AP PSYCHOLOGY
AP PSYCHOLOGY UNIT 5
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. When animal species are bred in captivity instead of the wild and subsequently
reintroduced to the wild, very seldom are these animals able to survive. What does
this suggest about how both nature and nurture allow animals to adapt to our
environment?
-Nurture would be seen as the history of appropriate learning and their behaviors
while nature would be the genetic predispositions that allow animals for adapting
to our environments.
2. Why did behaviorists choose to base their approach on observable
behavior and ignore inner thoughts, feelings, and motives?
-The Psychologists believed that studying it objectively would be a better way and
believing that all kinds of animals had the same basic learning laws and their inner
thoughts should be ignored, and only be based on their observable behaviors.
3. In classical conditioning, what role does timing play in whether or not
acquisition will occur? What would happen if the unconditioned stimulus was
presented before the conditioned stimulus?
-Time plays a big role in classical conditioning for acquisition to occur. It has to be
presented after half a second of the stimulus otherwise it wouldn’t work. If the
unconditioned stimulus was presented before the conditioned stimulus, the
conditioning will not likely to occur. Because it is supposed to prepare them for
good or bad events.
4. What role does biology play in why the conditioned stimulus must be
, AP PSYCHOLOGY
presented before the unconditioned stimulus in order for classical
conditioning to occur?
-Classical conditioning is biologically adaptive because it helps humans and
animals prepare for good or bad events. Such as in Pavlov's experiment, the arrival
of food was the significant biological event for the dogs.
5. What is the main difference between higher order conditioning and first stage
conditioning?
-In high order conditioning, a new neutral stimulus can become a new conditioned
stimulus after becoming associated with a previously conditioned stimulus. While
in first stage conditioning is the initial connecting of neutral and unconditioned
stimulus.
6. The therapeutic technique called systematic desensitization is used to help
people overcome their fears. During therapy sessions, clients are gradually
exposed to their fears, fears that usually result from an association with a negative
experience. Given what you know about how extinction occurs, why does this
technique work to help people eliminate their fears?
-It works by making new memories of this fear and the old negative ones are
covered by the new ones so you start remembering this idea or fear by the new
harmless memories. It is similar to shaping in a way, because you are modifying
one’s behavior. This helps you not fear this object by changing the way you look at
it. So when the subjects are exposed to their fears gradually, little by little, they
become less
AP PSYCHOLOGY UNIT 5
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. When animal species are bred in captivity instead of the wild and subsequently
reintroduced to the wild, very seldom are these animals able to survive. What does
this suggest about how both nature and nurture allow animals to adapt to our
environment?
-Nurture would be seen as the history of appropriate learning and their behaviors
while nature would be the genetic predispositions that allow animals for adapting
to our environments.
2. Why did behaviorists choose to base their approach on observable
behavior and ignore inner thoughts, feelings, and motives?
-The Psychologists believed that studying it objectively would be a better way and
believing that all kinds of animals had the same basic learning laws and their inner
thoughts should be ignored, and only be based on their observable behaviors.
3. In classical conditioning, what role does timing play in whether or not
acquisition will occur? What would happen if the unconditioned stimulus was
presented before the conditioned stimulus?
-Time plays a big role in classical conditioning for acquisition to occur. It has to be
presented after half a second of the stimulus otherwise it wouldn’t work. If the
unconditioned stimulus was presented before the conditioned stimulus, the
conditioning will not likely to occur. Because it is supposed to prepare them for
good or bad events.
4. What role does biology play in why the conditioned stimulus must be
, AP PSYCHOLOGY
presented before the unconditioned stimulus in order for classical
conditioning to occur?
-Classical conditioning is biologically adaptive because it helps humans and
animals prepare for good or bad events. Such as in Pavlov's experiment, the arrival
of food was the significant biological event for the dogs.
5. What is the main difference between higher order conditioning and first stage
conditioning?
-In high order conditioning, a new neutral stimulus can become a new conditioned
stimulus after becoming associated with a previously conditioned stimulus. While
in first stage conditioning is the initial connecting of neutral and unconditioned
stimulus.
6. The therapeutic technique called systematic desensitization is used to help
people overcome their fears. During therapy sessions, clients are gradually
exposed to their fears, fears that usually result from an association with a negative
experience. Given what you know about how extinction occurs, why does this
technique work to help people eliminate their fears?
-It works by making new memories of this fear and the old negative ones are
covered by the new ones so you start remembering this idea or fear by the new
harmless memories. It is similar to shaping in a way, because you are modifying
one’s behavior. This helps you not fear this object by changing the way you look at
it. So when the subjects are exposed to their fears gradually, little by little, they
become less
