CSCC Psychology Exam 2 UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
continuous reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A pattern by which a behavior is
reinforced every time it occurs.
discriminative stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A signal indicating that a particular
behavior will be followed by a particular consequence.
fixed-interval schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior can be reinforced after a time interval that is consistent and predictable.
fixed-ratio schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior is reinforced after a consistent, predictable number of occurrences.
law of effect - CORRECT ANSWER - The observation that a behavior is more likely to be
repeated if its effects are desirable but less likely to be repeated if its effects are undesirable.
negative reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of reinforcement that involves
removing something undesirable.
operant conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of learning in which the
consequences of a voluntary behavior affect the likelihood that the behavior will recur.
partial reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - (intermittent reinforcement) a pattern by
which a behavior is reinforced only some of the times it occurs.
positive reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of reinforcement that involves
getting something desirable.
,primary reinforcer - CORRECT ANSWER - An innate reinforcer that requires no learning
to have a reinforcing effect because it satisfies a biological need.
punishment - CORRECT ANSWER - Any consequence of a behavior that makes that
behavior less likely to recur.
reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - Any consequence of a behavior that makes that
behavior more likely to recur.
reinforcement schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A pattern by which reinforcements occur
in response to a particular behavior.
secondary reinforcer - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcer that requires a learned link to a
primary reinforcer to have a reinforcing effect
shaping - CORRECT ANSWER - The process of gradually learning a complex behavior
through the reinforcement of each small step that is a part of the complex behavior.
Skinner box - CORRECT ANSWER - (originally called an operant chamber) a container
into which animals such as pigeons or rats could be placed for the purpose of observing and
recording their behavior in response to consequences.
variable-interval schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior can be reinforced after a time interval that is inconsistent and unpredictable.
variable-ratio schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior is reinforced after an inconsistent, unpredictable number of occurrences.
acquisition - CORRECT ANSWER - The point in the learning process at which the neutral
stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus because of its link to the conditioned response.
, classical conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of learning in which animals or
people make a connection between two stimuli that have occurred together, such that one
predicts the other.
conditioned response - CORRECT ANSWER - The response to a conditioned stimulus
acquired through learning.
conditioned stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A formerly neutral stimulus that now
causes a response because of its link to an unconditioned stimulus.
discrimination - CORRECT ANSWER - The learning process by which stimuli that are
different from the conditioned stimulus fail to cause the same conditioned response.
extinction - CORRECT ANSWER - The point in the learning process at which the
conditioned stimulus no longer causes the conditioned response because it is no longer linked to
the unconditioned stimulus.
generalization - CORRECT ANSWER - The learning process by which stimuli that are
similar to the conditioned stimulus cause the same conditioned response.
higher-order conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - Classical conditioning that involves
three or more stimuli.
learning - CORRECT ANSWER - The process by which life experience causes change in
the behavior or thinking of an organism.
neutral stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A stimulus that causes no response at all.
spontaneous recovery - CORRECT ANSWER - After a temporary period of inactivity, the
return of a conditioned response that had become extinct.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
continuous reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A pattern by which a behavior is
reinforced every time it occurs.
discriminative stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A signal indicating that a particular
behavior will be followed by a particular consequence.
fixed-interval schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior can be reinforced after a time interval that is consistent and predictable.
fixed-ratio schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior is reinforced after a consistent, predictable number of occurrences.
law of effect - CORRECT ANSWER - The observation that a behavior is more likely to be
repeated if its effects are desirable but less likely to be repeated if its effects are undesirable.
negative reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of reinforcement that involves
removing something undesirable.
operant conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of learning in which the
consequences of a voluntary behavior affect the likelihood that the behavior will recur.
partial reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - (intermittent reinforcement) a pattern by
which a behavior is reinforced only some of the times it occurs.
positive reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - A type of reinforcement that involves
getting something desirable.
,primary reinforcer - CORRECT ANSWER - An innate reinforcer that requires no learning
to have a reinforcing effect because it satisfies a biological need.
punishment - CORRECT ANSWER - Any consequence of a behavior that makes that
behavior less likely to recur.
reinforcement - CORRECT ANSWER - Any consequence of a behavior that makes that
behavior more likely to recur.
reinforcement schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A pattern by which reinforcements occur
in response to a particular behavior.
secondary reinforcer - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcer that requires a learned link to a
primary reinforcer to have a reinforcing effect
shaping - CORRECT ANSWER - The process of gradually learning a complex behavior
through the reinforcement of each small step that is a part of the complex behavior.
Skinner box - CORRECT ANSWER - (originally called an operant chamber) a container
into which animals such as pigeons or rats could be placed for the purpose of observing and
recording their behavior in response to consequences.
variable-interval schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior can be reinforced after a time interval that is inconsistent and unpredictable.
variable-ratio schedule - CORRECT ANSWER - A reinforcement schedule in which a
behavior is reinforced after an inconsistent, unpredictable number of occurrences.
acquisition - CORRECT ANSWER - The point in the learning process at which the neutral
stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus because of its link to the conditioned response.
, classical conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of learning in which animals or
people make a connection between two stimuli that have occurred together, such that one
predicts the other.
conditioned response - CORRECT ANSWER - The response to a conditioned stimulus
acquired through learning.
conditioned stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A formerly neutral stimulus that now
causes a response because of its link to an unconditioned stimulus.
discrimination - CORRECT ANSWER - The learning process by which stimuli that are
different from the conditioned stimulus fail to cause the same conditioned response.
extinction - CORRECT ANSWER - The point in the learning process at which the
conditioned stimulus no longer causes the conditioned response because it is no longer linked to
the unconditioned stimulus.
generalization - CORRECT ANSWER - The learning process by which stimuli that are
similar to the conditioned stimulus cause the same conditioned response.
higher-order conditioning - CORRECT ANSWER - Classical conditioning that involves
three or more stimuli.
learning - CORRECT ANSWER - The process by which life experience causes change in
the behavior or thinking of an organism.
neutral stimulus - CORRECT ANSWER - A stimulus that causes no response at all.
spontaneous recovery - CORRECT ANSWER - After a temporary period of inactivity, the
return of a conditioned response that had become extinct.
