PSY 102 Exam 2 V3 | PSY 102 General Psychology | Actual Q&A with
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 2) | Grand Canyon University
1. In Ivan Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiments, what was the unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)?
A. The ringing of the bell
B. The food presented to the dogs
C. The salivation in response to the bell
D. The researcher entering the room
Answer: B
Rationale: The unconditioned stimulus is an element that naturally and automatically
triggers a specific response without prior learning. In Pavlov’s study, the food naturally
caused the dogs to salivate, making it the UCS. This contrasts with the bell, which became a
conditioned stimulus only after repeated pairings with the food.
2. Which concept describes the process where a conditioned response disappears after the
conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus?
A. Extinction
B. Acquisition
C. Generalization
D. Spontaneous Recovery
Answer: A
Rationale: Extinction occurs when the association between the conditioned stimulus and
unconditioned stimulus is broken. By presenting the bell without the food, the learned
behavior eventually fades away. This process is essential for understanding how learned
associations can be unlearned over time.
3. A child is given a sticker every time they clean their room, which increases the frequency of
the cleaning behavior. This is an example of:
A. Positive Punishment
B. Negative Reinforcement
C. Positive Reinforcement
D. Negative Punishment
Answer: C
,Rationale: Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a rewarding stimulus to
increase a desired behavior. In this scenario, the sticker serves as the appetitive stimulus
that encourages the child to clean more often. This is a fundamental principle of operant
conditioning as defined by B.F. Skinner.
4. In operant conditioning, ‘negative’ reinforcement refers to:
A. The application of an unpleasant stimulus
B. The removal of an unpleasant stimulus
C. The removal of a pleasant stimulus
D. A decrease in the frequency of a behavior
Answer: B
Rationale: Negative reinforcement aims to increase a behavior by taking away an aversive
or unpleasant stimulus. For example, fastening a seatbelt to stop an annoying buzzer is a
form of negative reinforcement. It is often confused with punishment, but its goal is always
to strengthen a response rather than weaken it.
5. Which reinforcement schedule provides a reward after an unpredictable number of
responses, such as a slot machine?
A. Variable-Ratio
B. Fixed-Ratio
C. Fixed-Interval
D. Variable-Interval
Answer: A
Rationale: Variable-ratio schedules deliver reinforcement after a random number of
behaviors, leading to high and steady rates of response. This schedule is highly resistant to
extinction because the subject never knows which specific action will trigger the reward.
Gambling is a classic real-world example of this reinforcement pattern.
6. Albert Bandura’s ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment demonstrated the power of:
A. Latent Learning
B. Classical Conditioning
C. Observational Learning
D. Insight Learning
Answer: C
Rationale: Bandura’s research showed that children could learn aggressive behaviors
simply by watching an adult model interact with a doll. This demonstrated that learning
, can occur without direct reinforcement through a process called modeling. It highlighted
the importance of social context and cognitive processes in behavioral development.
7. The process of getting information into the memory system is called:
A. Encoding
B. Retrieval
C. Storage
D. Rehearsal
Answer: A
Rationale: Encoding is the initial step in the memory process where sensory input is
transformed into a form that the brain can process. Without effective encoding, information
cannot be moved into short-term or long-term storage. This process can be automatic or
require effortful processing depending on the material.
8. What is the capacity of short-term memory, as famously suggested by George Miller?
A. Unlimited
B. Approximately 7, plus or minus 2 items
C. Exactly 5 items
D. Exactly 10 items
Answer: B
Rationale: George Miller’s research suggested that the ‘magical number’ for short-term
memory capacity is seven items, give or take two. While this capacity can be expanded
through techniques like chunking, the basic limit remains relatively small for most
individuals. This bottleneck is a key characteristic of the human information processing
system.
9. Which type of long-term memory involves the conscious recollection of facts and personal
events?
A. Implicit Memory
B. Procedural Memory
C. Echoic Memory
D. Explicit Memory
Answer: D
Rationale: Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, requires conscious effort
to retrieve and includes both semantic and episodic information. It allows us to recall
Rationale (PSY102 Exam 2) | Grand Canyon University
1. In Ivan Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiments, what was the unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)?
