GRE Psychology Subject Test Questions with 100% Correct Answers

Learning Correct Answer The relatively permanent or stable change in behavior as the result of experience E.L. Thorndike Correct Answer This man suggested the law of effect, precursor of operant conditioning. Law of Effect Correct Answer E.L. Thorndike's idea that postulated a cause-and-effect chain of behavior revolving around reinforcement. Any behavior that is followed by reward is likely to be repeated. One followed by unpleasant consequences is likely to be stopped. Kurt Lewin Correct Answer This man developed the theory of association, forerunner of behaviorism. Theory of Association Correct Answer Organisms associate certain behaviors with certain rewards and certain cues with certain situations. Precursor to Pavlov's Classical Conditioning. Ivan Pavlov Correct Answer He is famous for work on digestion. Developed Classical Conditioning. Classical/ Pavlovian Conditioning Correct Answer A concept that involves teaching an organism to respond to a neutral stimulus by pairing the neutral stimulus with a not-so-neutral stimulus. John B. Watson Correct Answer He founded the school of behaviorism. He believed that everything can be explained by stimulus-response chains and that conditioning was the key factor in developing these chains. ONLY OBJECTIVE and OBSERVABLE elements were of importance to organisms and psychology. B.F. Skinner Correct Answer This man developed operant conditioning. Operant Conditioning/ Instrumental Conditioning Correct Answer This concept of behavior being influenced primarily by reinforcement. The Skinner Box was used to develop this idea: to condition rats to perform an unnatural behavior--pressing the lever in the skinner box. Neutral Stimulus Correct Answer A stimulus that does not produce a specific response on its own. Unconditioned Stimulus Correct Answer Without conditioning, this stimulus elicits a response. Conditioned Stimulus Correct Answer The neutral stimulus once it has been paired with the UCS. Unconditioned Response Correct Answer The naturally occurring response to the UCS. Conditioned Response Correct Answer The response that the CS elicits after conditioning. Often times, it is the same as the UCR. Simultaneous Conditioning Correct Answer A conditioning technique where the UCS and the CS are presented at the same time. Higher Order/ Second-Oder Conditioning Correct Answer A conditioning technique in which a previous CS now acts as a UCS. Forward Conditioning Correct Answer A conditioning technique in which the CS is presented before the UCS Delayed Conditioning Correct Answer The presentation of the CS begins before that of the UCs and lasts until the UCS is presented. Trace Conditioning Correct Answer The CS stimulus is presented and terminated before the UCS is presented. Backward Conditioning Correct Answer A conditioning technique in which the CS is presented after the UCS is presented. It proves to be ineffective. Produces an inhibitory conditioning effect. Shaping/ Differential Reinforcement of Successive Approximations Correct Answer A process where the experimenter gradually molds an organism by reinforcing any responses similar to the desired response. Primary Reinforcement Correct Answer Something that is reinforcing on its own without the requirement of learning. Ex. Water and Food. Secondary Reinforcement Correct Answer A learned reinforcer, often learned through society. Ex. Money Positive Reinforcement Correct Answer A type of reward or positive event acting as a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a particular response. Negative Reinforcement Correct Answer Reinforcement through the removal of a negative event. Continuous Reinforcement Schedule Correct Answer A schedule where every correct response is met with some form of reinforcement. This type of reinforcement strategy facilitates the quickest learning but most fragile learning (as soon as the rewards stop coming, the animal stops performing). Partial Reinforcement Schedule Correct Answer In this schedule, not all correct responses are met with reinforcement. This type of reinforcement strategy may