PSY 217 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
In operant conditioning, behavior is a function of its ____ - Answers Consequences
_____ strengthens a behavior, while ______ weakens a behavior - Answers Reinforcement,
punishment
When I tell my dog (Gracie) to "Sit!" and she sits, I give her a treat. Providing the treat is ____ on
Gracie sitting. - Answers Contingent
T/F: Gracie will learn more quickly to sit if I am delayed in providing the treat (e.g., provide the
treat 1 minute after she sits). - Answers False
The 3 term contingency consists of - Answers antecedent, behavior, consequence`
One procedure to study operant behavior involved measuring a single instance of a target
behavior ends the session. What is this procedure called? - Answers discrete trial
A second procedure to study operant behavior involves allowing an organism to repeat a target
behavior multiple times within a session. What is this procedure called? - Answers free operant
T/F: Thorndike's puzzle box experiment with cats demonstrated that as an organism learns a
task they become slower at that task - Answers False
____ developed the " teaching machine" in which a student would be exposed to multiple frames
of educational material to help them learn tasks such as reading - Answers Skinner
Which of the following are examples of primary reinforcers: - Answers Sex, water, food
T/F: the terms secondary reinforcers and conditioned reinforcers are interchangeable - Answers
True
Events that have been arranged by someone, typically to modify behavior are referred to as
_____ reinforcers, while events that follow a behavior automatically are referred to as ____
reinforcers - Answers contrived, natural
Philly cheesesteaks are my favorite thing to order at a restaurant. I noticed after ordering them 5
days in a row, however, I am not really motivated to order them again and I opt for fish and chips.
What process occurred that decreased my motivation to order the Philly cheesesteak - Answers
satiation
When we watched the clip about B.F Skinner and his research, he mentioned that he kept the
pigeons at a lower weight than normal by feeding them less and maintaining them at 80% of
their "free feeding weight". He did this so they would be "motivated" to peck the button (a
behavior reinforced by food). Depriving, or decreasing the amount of food given to the pigeons,
so they will peck more readily is an example of what? - Answers Establishing operation
, I've told myself that I want to run more. But I've noticed when I get home, I'll look at social media
and then maybe take my dog to the dog park instead of running. Using the Premack Principle,
what could I do to increase my running behavior? - Answers Run first, and then contingent on
running, spend 10-20 minutes on social media or playing with pup
T/F: Reinforcers tend to be the similar across all individuals - Answers False
A family is going on a road trip, and the youngest child keeps asking "are we there yet?". Each
time the child asks, the parent reprimands them and tells them to "stop asking annoying
questions!". The child continues to ask the question frequently throughout the trip. What is the
form of the reinforcer? - Answers Reprimand
A family is going on a road trip, and the youngest child keeps asking "are we there yet?". Each
time the child asks, the parent reprimands them and tells them to "stop asking annoying
questions!". The child continues to ask the question frequently throughout the trip. What is the
function of the reinforcer - Answers strengthens behavior (child asks more annoying questions)
How can we assess for preference of stimuli that may be potential reinforcers? - Answers
Asking the individual
Conducting a multiple-stimulus without replacement assessment
Conducting a pair-choice preference assessment
Observing what the individual engages in with the most
T/F: Respondent and operant extinction reduce behavior using the same stimulus/response
mechanism - Answers False
Operant extinction occurs when a(n) ____ that reinforces behavior is no longer presented
following that behavior - Answers Consequence
T/F: When I am working with a family who has a child who engages in severe behavior (e.g, self-
injurious behaviors or aggression) and I suggest that we place the behavior on extinction (e.g.,
no longer provide a consequence that reinforces that behavior, such as attention), it is accurate
for me to tell them the behavior may get worse (e.g., behavior intensifies or other challenging
behaviors may occur) before the behavior improves - Answers True
During operant extinction, a behavior increasing in intensity before it begins to decrease is
described as what? - Answers Extinction burst
In addition to an extinction burst (i.e., a temporary increase in behavior), what is another
potential side effect of operant extinction? - Answers Variability
Resurgence of a previously reinforced behavior