A. The ringing of the bell
B. The food presented to the dogs
C. The salivation in response to the bell
D. The researcher entering the room
Answer: B
Rationale: The unconditioned stimulus is an element that naturally and automatically
triggers a specific response without prior learning. In Pavlov’s study, the food naturally
caused the dogs to salivate, making it the UCS. This contrasts with the bell, which became a
conditioned stimulus only after repeated pairings with the food.
2. Which concept describes the process where a conditioned response disappears after the
conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus?
A. Extinction
B. Acquisition
C. Generalization
D. Spontaneous Recovery
Answer: A
Rationale: Extinction occurs when the association between the conditioned stimulus and
unconditioned stimulus is broken. By presenting the bell without the food, the learned
behavior eventually fades away. This process is essential for understanding how learned
associations can be unlearned over time.
3. A child is given a sticker every time they clean their room, which increases the frequency of
the cleaning behavior. This is an example of:
A. Positive Punishment
B. Negative Reinforcement
C. Positive Reinforcement
D. Negative Punishment
Answer: C
,Rationale: Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a rewarding stimulus to
increase a desired behavior. In this scenario, the sticker serves as the appetitive stimulus
that encourages the child to clean more often. This is a fundamental principle of operant
conditioning as defined by B.F. Skinner.
4. In operant conditioning, ‘negative’ reinforcement refers to:
A. The application of an unpleasant stimulus
B. The removal of an unpleasant stimulus
C. The removal of a pleasant stimulus
D. A decrease in the frequency of a behavior
Answer: B
Rationale: Negative reinforcement aims to increase a behavior by taking away an aversive
or unpleasant stimulus. For example, fastening a seatbelt to stop an annoying buzzer is a
form of negative reinforcement. It is often confused with punishment, but its goal is always
to strengthen a response rather than weaken it.
5. Which reinforcement schedule provides a reward after an unpredictable number of
responses, such as a slot machine?
A. Variable-Ratio
B. Fixed-Ratio
C. Fixed-Interval
D. Variable-Interval
Answer: A
Rationale: Variable-ratio schedules deliver reinforcement after a random number of
behaviors, leading to high and steady rates of response. This schedule is highly resistant to
extinction because the subject never knows which specific action will trigger the reward.
Gambling is a classic real-world example of this reinforcement pattern.
6. Albert Bandura’s ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment demonstrated the power of:
A. Latent Learning
B. Classical Conditioning
C. Observational Learning
D. Insight Learning
Answer: C
Rationale: Bandura’s research showed that children could learn aggressive behaviors
simply by watching an adult model interact with a doll. This demonstrated that learning
, can occur without direct reinforcement through a process called modeling. It highlighted
the importance of social context and cognitive processes in behavioral development.
7. The process of getting information into the memory system is called:
A. Encoding
B. Retrieval
C. Storage
D. Rehearsal
Answer: A
Rationale: Encoding is the initial step in the memory process where sensory input is
transformed into a form that the brain can process. Without effective encoding, information
cannot be moved into short-term or long-term storage. This process can be automatic or
require effortful processing depending on the material.
8. What is the capacity of short-term memory, as famously suggested by George Miller?
A. Unlimited
B. Approximately 7, plus or minus 2 items
C. Exactly 5 items
D. Exactly 10 items
Answer: B
Rationale: George Miller’s research suggested that the ‘magical number’ for short-term
memory capacity is seven items, give or take two. While this capacity can be expanded
through techniques like chunking, the basic limit remains relatively small for most
individuals. This bottleneck is a key characteristic of the human information processing
system.
9. Which type of long-term memory involves the conscious recollection of facts and personal
events?
A. Implicit Memory
B. Procedural Memory
C. Echoic Memory
D. Explicit Memory
Answer: D
Rationale: Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, requires conscious effort
to retrieve and includes both semantic and episodic information. It allows us to recall
