PSYCH 111: Introduction to Psychology: Week 9: Chapter 6 Quizzes: Learning

Correct Answer:

B. A student receives a paycheck every two weeks regardless of performance

Explanation:

A fixed-interval reinforcement schedule provides reinforcement after a consistent, predictable amount of time has passed. The reinforcement does not depend on the number of responses, only on time. For example, paychecks given every two weeks or June’s pain medication available once per hour both demonstrate fixed intervals. This type of reinforcement tends to produce a "scalloped" response pattern, where behavior increases as the reinforcement time approaches.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. A worker receives $20 for every five shirts they sew

This describes a fixed-ratio schedule because reinforcement is delivered after a specific number of responses (five shirts), not after a fixed amount of time.

C. A slot machine pays out after an unpredictable number of pulls

This is a variable-ratio schedule. The reinforcement is based on the number of responses, but the number required is unpredictable and constantly changing.

D. A dog gets a treat after every third time it rolls over

This also represents a fixed-ratio schedule, where reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses (every third rollover), not according to a time interval.

Correct Answer:

B. Pavlov’s work showed reflexes could be conditioned in dogs, and Watson extended this idea to conditioning human emotions

Explanation:

Ivan Pavlov demonstrated classical conditioning through his experiments with dogs, showing that reflexive responses (like salivation) could be conditioned by pairing a neutral stimulus with food. John B. Watson applied these principles to humans, arguing that emotions such as fear could also be conditioned. His famous “Little Albert” experiment illustrated that fear of animals could be learned by pairing them with loud, frightening sounds. Watson’s extension of Pavlov’s work supported his view that human behavior is largely the result of conditioned responses.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. Pavlov conditioned human emotions, while Watson conditioned animal reflexes

This reverses the roles—Pavlov worked with dogs’ reflexes, not human emotions.

C. Pavlov rejected conditioning, while Watson used it exclusively to study behavior

Pavlov discovered classical conditioning, so he did not reject it.

D. Pavlov focused on operant conditioning, while Watson focused on classical conditioning

Pavlov studied classical conditioning, not operant conditioning, and Watson extended that to human behavior.

Correct Answer:

A. A learned avoidance of a taste when it has been paired with illness, even after several hours

Explanation:

Taste aversion is a unique form of classical conditioning in which an organism learns to associate the taste of a particular food (conditioned stimulus) with illness or nausea (unconditioned stimulus). Unlike most types of conditioning, which require immediate pairing, taste aversion can develop even when several hours separate the ingestion of the food and the onset of illness. This makes it an adaptive survival mechanism, helping organisms avoid harmful or poisonous substances.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

B. A preference for foods eaten repeatedly in short intervals

This describes food preference learning or habit formation, not taste aversion.

C. A conditioned response that only occurs when the stimulus and response happen immediately together

Taste aversion is unique because it does not require immediate pairing; this answer reflects typical conditioning, not taste aversion.

D. A general tendency to associate all pleasant tastes with positive emotions

This is more related to reinforcement of pleasurable experiences, not avoidance conditioning due to illness.

Correct Answer:

B. A student checks their email and sometimes finds a new message at unpredictable times

Explanation:

A variable-interval reinforcement schedule delivers reinforcement after varying, unpredictable periods of time. Because the timing cannot be anticipated, behaviors are performed steadily over time to maximize chances of reinforcement. For example, Manuel’s fast-food team keeps the restaurant consistently clean and efficient since they do not know when the quality control inspector will appear. Similarly, checking emails is reinforced at unpredictable times, producing steady, moderate response rates.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. A factory worker gets paid for every 100 items produced

This is a fixed-ratio schedule because reinforcement is tied to a specific number of responses (100 items), not time intervals.

C. A dog receives a treat every time it sits on command

This is continuous reinforcement. The behavior is rewarded each time it occurs, rather than after unpredictable time intervals.

D. A salesperson earns a commission for each product sold

This represents a ratio schedule, specifically fixed or variable ratio depending on the structure, since reinforcement depends on responses (sales), not the passage of time.