Emotional behavior
In operant conditioning, behavior is a function of its ____ - Answers Consequences
_____ strengthens a behavior, while ______ weakens a behavior - Answers Reinforcement,
punishment
When I tell my dog (Gracie) to "Sit!" and she sits, I give her a treat. Providing the treat is ____ on
Gracie sitting. - Answers Contingent
T/F: Gracie will learn more quickly to sit if I am delayed in providing the treat (e.g., provide the
treat 1 minute after she sits). - Answers False
The 3 term contingency consists of - Answers antecedent, behavior, consequence`
One procedure to study operant behavior involved measuring a single instance of a target
behavior ends the session. What is this procedure called? - Answers discrete trial
A second procedure to study operant behavior involves allowing an organism to repeat a target
behavior multiple times within a session. What is this procedure called? - Answers free operant
T/F: Thorndike's puzzle box experiment with cats demonstrated that as an organism learns a
task they become slower at that task - Answers False
____ developed the " teaching machine" in which a student would be exposed to multiple frames
of educational material to help them learn tasks such as reading - Answers Skinner
Which of the following are examples of primary reinforcers: - Answers Sex, water, food
T/F: the terms secondary reinforcers and conditioned reinforcers are interchangeable - Answers
True
Events that have been arranged by someone, typically to modify behavior are referred to as
_____ reinforcers, while events that follow a behavior automatically are referred to as ____
reinforcers - Answers contrived, natural
Philly cheesesteaks are my favorite thing to order at a restaurant. I noticed after ordering them 5
days in a row, however, I am not really motivated to order them again and I opt for fish and chips.
What process occurred that decreased my motivation to order the Philly cheesesteak - Answers
satiation
When we watched the clip about B.F Skinner and his research, he mentioned that he kept the
pigeons at a lower weight than normal by feeding them less and maintaining them at 80% of
their "free feeding weight". He did this so they would be "motivated" to peck the button (a
behavior reinforced by food). Depriving, or decreasing the amount of food given to the pigeons,
so they will peck more readily is an example of what? - Answers Establishing operation
, I've told myself that I want to run more. But I've noticed when I get home, I'll look at social media
and then maybe take my dog to the dog park instead of running. Using the Premack Principle,
what could I do to increase my running behavior? - Answers Run first, and then contingent on
running, spend 10-20 minutes on social media or playing with pup
T/F: Reinforcers tend to be the similar across all individuals - Answers False
A family is going on a road trip, and the youngest child keeps asking "are we there yet?". Each
time the child asks, the parent reprimands them and tells them to "stop asking annoying
questions!". The child continues to ask the question frequently throughout the trip. What is the
form of the reinforcer? - Answers Reprimand
A family is going on a road trip, and the youngest child keeps asking "are we there yet?". Each
time the child asks, the parent reprimands them and tells them to "stop asking annoying
questions!". The child continues to ask the question frequently throughout the trip. What is the
function of the reinforcer - Answers strengthens behavior (child asks more annoying questions)
How can we assess for preference of stimuli that may be potential reinforcers? - Answers
Asking the individual
Conducting a multiple-stimulus without replacement assessment
Conducting a pair-choice preference assessment
Observing what the individual engages in with the most
T/F: Respondent and operant extinction reduce behavior using the same stimulus/response
mechanism - Answers False
Operant extinction occurs when a(n) ____ that reinforces behavior is no longer presented
following that behavior - Answers Consequence
T/F: When I am working with a family who has a child who engages in severe behavior (e.g, self-
injurious behaviors or aggression) and I suggest that we place the behavior on extinction (e.g.,
no longer provide a consequence that reinforces that behavior, such as attention), it is accurate
for me to tell them the behavior may get worse (e.g., behavior intensifies or other challenging
behaviors may occur) before the behavior improves - Answers True
During operant extinction, a behavior increasing in intensity before it begins to decrease is
described as what? - Answers Extinction burst
In addition to an extinction burst (i.e., a temporary increase in behavior), what is another
potential side effect of operant extinction? - Answers Variability
Resurgence of a previously reinforced behavior
Emotional behavior
