4.1.2 Operant conditioning, reinforcement and behaviour modification Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Psychology, Unit 4

The 20 questions

1. In operant conditioning, what is positive reinforcement?

   • Adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behaviour, which makes the behaviour less likely to occur again in the future
   • Removing a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour, which makes the behaviour less likely to occur again in the future
   • Removing an unpleasant stimulus after a behaviour, which makes the behaviour more likely to occur again in the future
   • Adding a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour, which makes the behaviour more likely to occur again in the future

2. Which of these is an example of negative reinforcement?

   • A pupil loses playtime after shouting in class, so shouting becomes less frequent because it is followed by a loss
   • A child is given sweets after tidying their room, so tidying becomes more frequent because it is followed by a reward
   • A worker is fined for arriving late, so arriving late becomes less frequent because it is followed by an unpleasant outcome
   • A driver fastens a seatbelt to stop the irritating warning sound, so fastening the belt becomes more likely in future

3. Which of these is an example of positive punishment?

   • Giving praise to a pupil after they answer a question, so answering becomes more frequent because a pleasant outcome follows
   • Removing a noise that irritates a rat after it presses a lever, so pressing the lever becomes more frequent in the future
   • Removing a child's favourite toy after they hit a sibling, so hitting becomes less frequent because a pleasant item is lost
   • Adding a fine to a motorist's account after speeding, so speeding becomes less frequent because an unpleasant outcome follows

4. Which of these is an example of negative punishment?

   • A teenager is praised for returning home on time, so returning on time becomes more frequent because praise follows it
   • A teenager is allowed to keep their phone after returning home on time, so returning on time becomes more frequent in future
   • A teenager is given extra chores after breaking a curfew, so breaking curfew becomes less frequent because chores are added
   • A teenager loses access to their phone for a week after breaking a curfew, so breaking curfew becomes less frequent

5. What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers?

   • Primary reinforcers are learned through experience, such as money, while secondary reinforcers meet biological needs such as food
   • Primary reinforcers meet biological needs such as food, while secondary reinforcers gain value through association
   • Primary reinforcers are always punishments, while secondary reinforcers are always rewards given to participants by the researcher
   • Primary reinforcers are only used in humans, while secondary reinforcers are used only in animals in laboratory studies of learning

6. A rat is given food each time it presses a lever, but only after a set number of presses. Which schedule of reinforcement is this?

   • Variable interval, because reinforcement follows the first response after an unpredictable amount of time has passed
   • Fixed ratio, because reinforcement follows a set number of responses, regardless of how much time has passed
   • Variable ratio, because reinforcement follows an unpredictable number of responses, which keeps responding high
   • Fixed interval, because reinforcement follows the first response made after a set amount of time has passed

7. Which reinforcement schedule typically produces the most resistant responding to extinction?

   • Fixed interval reinforcement, because the behaviour is rewarded only at fixed times, so responding is greatest at those times
   • Variable ratio reinforcement, because the unpredictable number of responses needed for reward keeps behaviour persistent
   • Continuous reinforcement, because every response is rewarded, so responding is strongest when rewards are always present
   • Fixed ratio reinforcement, because the set number of responses is always easy to count, which removes any doubt from the animal

8. Shaping in behaviour modification involves:

   • showing a model performing the target behaviour and expecting the learner to imitate the model without any reinforcement
   • giving the full target behaviour on the first trial, with no steps, so that the learner learns the whole response in one go
   • waiting until the target behaviour occurs spontaneously and then punishing every other behaviour the individual shows afterwards
   • reinforcing successive approximations of a target behaviour, rewarding each step closer to the final desired response

9. A therapist wants a child with a speech difficulty to say a full sentence. Which approach best reflects shaping?

   • Show the child a video of a sentence and expect them to repeat it immediately, without any reward at all during the training
   • Wait until the child says the full sentence by chance, and then remove all other speech practice from the child's day
   • Punish every incorrect word until the child produces the complete correct sentence without any reinforcement along the way
   • Reward the child for making any sound, then for a single word, and then for a fuller sentence as they improve each step

10. Which example best describes a token economy used in behaviour modification?

    • Participants earn tokens for desired behaviour, which can be exchanged later for rewards such as privileges or treats
    • Participants are given electric shocks for undesired behaviour, which is recorded as a score on a tally chart in the clinic
    • Participants pay money to be treated for their behaviour, and the therapist keeps all tokens as a source of income
    • Participants are asked to observe a model and copy the model's behaviour without any consequence for their own actions