Correct Answer:

B. Acquisition strengthens the learned association, while extinction weakens it when the UCS is no longer paired with the CS

Explanation:

Acquisition is the learning phase in which a conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS), causing the conditioned response (CR) to become stronger. Extinction, by contrast, happens when the CS is presented without the UCS, leading the CR to weaken or disappear over time. Importantly, extinction does not erase the learning completely, as spontaneous recovery shows that the association can reappear.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. Acquisition is when a conditioned response weakens, while extinction is when it strengthens

This reverses the definitions—acquisition strengthens and extinction weakens.

C. Acquisition and extinction both permanently erase the learned association

Neither process permanently erases the association; extinction only suppresses it.

D. Acquisition occurs only with operant conditioning, while extinction occurs only with classical conditioning

Both acquisition and extinction occur in classical and operant conditioning, not separately.

Correct Answer:

D. Classical conditioning

Explanation:

In classical conditioning, first described by Ivan Pavlov, a stimulus is presented before a behavior and becomes associated with it. For example, a bell (neutral stimulus) is rung before food (unconditioned stimulus), and over time the bell alone elicits salivation (conditioned response). The key element is that the stimulus precedes the behavior, shaping an automatic response through learned associations.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. Associative learning

This is a broader term that includes both classical and operant conditioning. It is not specific enough to describe the process of stimulus occurring before behavior.

B. Observational learning

This occurs by watching and imitating others’ behaviors. It does not involve pairing a stimulus with a response.

C. Operant conditioning

In operant conditioning, reinforcement or punishment follows the behavior, influencing whether it will be repeated. The behavior occurs before the consequence, not after the stimulus.

Correct Answer:

B. Existing behaviors that are reflexively elicited, not newly learned complex actions

Explanation:

B.F. Skinner argued that classical conditioning could only explain associations involving reflexive, automatic responses such as salivation or fear. It could not account for the acquisition of new, voluntary behaviors like playing an instrument or riding a bike. To explain those, Skinner developed operant conditioning, which emphasizes how behavior is shaped by reinforcement and punishment. This distinction expanded the scope of behavioral psychology to include more complex human actions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. The development of entirely new voluntary behaviors like riding a bike

This is what Skinner said classical conditioning cannot explain, hence why he introduced operant conditioning.

C. Learned behaviors shaped only by observation and imitation

This describes observational learning, not classical conditioning or Skinner’s critique of it.

D. The weakening of behavior through repeated exposure to non-reinforced stimuli

This refers to extinction in conditioning, not Skinner’s point about the limits of classical conditioning.

Correct Answer:

C. Chimps switch from dipping to sucking after observing others use the more effective method

Explanation:

Observational learning occurs when individuals change their behavior after watching others and imitating what they see. In the chimpanzee study, the “dippers” learned a more efficient strategy—sucking through the straw—after watching the “suckers.” No direct reinforcement was required; instead, learning occurred through modeling. This highlights how both humans and animals can adapt behaviors by observing and imitating others’ successes.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. Chimps receive food only after pressing a lever a certain number of times

This describes operant conditioning with a fixed-ratio schedule, not observational learning, since behavior is shaped by reinforcement, not imitation.

B. Chimps continue dipping straws in juice even after watching others suck directly

This shows no observational learning because behavior does not change based on modeling.

D. Chimps are reinforced with food at fixed time intervals regardless of behavior

This reflects a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule, not observational learning, since reinforcement is based on time rather than imitating others.

Correct Answer:

B. A neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus, producing a conditioned response

Explanation:

Classical conditioning, discovered by Ivan Pavlov, occurs when a previously neutral stimulus (like a bell) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (such as food) that naturally triggers an unconditioned response (salivation). Over time, the neutral stimulus alone elicits the same response, now called a conditioned response. This process explains how organisms form associations between stimuli and develop new learned responses.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

A. Learning happens when behaviors are shaped by their consequences, such as rewards or punishments

This describes operant conditioning, not classical conditioning.

C. Learning occurs by watching and imitating the actions of others in the environment

This is observational learning, not Pavlovian conditioning.

D. A reflexive response is suppressed through repeated exposure to the same stimulus

This reflects habituation, a form of non-associative learning, not classical conditioning.