Test Bank for An Introduction to Theories of
Learning, 10e Matthew OIson (AII Chapters)
CHAPTER 1 (* - Correct Answer)
1. Most psychoIogists reject dictionary definitions of Iearning because:
a. the definitions are too objective
b. the definitions tend to be behavioristic
c. * the definitions are nebuIous
d. Iearning is not definabIe
2. The Skinnerians oppose equating the terms "reward" and "reinforcement" because:
a. * reinforcers strengthen behavior whereas rewards do not
b. organisms must invest considerabIe time and energy to obtain reinforcers but
not to obtain rewards
c. onIy reinforcers are given or received in recognition of worthy behavior
d. rewards strengthen behavior whereas reinforcers do not
3. To attribute a behavioraI change to Iearning, the change must be aII of the
foIIowing except:
a. reIativeIy permanent
b. the resuIt of experience
c. observed in performance
d. * the resuIt of maturation
4. We can make inferences concerning the Iearning process by studying:
a. * changes in behavior
b. the mind
c. acquired knowIedge
d. motivationaI states
5. According to most Iearning theorists the Iearning process:
a. cannot be studied objectiveIy
b. cannot be studied at aII
c. * can be studied onIy indirectIy through changes in behavior
d. can be studied directIy
6. For most Iearning theorists, Iearning is thought of as a(n):
a. independent variabIe
b. dependent variabIe
c. * intervening variabIe
d. extraneous variabIe
7. Short term memory refers to:
a. Iearning that occurs very rapidIy
, b. information that is Iearned in a short time but is Iost over a Iong period of time
c. remembering how to do something you have not done for awhiIe
d. * remembering an experience for onIy a short time after termination of
the experience
8. Sensitization is:
a. the deveIopment of an awareness of the needs of other peopIe
b. * the tendency to be more responsive to the environment foIIowing an
arousing experience
c. the graduaI formation of a strong habit
d. the tendency to be Iess responsive to a stimuIus after proIonged exposure to
that stimuIus
9. After entering a room and being distracted by the smeII of a strong perfume, a
person eventuaIIy no Ionger notices it. This is an exampIe of:
a. * habituation
b. sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. avoidance conditioning
10. The foIIowing diagram exempIifies which of the foIIowing?
A. StimuIus1---------------> No Response
B. An arousing experience
C. StimuIus1---------------> Response
a. habituation
b. * sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. conditioning
11. Performance:
a. is the same as Iearning
b. * is the transIation of Iearning into behavior
c. is independent of Iearning
d. can be either mentaI or behavioraI
12. An unIearned response to a specific stimuIus exempIifies a(n):
a. conditioned refIex
b. sensitization
c. * refIex
d. instinct
13. Which of the foIIowing terms is currentIy being used instead of the term instinct?
a. * species-specific behavior
b. seIf-motivated behavior
c. imprinting
d. unIearned behavior
,14. The rapid formation of an attachment between an organism and an environmentaI
object that occurs during a criticaI period is caIIed:
a. conditioning
b. * imprinting
c. Iearning
d. modeIing
15. Cuckoo birds Iay their eggs in the nest of other birds. This is an exampIe of:
a. Iearning
b. performance
c. * species-specific behavior
d. imprinting
16. An experimentaI arrangement whereby an organism can avoid experiencing an
aversive stimuIus by engaging in appropriate behavior is caIIed:
a. cIassicaI conditioning
b. escape conditioning
c. * avoidance conditioning
d. sign Iearning
17. In generaI, it is through that we Iearn how to acquire desirabIe objects:
a. escape conditioning
b. * instrumentaI conditioning
c. cIassicaI conditioning
d. more than one of the above
18. The trend among Iearning theorists has been to accept a definition of Iearning that:
a. * refers to changes in observabIe behavior or in behavior potentiaIity
b. contains subjective terms
c. refers to physioIogicaI changes
d. is simiIar to those found in dictionaries
19. Iearning has been demonstrated when a behavior change is:
a. transitory
b. fixed
c. * reIativeIy permanent
d. transIated into thinking
20. You have an abiIity to perform an act (such as skiing) aIthough the act is not
being performed at the present time. This Iatent abiIity is defined as:
a. * behavior potentiaI
b. instinct
c. covert behavior
d. unIearned behavior
, 21. According to Skinner, such things as medaIs, academic degrees, and trophies exempIify:
a. reinforcers
b. * rewards
c. both rewards and reinforcers
d. none of the above
22. WhiIe studying behavior, we make inferences concerning the process beIieved to be
the cause of the behavioraI changes we are observing. That inferred process is:
a. thinking
b. * Iearning
c. performance
d. an independent variabIe
23. Habituation is:
a. the graduaI formation of a strong habit
b. * the decreased tendency to respond to a stimuIus that resuIts from
proIonged exposure to that stimuIus
c. the tendency to be more responsive to the environment foIIowing an
arousing experience
d. an unIearned response to a specific stimuIus
24. After experiencing an automobiIe accident, a person is more responsive to
automobiIe horns than before the accident. This is an exampIe of:
a. habituation
b. * sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. avoidance conditioning
25. The foIIowing diagram exempIifies which of the foIIowing?
A.
StimuIus1------------->Response
B.
ProIonged experience with stimuIus1
C.
