AP Psych/Kauffman
Unit 3: Learning Study Guide
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Learning
Associative learning
Classical conditioning
o Behaviorism
o Pavlov and his classic experiment
 UCS
 UCR
 CS
 CR
 Acquisition
 Extinction
 Spontaneous recovery
 Generalization
 Discrimintation
o John B. Watson and Little Albert
o Cognitive Processes related to classical conditioning
 Predictability
o Biological Processes related to classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
o Respondent behavior
o Operant behavior
o B.F. Skinner
 Law of effect
 Operant chamber
 Spacing
o Reinforcement
 Primary reinforcers
 Secondary reinforcers
 Positive reinforcement
 Negative reinforcement
 Positive punishment
 Negative punishment
 Disadvantages of punishment
 Continuous reinforcement
 Partial reinforcemen
 Fixed ratio schedule
 Variable ratio schedule
 Fixed interval schedule
 Variable interval schedule
o Latent learning
 Cognitive map
o Overjustification effect
 Instrinsic motivation
 Extrinsic motivation
o Biological predispositions
Observational learning
o Modeling
o Mirror neurons
o Bandura + Bobo Doll experiment
o Positive observation learning
 Prosocial behavior
o Television and media
Unit 2: Learning Practice Test
1. Shaping is a(n) ________ technique for ________ a behavior.
A) operant; establishing
B) operant; suppressing
C) respondent; establishing
D) respondent; suppressing
2. Regarding the impact of watching television violence on children, most researchers believe that
A) aggressive children simply prefer violent programs.
B) television simply reflects, rather than contributes to, violent social trends.
C) watching violence on television leads to aggressive behavior.
D) there is only a weak correlation between exposure to violence and aggressive behavior.
3. Mrs. Ramirez often tells her children that it is important to buckle their seat belts while riding in
the car, but she rarely does so herself. Her children will probably learn to
A) use their seat belts and tell others it is important to do so.
B) use their seat belts but not tell others it is important to do so.
C) tell others it is important to use seat belts but rarely use them themselves.
D) neither tell others that seat belts are important nor use them.
4. In which of the following may classical conditioning play a role?
A) emotional problems
B) the body's immune response
C) helping drug addicts
D) in all of these cases
5. A pigeon can easily be taught to flap its wings in order to avoid shock but not for food
reinforcement. According to the text, this is most likely so because
A) pigeons are biologically predisposed to flap their wings in order to escape aversive events
and to use their beaks to obtain food.
B) shock is a more motivating stimulus for birds than food is.
C) hungry animals have difficulty delaying their eating long enough to learn any new skill.
D) of all of these reasons.
6. Which of the following is an example of reinforcement?
A) presenting a positive stimulus after a response
B) removing an unpleasant stimulus after a response
C) being told that you have done a good job
D) All of these are examples.
7. In promoting observational learning, the most effective models are those that we perceive as
A) similar to ourselves.
B) respected and admired.
C) successful.
D) having any of these characteristics.
8. Classical conditioning experiments by Rescorla and Wagner demonstrate that an important
factor in conditioning is
A) the research participant's age.
B) the strength of the stimuli.
C) the predictability of an association.
D) the similarity of stimuli.
9. For operant conditioning to be most effective, when should the reinforcers be presented in
relation to the desired response?
A) immediately before
B) immediately after
C) at the same time as
D) at least a half hour before
10. For the most rapid conditioning, a CS should be presented
A) about 1 second after the US.
B) about one-half second before the US.
C) about 15 seconds before the US.
D) at the same time as the US.
11. When a conditioned stimulus is presented without an accompanying unconditioned stimulus,
________ will soon take place.
A) generalization
B) discrimination
C) extinction
D) aversion
12. Jack finally takes out the garbage in order to get his father to stop pestering him. Jack's behavior
is being influenced by
A) positive reinforcement.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) a primary reinforcer.
D) punishment.
13. Two groups of rats receive classical conditioning trials in which a tone and electric shock are
presented. For Group 1 the electric shock always follows the tone. For Group 2 the tone and
shock occur randomly. Which of the following is likely to result?
A) The tone will become a CS for Group 1 but not for Group 2.
B) The tone will become a CS for Group 2 but not for Group 1.
C) The tone will become a CS for both groups.
D) The tone will not become a CS for either group.
14. Leon's psychology instructor has scheduled an exam every third week of the term. Leon will
probably study the most just before an exam and the least just after an exam. This is because the
schedule of exams is reinforcing studying according to which schedule?
A) fixed-ratio
B) variable-ratio
C) fixed-interval
D) variable-interval
15. The manager of a manufacturing plant wishes to use positive reinforcement to increase the
productivity of workers. Which of the following procedures would probably be the most
effective?
