LSU - psychology 2000 – Tucker Study
Guide Questions and Actual Answers
2025-2026 Updated.
Dave's boss told him that he doesn't have to attend the company's picnic (which everybody
dislikes) if Dave meets his sales quota this month. Daves boss is using _______________ -
Answer negative reinforcement
What is positive reinforcement? - Answer presenting a motivating/
reinforcing stimulus to the person after the desired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior
more likely to happen in the future.
example: a mother gives her son candy for cleaning up his toys
What is positive punishment? - Answer presenting an aversive consequence after an
undesired behavior is exhibited.
example: a child touches a hot stove (behavior) and feels pain (aversive stimulus)
What is negative reinforcement? - Answer when a certain stimulus (usually an aversive
stimulus) is removed after a particular behavior is exhibited.
example: bob does the dishes (behavior) in order to stop his mothers nagging (aversive
stimulus)
What is negative punishment? - Answer when a certain reinforcing stimulus is removed after
a particular undesired behavior is exhibited, resulting in the behavior happening less in the
future.
example: a child fights with her brother, and has her favorite toy taken away
What is a fixed interval schedule? - Answer reinforcement is predicted at predictable time
intervals
,What is a fixed ratio schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered after a predictable
number of responses
example: piecework factory worker getting paid for every x number of items manufactured
What is a variable interval schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered at unpredictable
time intervals
example: checking facebook
What is a variable ratio schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable
number of responses
example: gambling
In classical conditioning, the association that is learned is between a ___________ and a
___________ - Answer neutral stimulus and an unconditional stimulus
What is classical conditioning? - Answer learning by association
What do psychologist call a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge that results
from experience? - Answer learning
Classical and operant conditioning are forms of ____________ learning - Answer
associational
What is operant conditioning? - Answer a learning process through which the strength of a
behavior is modified by reward or punishment
In operant conditioning ___________ is when something is removed to increase the likelihood
of a behavior - Answer negative reinforcement
Learning that occurs but is not observable in behavior until there is a reason to demonstrate it is
called __________ learning - Answer latent
, What is stimulus generalization? - Answer when an organism responds to a stimulus in the
same way that it responds to a similar stimulus - occurs during classical conditioning
example: a dog has been conditioned to run to its owner when it hears a whistle
What is the unconditioned stimulus? - Answer unconditionally, naturally, and automatically
triggers a response
example: when you smell your favorite food, you may start to feel hungry
The ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal
an unconditioned stimulus is called ____________ - Answer discrimination
What is general adaptation syndrome? (GAS) - Answer stages of how the body changes
during stress
What is the cellular clock theory? - Answer aging is a result of cells hitting their programmed
reproductive limit- parts of cells just wear out
What is the wear-and-tear-theory? - Answer cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out,
resulting in aging; like components of an aging car
Free radical theory - Answer oxidative damage to the cells and tissues of the body that arises
primarily as a result of aerobic metabolism
Activity theory - Answer successful aging- occurs when older adults stay active and maintain
social interactions
Autonomic nervous system- sympathetic - Answer fight or flight - responds to stress
Autonomic nervous system- parasympathetic - Answer rest and digest - body returns to
normal after stress
Guide Questions and Actual Answers
2025-2026 Updated.
Dave's boss told him that he doesn't have to attend the company's picnic (which everybody
dislikes) if Dave meets his sales quota this month. Daves boss is using _______________ -
Answer negative reinforcement
What is positive reinforcement? - Answer presenting a motivating/
reinforcing stimulus to the person after the desired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior
more likely to happen in the future.
example: a mother gives her son candy for cleaning up his toys
What is positive punishment? - Answer presenting an aversive consequence after an
undesired behavior is exhibited.
example: a child touches a hot stove (behavior) and feels pain (aversive stimulus)
What is negative reinforcement? - Answer when a certain stimulus (usually an aversive
stimulus) is removed after a particular behavior is exhibited.
example: bob does the dishes (behavior) in order to stop his mothers nagging (aversive
stimulus)
What is negative punishment? - Answer when a certain reinforcing stimulus is removed after
a particular undesired behavior is exhibited, resulting in the behavior happening less in the
future.
example: a child fights with her brother, and has her favorite toy taken away
What is a fixed interval schedule? - Answer reinforcement is predicted at predictable time
intervals
,What is a fixed ratio schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered after a predictable
number of responses
example: piecework factory worker getting paid for every x number of items manufactured
What is a variable interval schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered at unpredictable
time intervals
example: checking facebook
What is a variable ratio schedule? - Answer reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable
number of responses
example: gambling
In classical conditioning, the association that is learned is between a ___________ and a
___________ - Answer neutral stimulus and an unconditional stimulus
What is classical conditioning? - Answer learning by association
What do psychologist call a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge that results
from experience? - Answer learning
Classical and operant conditioning are forms of ____________ learning - Answer
associational
What is operant conditioning? - Answer a learning process through which the strength of a
behavior is modified by reward or punishment
In operant conditioning ___________ is when something is removed to increase the likelihood
of a behavior - Answer negative reinforcement
Learning that occurs but is not observable in behavior until there is a reason to demonstrate it is
called __________ learning - Answer latent
, What is stimulus generalization? - Answer when an organism responds to a stimulus in the
same way that it responds to a similar stimulus - occurs during classical conditioning
example: a dog has been conditioned to run to its owner when it hears a whistle
What is the unconditioned stimulus? - Answer unconditionally, naturally, and automatically
triggers a response
example: when you smell your favorite food, you may start to feel hungry
The ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and similar stimuli that do not signal
an unconditioned stimulus is called ____________ - Answer discrimination
What is general adaptation syndrome? (GAS) - Answer stages of how the body changes
during stress
What is the cellular clock theory? - Answer aging is a result of cells hitting their programmed
reproductive limit- parts of cells just wear out
What is the wear-and-tear-theory? - Answer cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out,
resulting in aging; like components of an aging car
Free radical theory - Answer oxidative damage to the cells and tissues of the body that arises
primarily as a result of aerobic metabolism
Activity theory - Answer successful aging- occurs when older adults stay active and maintain
social interactions
Autonomic nervous system- sympathetic - Answer fight or flight - responds to stress
Autonomic nervous system- parasympathetic - Answer rest and digest - body returns to
normal after stress
