Behavioral Psychology Fundamentals: Quiz on Classical and Operant Conditioning

Questions: 30

Questions
  • 1. What is an example of "positive reinforcement" in operant conditioning?

    • a) Ignoring an undesirable behavior
    • b) Removing an unpleasant stimulus after a desired behavior occurs
    • c) Giving a reward after a desired behavior occurs
    • d) Punishing a behavior to decrease its occurrence
  • 2. Which of the following is an example of "extinction" in classical conditioning?

    • a) A conditioned response decreases when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus
    • b) A new stimulus is introduced to provoke a new response
    • c) A conditioned response becomes stronger with more reinforcement
    • d) An unconditioned stimulus is replaced with a neutral stimulus
  • 3. What is "shaping" in operant conditioning?

    • a) Conditioning an animal to react to a conditioned stimulus
    • b) Reinforcing closer approximations of the desired behavior
    • c) Using punishment to decrease undesirable behavior
    • d) Reinforcing an undesirable behavior at random intervals
  • 4. What does the term "generalization" refer to in classical conditioning?

    • a) The process of associating a new stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus
    • b) The tendency for a conditioned response to occur with similar stimuli
    • c) The reinforcement of a desired behavior
    • d) The elimination of a conditioned response
  • 5. Which of the following best describes "punishment" in operant conditioning?

    • a) Adding a stimulus to decrease a behavior
    • b) Removing a stimulus to increase a behavior
    • c) Adding a stimulus to reinforce behavior
    • d) Removing a stimulus to reinforce behavior
  • 6. Which type of reinforcement schedule produces a high and steady rate of response?

    • a) Fixed ratio
    • b) Variable ratio
    • c) Fixed interval
    • d) Variable interval
  • 7. Which of the following is an example of a "fixed-interval schedule" in operant conditioning?

    • a) Reinforcing a behavior after a set number of responses
    • b) Reinforcing a behavior at random intervals
    • c) Reinforcing a behavior after a random number of responses
    • d) Reinforcing a behavior after a fixed time period
  • 8. What is an example of "vicarious reinforcement" in observational learning?

    • a) A child learns a behavior by watching others being rewarded for it
    • b) A child learns by receiving direct rewards for their own behavior
    • c) A child repeats a behavior because it is reinforced by others
    • d) A child learns through trial and error
  • 9. What is the "Premack Principle"?

    • a) The idea that a more probable behavior can be used to reinforce a less probable behavior
    • b) The concept of reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs
    • c) The principle that behavior is only learned through observation
    • d) The belief that punishment is the most effective way to change behavior
  • 10. What is "spontaneous recovery" in classical conditioning?

    • a) The reappearance of a conditioned response after a period of extinction
    • b) The process of associating a new stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus
    • c) The reinforcement of an extinguished behavior
    • d) The generalization of a conditioned response to new stimuli
  • 11. What does "observational learning" involve in behavioral psychology?

    • a) Learning through direct reinforcement of behavior
    • b) Learning by watching and imitating the behavior of others
    • c) Learning by associating stimuli with responses
    • d) Learning by practicing behavior repeatedly
  • 12. Which of the following is a key component of operant conditioning?

    • a) Reflexive responses to stimuli
    • b) The use of rewards and punishments to shape behavior
    • c) Pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus
    • d) Conditioned responses to environmental cues
  • 13. Which term describes when an organism stops responding to a stimulus that is no longer paired with reinforcement?

    • a) Generalization
    • b) Extinction
    • c) Spontaneous recovery
    • d) Shaping
  • 14. Who is the psychologist associated with the concept of "behaviorism" in psychology?

    • a) Sigmund Freud
    • b) Carl Rogers
    • c) B.F. Skinner
    • d) Abraham Maslow
  • 15. Which of the following is a characteristic of operant conditioning?