A) Deserving employees are given a general merit bonus at the end of each fiscal year.
B) A productivity goal that seems attainable, yet is unrealistic, is set for each employee.
C) Employees are given immediate bonuses for specific behaviors related to productivity.
D) Employees who fail to meet standards of productivity receive pay cuts.
16. Which of the following is a form of associative learning?
A) classical conditioning
B) operant conditioning
C) observational learning
D) all of these types of learning
17. Last evening May-ling ate her first cheeseburger and french fries at an American fast-food
restaurant. A few hours later she became ill. It can be expected that
A) May-ling will develop an aversion to the sight of a cheeseburger and french fries.
B) May-ling will develop an aversion to the taste of a cheeseburger and french fries.
C) May-ling will not associate her illness with the food she ate.
D) May-ling will associate her sickness with something she experienced immediately before
she became ill.
18. After watching coverage of the Olympics on television recently, Lynn and Susan have been
staging their own “summer games.” Which of the following best accounts for their behavior?
A) classical conditioning
B) observational learning
C) latent learning
D) shaping
19. On an intermittent reinforcement schedule, reinforcement is given
A) in very small amounts.
B) randomly.
C) for successive approximations of a desired behavior.
D) only some of the time.
20. Reggie's mother tells him that he can watch TV after he cleans his room. Evidently, Reggie's
mother is attempting to use ________ to increase room cleaning.
A) operant conditioning
B) secondary reinforcement
C) positive reinforcement
D) all of these procedures
Unit 2: Learning Review Exercises
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning is a form of associative learning, learning produced by pairing of stimuli and responses in time and
place. It contributes to likes and dislikes, emotional reactions, and reflex-like responses to things. Below, explain the
situation being described in terms of classical conditioning. For each description, identify or suggest the US, UR, CS, CR,
as well as the principles (acquisition, extinction, generalization, discrimination, or spontaneous recovery) likely to be at
work.
1. While caring for a friends dog, you notice that it displays a fear-like posture as you roll up a newspaper. You try
this several times more and become convinced that this dog is generally afraid of rolled up newspapers.
1. NS
4. CS
2. UCS
5. CR
3. UCR
Principle: _______________________
2. Joan, an animal trainer, has been phobic about monkeys since an earlier attack. However, because of the money,
she has agreed to work with monkeys for a movie studio. At first, just going anywhere near cages makes Joan
tense, sweaty, and apprehensive. Lately, though, things have changed. Working with such cuddly, affectionate,
human-like creatures is causing Joan to wonder why she ever felt such extreme distress.
1. NS
4. CS
2. UCS
5. CR
3. UCR
Principle: _______________________
3. At a red light, Bob and Fred automatically tensed and felt chills when they heard the screech of tires behind them.
Later, while watching a car race, Bob remarked how the screeching of tires was having little effect then. Fred
agreed and wondered why they reacted at all, because neither had as much as a dent on his driving record.
1. NS
4. CS
2. UCS
5. CR
3. UCR
Principle: _______________________
4. Early in their relationship, the mere sight of Donna excited Jack. This gradually died out, however, as Donna
behaved tolerantly but indifferently. When the relationship ended, Jack was bored with Donna and didn't even
think about her for the next year. Now, he was surprised at how excited he was becoming as he saw Donna
through the window of a bus.
1. NS
4. CS
2. UCS
5. CR
3. UCR
Principle: _______________________
5. Bill couldn't ever remember being so sick and nauseated. He would never go to that restaurant again, and he
would never eat chicken again. All he could think about was the good dinner his mother would prepare for his
homecoming. As he entered the kitchen, he became flushed and felt nauseated when he saw the golden brown
turkey sitting on the table.
1. NS
4. CS
2. UCS
5. CR
3. UCR
Principle: ______________________
Stimulus – Response Exercise
Identify each of the following as a STIMULUS or RESPONSE.
Stimulus (S) = something that happens TO the person/animal
Response (R) = behavior performed by the person/animal
1. _____ A flashing light
2. _____ Answering this practice exercise
3. _____ A stop sign
4. _____ An ant crawling on your arm
5. _____ Vomiting
6. _____ Coughing
7. _____ The sound of heavy breathing
8. _____ Seeing and smelling a piece of chocolate cake
9. _____ Bad tasting medicine
10. ____ Laughing
11. ____ Screaming
12. ____ A feather tickling your arm
Reinforcement vs Punishment Exercise
In learning theory, remember that positive means adding something and negative means subtracting something.
