearing them. This is an example of

    a. habituation.
    b. sensitization.
    c. conditioning.
    d. stimulus generalization.
    

25. Any physical event that affects a sensory cell so an individual can detect the event is called

    a. reinforcement.
    b. a stimulus.
    c. a reward.
    d. learning.
    

What is your idea about conditioning using reward or punishment?

What is the role of reward and punishment in learning?

Can learning occur through associations or through rewards and punishments?

What is the conditioning and learning theory?