    • a) Behavior is controlled by the pairing of stimuli
    • b) Behavior is shaped by reinforcement or punishment
    • c) Behavior occurs automatically in response to stimuli
    • d) Behavior is the result of innate instincts
  • 16. Who is most closely associated with the theory of operant conditioning?

    • a) Ivan Pavlov
    • b) Albert Bandura
    • c) B.F. Skinner
    • d) John B. Watson
  • 17. What is "behavior modification"?

    • a) The process of using conditioning to change maladaptive behaviors
    • b) The process of reinforcing desired behavior only
    • c) The process of using observation to learn new behaviors
    • d) The process of removing maladaptive responses
  • 18. What is the role of "reinforcement" in operant conditioning?

    • a) To encourage the repetition of a behavior
    • b) To stop the occurrence of an undesirable behavior
    • c) To eliminate a conditioned response
    • d) To introduce new stimuli to provoke a response
  • 19. In classical conditioning, the "conditioned stimulus" is:

    • a) The stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response
    • b) The learned stimulus that evokes a conditioned response
    • c) The response that occurs naturally in reaction to an unconditioned stimulus
    • d) The behavior that is reinforced through rewards
  • 20. In Pavlov’s experiment, what was the unconditioned stimulus?

    • a) The sound of the bell
    • b) The food presented to the dogs
    • c) The salivation response
    • d) The bell ringing after conditioning
  • 21. In Skinner's operant conditioning experiments, what was used to reinforce the behavior of rats?

    • a) A loud sound
    • b) A food pellet
    • c) A shock to the skin
    • d) A conditioned response
  • 22. In Pavlov's experiment, what was the conditioned response?

    • a) The dog's salivation in response to the food
    • b) The dog’s salivation in response to the bell sound
    • c) The dog’s response to the neutral stimulus
    • d) The dog’s fear of the bell sound
  • 23. In operant conditioning, what does "fixed ratio" refer to?

    • a) Reinforcement occurs after a specific number of responses
    • b) Reinforcement is given after a fixed time period
    • c) Reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses
    • d) Reinforcement is provided after random intervals
  • 24. What is the main difference between classical and operant conditioning?

    • a) Classical conditioning involves reflexive behaviors, while operant conditioning involves voluntary behaviors
    • b) Classical conditioning requires rewards, while operant conditioning requires punishments
    • c) Classical conditioning involves imitation of behavior, while operant conditioning does not
    • d) Classical conditioning does not involve reinforcement
  • 25. What is the main characteristic of "negative punishment" in operant conditioning?

    • a) Removing a pleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior
    • b) Adding a negative stimulus to reduce a behavior
    • c) Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior
    • d) Adding a reward to increase a behavior
  • 26. What is the concept of "latent learning"?

    • a) Learning through continuous and immediate feedback
    • b) Learning that occurs only through direct reinforcement
    • c) Learning through observation without reinforcement
    • d) Learning that occurs but is not immediately expressed
  • 27. What is "instinctive drift" in operant conditioning?

    • a) The tendency for learned behavior to revert to innate behavior patterns
    • b) The process of reinforcing complex behaviors gradually
    • c) The ability to learn new behaviors without reinforcement
    • d) The phenomenon where animals exhibit social learning
  • 28. What does "generalization" mean in classical conditioning?

    • a) The extinction of a conditioned response due to lack of reinforcement
    • b) The tendency to become conditioned to a neutral stimulus
    • c) The ability to differentiate between similar stimuli
    • d) The tendency for a conditioned response to be triggered by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus
  • 29. Which of the following best describes "continuous reinforcement"?

    • a) Reinforcing a behavior randomly
    • b) Reinforcing a behavior only at fixed intervals
    • c) Reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs
    • d) Reinforcing behavior only when the organism is punished
  • 30. What is "token economy" in operant conditioning?

    • a) A system where tokens are given as reinforcement for desired behavior
    • b) A process of modifying behavior using electric shocks
    • c) A method of observing behavior without reinforcement
    • d) A technique for pairing stimuli to form associations

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