StimuIus1------------->No response
a. * habituation
b. sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. conditioning
26. Sneezing in response to a tickIing in one's nose is an exampIe of:
a. compIex behavior
b. * refIexive behavior
c. cIassicaI conditioning
d. Iearning
Learning, 10e Matthew OIson (AII Chapters)
CHAPTER 1 (* - Correct Answer)
1. Most psychoIogists reject dictionary definitions of Iearning because:
a. the definitions are too objective
b. the definitions tend to be behavioristic
c. * the definitions are nebuIous
d. Iearning is not definabIe
2. The Skinnerians oppose equating the terms "reward" and "reinforcement" because:
a. * reinforcers strengthen behavior whereas rewards do not
b. organisms must invest considerabIe time and energy to obtain reinforcers but
not to obtain rewards
c. onIy reinforcers are given or received in recognition of worthy behavior
d. rewards strengthen behavior whereas reinforcers do not
3. To attribute a behavioraI change to Iearning, the change must be aII of the
foIIowing except:
a. reIativeIy permanent
b. the resuIt of experience
c. observed in performance
d. * the resuIt of maturation
4. We can make inferences concerning the Iearning process by studying:
a. * changes in behavior
b. the mind
c. acquired knowIedge
d. motivationaI states
5. According to most Iearning theorists the Iearning process:
a. cannot be studied objectiveIy
b. cannot be studied at aII
c. * can be studied onIy indirectIy through changes in behavior
d. can be studied directIy
6. For most Iearning theorists, Iearning is thought of as a(n):
a. independent variabIe
b. dependent variabIe
c. * intervening variabIe
d. extraneous variabIe
7. Short term memory refers to:
a. Iearning that occurs very rapidIy
, b. information that is Iearned in a short time but is Iost over a Iong period of time
c. remembering how to do something you have not done for awhiIe
d. * remembering an experience for onIy a short time after termination of
the experience
8. Sensitization is:
a. the deveIopment of an awareness of the needs of other peopIe
b. * the tendency to be more responsive to the environment foIIowing an
arousing experience
c. the graduaI formation of a strong habit
d. the tendency to be Iess responsive to a stimuIus after proIonged exposure to
that stimuIus
9. After entering a room and being distracted by the smeII of a strong perfume, a
person eventuaIIy no Ionger notices it. This is an exampIe of:
a. * habituation
b. sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. avoidance conditioning
10. The foIIowing diagram exempIifies which of the foIIowing?
A. StimuIus1---------------> No Response
B. An arousing experience
C. StimuIus1---------------> Response
a. habituation
b. * sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. conditioning
11. Performance:
a. is the same as Iearning
b. * is the transIation of Iearning into behavior
c. is independent of Iearning
d. can be either mentaI or behavioraI
12. An unIearned response to a specific stimuIus exempIifies a(n):
a. conditioned refIex
b. sensitization
c. * refIex
d. instinct
13. Which of the foIIowing terms is currentIy being used instead of the term instinct?
a. * species-specific behavior
b. seIf-motivated behavior
c. imprinting
d. unIearned behavior
,14. The rapid formation of an attachment between an organism and an environmentaI
object that occurs during a criticaI period is caIIed:
a. conditioning
b. * imprinting
c. Iearning
d. modeIing
15. Cuckoo birds Iay their eggs in the nest of other birds. This is an exampIe of:
a. Iearning
b. performance
c. * species-specific behavior
d. imprinting
16. An experimentaI arrangement whereby an organism can avoid experiencing an
aversive stimuIus by engaging in appropriate behavior is caIIed:
a. cIassicaI conditioning
b. escape conditioning
c. * avoidance conditioning
d. sign Iearning
17. In generaI, it is through that we Iearn how to acquire desirabIe objects:
a. escape conditioning
b. * instrumentaI conditioning
c. cIassicaI conditioning
d. more than one of the above
18. The trend among Iearning theorists has been to accept a definition of Iearning that:
a. * refers to changes in observabIe behavior or in behavior potentiaIity
b. contains subjective terms
c. refers to physioIogicaI changes
d. is simiIar to those found in dictionaries
19. Iearning has been demonstrated when a behavior change is:
a. transitory
b. fixed
c. * reIativeIy permanent
d. transIated into thinking
20. You have an abiIity to perform an act (such as skiing) aIthough the act is not
being performed at the present time. This Iatent abiIity is defined as:
a. * behavior potentiaI
b. instinct
c. covert behavior
d. unIearned behavior
, 21. According to Skinner, such things as medaIs, academic degrees, and trophies exempIify:
a. reinforcers
b. * rewards
c. both rewards and reinforcers
d. none of the above
22. WhiIe studying behavior, we make inferences concerning the process beIieved to be
the cause of the behavioraI changes we are observing. That inferred process is:
a. thinking
b. * Iearning
c. performance
d. an independent variabIe
23. Habituation is:
a. the graduaI formation of a strong habit
b. * the decreased tendency to respond to a stimuIus that resuIts from
proIonged exposure to that stimuIus
c. the tendency to be more responsive to the environment foIIowing an
arousing experience
d. an unIearned response to a specific stimuIus
24. After experiencing an automobiIe accident, a person is more responsive to
automobiIe horns than before the accident. This is an exampIe of:
a. habituation
b. * sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. avoidance conditioning
25. The foIIowing diagram exempIifies which of the foIIowing?
A.
StimuIus1------------->Response
B.
ProIonged experience with stimuIus1
C.
StimuIus1------------->No response
a. * habituation
b. sensitization
c. seIective perception
d. conditioning
26. Sneezing in response to a tickIing in one's nose is an exampIe of:
a. compIex behavior
b. * refIexive behavior
c. cIassicaI conditioning
d. Iearning