Reinforcement will increase the likelihood of a response in the future; punishment will decrease the likelihood of a
response in the future. Identify each of the following examples as either: positive reinforcement (PR), negative
reinforcement (NR), positive punishment (PP), negative punishment (NP)
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Jimmy's father gives him $5 for washing the car.
Maria was fighting with her sister. Her mother says she can't watch TV tonight.
Keila is 4 years old. Her mother spanks her for running out into the street.
Your teacher says you don't have to take the final exam if you have a "B" average at the end of the semester.
You receive a $100 incentive bonus from your boss for completing a project early.
You are assigned 10 hours of trash pick-up after being caught smoking in the campus library restroom.
Lelani's parents don't allow her to use the family car for 2 weeks after she received a "D" in her high school
chemistry class.
You always put on your seat belt so that the annoying buzzer will stop.
A woman watching a football game offers her child candy to play quietly.
At a party, a husband becomes sullen when his wife flirts with a colleague.
A child is put in a chair facing the corner for misbehaving.
A student is dropped from all courses after cheating on a test.
A parent puts a quarter in a child’s piggy bank for each “nice or helpful” gesture the child performs and removes
a quarter for each “mean or selfish” gesture the child performs.
Schedules of Reinforcement Exercise
Identify the schedules of reinforcement for each of the following examples as either: Fixed Ratio (FR), Variable Ratio
(VR), Fixed Interval (FI), Variable Interval (VI) .
1. You go to Atlantic City and play the slot machines. Sometimes you win money after putting in 3 quarters,
sometimes after 15 quarters, sometimes after putting in 7 quarters.
2. You get a paycheck every Tuesday.
3. A psychologist gives a rat a food pellet each time it pushes a lever in its cage.
4. You go fishing in the Chesapeake Bay every weekend. Sometimes it takes 1 hour to catch a fish, sometimes 15
minutes, sometimes 45 minutes.
5. A college student's mother sends her a box of fudge every Thursday.
6. George works in a factory putting fenders on cars. He gets paid $100 for every 4 fenders he finishes.
7. Michael's mother gives him an M & M for each toy he puts away in his toy box.
8. Teri collects empty soda cans. The recycling center gives her $1 for every 30 cans.
9. Shaina delivers newspapers in her neighborhood. Sometimes Mrs. Lewis pays her for 2 weeks at a time,
sometimes she pays for 1 week, and sometimes she pays for a month.
10. You start playing the lottery. You win $10 the first time you play. You play 12 more times before you win again.
ANSWER KEY BELOW:
Unit 2: Learning Study Guide Answer Key
Practice Test
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Classical Conditioning Scenarios
1. NS = rolled up newspaper, UCS = spanking, UCR = fear, CS = rolled up newspaper, CR = fear. Principle: Nothing
special beyond simple acquisition. Perhaps generalization to others holding newspapers.
2. NS = sight of monkeys, UCS = attack, UCR = pain, CS = sight of monkeys, CR = apprehension, tense. Principle:
Extinction is occurring because of repeated exposure to the CS (sight of monkey) without another exposure to the
US (attack). Additionally, you might note that a bit of counter-conditioning is occurring-- she is feeling calm,
positive feelings while being exposed to a stimulus (monkeys) that used to cause fear.
3. NS = screech of tires, UCS = car accident, UCR = tense, scared, CS = screech of tires, CR = tense, scared. Principle:
Higher-order conditioning is occurring here-- The dangers of a car accident have been well-learned, even if never
experienced. However, the mental images of an accident become a powerful CS in their own right.
Discrimination-- given the context of the situation (accompanying stimuli), screeching tires have better ability to
predict possible danger at an intersection than at a race track.
4. NS = Donna, UCS = romantic relationship, UCR = arousal, CS = Donna, CR = arousal. Principle:
Again, a bit of higher-order conditioning occurring. Jack had come to expect (sexual) stimulation within a
relationship-- a connection made through experience, expectations, etc. Initially, extinction, because of no
stimulation (CR) occurred in the presence of Donna (CS). The other principle, spontaneous recovery, occurred
when he saw her again after a delay of time. That's the reemergence of a conditioned response after it has been
extinguished (and why people should be very cautious at high school reunions!)
5. NS = taste, sight, and smell of chicken, UCS = bacteria/virus, UCR = sick, nauseous, CS = taste, sight, smell of
chicken, CR = sick, nauseous Principle: Generalization is happening-- not only does he react to chicken, but
other foods that are similarly "fowl." This is the opposite of stimulus discrimination.
Stimulus-Response Exercise
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Reinforcement vs. Punishment Exercise
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Schedules of Reinforcement Exercise
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