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Psyc 3304 Exam 2 Study Guide Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
"Memorize that statement. It is the secret of good training." What
statement?
Ans: A reinforcer is anything that, occurring in conjunction
with an act, tends to increase the probability that the act will
occur again.
If you know nothing else except that a behavior has a low probability of
occurring, how can you find out if something is a reinforcer?
Ans: If the object increases the probability of that behavior
occurring, then the object is a reinforcer.
If you know all about a person or another animal, how would you go
about picking a positive reinforce?
Ans: I would pick something the subject wants.
In the simplest case, if someone you would like to have call never
telephones, what can you do?
Ans: Act delighted when they do call. This positively reinforces
their behavior.
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"A major point in training is that you can't reinforce behavior that is
______ ______."
Ans: not occurring
A Wall Street lawyer decided to improve his squash game by praising
himself for good shots instead of cursing his errors. How did he feel at
first? What did he say to himself as self-praise? How else did he
reinforce himself? What did he do when his opponent got mad, threw
his racket, etc.?
Ans: He felt like a "damned fool". He said "Way to go, Pete,
attaboy." He enjoyed it when the other guys got mad and he
just would smile.
Reinforcements are relative not absolute. What is rain to ducks? How is
rain a reinforcer to cats? What does rain reinforce in cows?
Ans: Positive reinforcer to ducks, negative reinforcer to cats,
and does not reinforce anything in cows.
At Sea World, whole shows are run in which animals never know which
behaviors will be reinforced next or what the reinforcement will be.
How is this possible?
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Ans: The surprises are so interesting to the animal that they
will run the show.
"Positive reinforcement is good for human relationships. It is the basis
of the art of giving presents..." What could be artful about giving
presents? Who receives the reinforcement?
Ans: If you guess right, it's reinforcing. The person receiving
the gift receives reinforcement, as well as the giver if he
guesses right.
Negative reinforcements may range from the mildest of aversive
stimuli to the most extreme. What is an example, from the book, of a
very mild aversive stimulus?
Ans: A derisive glance from a friend when you make a poor
joke.
Negative reinforcement is not punishment. Give an example using a
bad report card.
Ans: A boy being spanked for a bad report card may or may not
get better report cards in the future, but he surely can't change
the one he's brought home.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
Psyc 3304 Exam 2 Study Guide Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
"Memorize that statement. It is the secret of good training." What
statement?
Ans: A reinforcer is anything that, occurring in conjunction
with an act, tends to increase the probability that the act will
occur again.
If you know nothing else except that a behavior has a low probability of
occurring, how can you find out if something is a reinforcer?
Ans: If the object increases the probability of that behavior
occurring, then the object is a reinforcer.
If you know all about a person or another animal, how would you go
about picking a positive reinforce?
Ans: I would pick something the subject wants.
In the simplest case, if someone you would like to have call never
telephones, what can you do?
Ans: Act delighted when they do call. This positively reinforces
their behavior.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
"A major point in training is that you can't reinforce behavior that is
______ ______."
Ans: not occurring
A Wall Street lawyer decided to improve his squash game by praising
himself for good shots instead of cursing his errors. How did he feel at
first? What did he say to himself as self-praise? How else did he
reinforce himself? What did he do when his opponent got mad, threw
his racket, etc.?
Ans: He felt like a "damned fool". He said "Way to go, Pete,
attaboy." He enjoyed it when the other guys got mad and he
just would smile.
Reinforcements are relative not absolute. What is rain to ducks? How is
rain a reinforcer to cats? What does rain reinforce in cows?
Ans: Positive reinforcer to ducks, negative reinforcer to cats,
and does not reinforce anything in cows.
At Sea World, whole shows are run in which animals never know which
behaviors will be reinforced next or what the reinforcement will be.
How is this possible?
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
Ans: The surprises are so interesting to the animal that they
will run the show.
"Positive reinforcement is good for human relationships. It is the basis
of the art of giving presents..." What could be artful about giving
presents? Who receives the reinforcement?
Ans: If you guess right, it's reinforcing. The person receiving
the gift receives reinforcement, as well as the giver if he
guesses right.
Negative reinforcements may range from the mildest of aversive
stimuli to the most extreme. What is an example, from the book, of a
very mild aversive stimulus?
Ans: A derisive glance from a friend when you make a poor
joke.
Negative reinforcement is not punishment. Give an example using a
bad report card.
Ans: A boy being spanked for a bad report card may or may not
get better report cards in the future, but he surely can't change
the one he's brought home.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