11. Which property of reinforcement is illustrated by money, which is used to buy food and other goods?

    • Money is a primary reinforcer, because it directly satisfies the body's biological needs for food and warmth
    • Money is a punisher, because it causes people to work harder and reduces the amount of time available for rest
    • Money is a secondary reinforcer, because its value comes from what it can be exchanged for through learned association
    • Money is a neutral stimulus, because it has no effect on behaviour until it is paired with a behaviour in a lab

12. A pigeon pecks a key and receives food only after an unpredictable number of pecks. Which schedule is used?

    • Variable ratio, since food follows an unpredictable number of pecks, so the pigeon cannot predict when food will come
    • Continuous, since food follows every peck, so the pigeon receives reinforcement each time it pecks the key in the box
    • Fixed interval, since food follows the first peck after a set time, so the pigeon must wait for the set period
    • Variable interval, since food follows the first peck after an unpredictable time, so the pigeon must wait a changing time

13. Which evaluation point about operant conditioning is most accurate?

    • It is the same as classical conditioning, so the two theories do not offer any different explanation of learned behaviour
    • It is useful only for animals, so it cannot be applied to any human behaviour, including learning in schools or therapy
    • It explains all behaviour fully, since every action is caused by reinforcement and no other factor has any role at all
    • It can explain a wide range of behaviours and has practical applications, but it may underplay thinking and biological factors

14. A parent removes a child's time-out after the child says sorry. Which process is this?

    • Positive punishment, because the child receives an unpleasant time-out, which reduces the likelihood of misbehaviour
    • Negative reinforcement, because an unpleasant time-out is removed after the desired behaviour, strengthening the apology
    • Negative punishment, because a pleasant activity is removed from the child after they say sorry, reducing apologies
    • Positive reinforcement, because a pleasant reward is added to the child after they say sorry, strengthening the apology

15. Which of these best describes a limitation of reinforcement as an explanation of behaviour?

    • It always identifies the same reinforcers for every individual, so it is too rigid to explain the wide variety of behaviours
    • It is difficult to identify reinforcers in advance, because what is rewarding can differ between individuals and situations
    • It relies on conscious decision making, so it cannot explain the behaviour of animals in controlled laboratory conditions
    • It can only be measured with brain scans, which are too expensive for most research studies to ever be carried out in practice

16. A psychologist uses behaviour modification to reduce a patient's compulsive hand washing. Which technique would be most consistent with operant principles?

    • Pairing hand washing with a loud noise so that the washing becomes associated with fear in a classical conditioning way
    • Showing the patient a film of someone washing their hands and asking them to copy the model without any reward at all
    • Asking the patient to think carefully about each action, which is a cognitive technique with no reinforcement involved
    • Rewarding the patient for longer gaps between hand washes, gradually increasing the gaps as they improve each stage

17. Which statement about the Skinner box is most accurate?

    • It is a type of questionnaire used to measure how much a person values rewards in their everyday life and their work
    • It is a laboratory apparatus in which an animal's responses are recorded and can be reinforced or punished in a controlled way
    • It is a brain scanner that measures blood oxygen in the cortex of animals while they respond to stimuli in the apparatus
    • It is a clinical tool used to diagnose schizophrenia by measuring the speed of a patient's reactions to a set of sounds

18. Which of these is a reinforcement schedule that gives reward after a fixed amount of time, regardless of the number of responses?

    • Fixed interval schedule, in which the first response after a set time period is reinforced
    • Fixed ratio schedule, in which every response after a set number of responses is reinforced
    • Continuous schedule, in which every single response is reinforced, with no delay or waiting period at any time
    • Variable ratio schedule, in which reinforcement follows an unpredictable number of responses from the individual

19. A teacher uses a sticker chart to reinforce good behaviour. Which feature of this approach is most important for effectiveness?

    • The stickers should be delivered only once a year, so the children learn to value rewards only at special points in time
    • The stickers should be delivered before the behaviour occurs, so the children are motivated to start the behaviour in advance
    • The stickers should be delivered at random, with no link to behaviour, so the children do not know what they are rewarded for
    • The stickers should be delivered immediately after the target behaviour, so the link between behaviour and reward is clear

20. A researcher says that operant conditioning is a deterministic account of behaviour. Which feature supports this view?

    • Behaviour is seen as the product of free will, so consequences have no effect on the individual's choices at any time in life
    • Behaviour is seen as shaped by its consequences, so people's actions are determined by the environment rather than free choice
    • Behaviour is seen as the result of unconscious drives, which are controlled by the id and cannot be modified by any reward
    • Behaviour is seen as a matter of biological instinct alone, so reinforcement has no effect on any observed action at all

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