MCQs with Answers on “Operant Conditioning: Skinner’s Contribution to Behaviorism”

• A) Ivan Pavlov
• B) Carl Rogers
• C) B.F. Skinner
• D) John Watson

Answer: C) B.F. Skinner
Explanation: B.F. Skinner is the psychologist most associated with operant conditioning, a method of learning that uses rewards and punishments to increase or decrease behavior.

• A) Classical conditioning
• B) Reinforcement
• C) Observation
• D) Instincts

Answer: B) Reinforcement
Explanation: Skinner’s operant conditioning is centered around the use of reinforcement, either positive or negative, to encourage or discourage behavior.

• A) Giving a child a toy after they clean their room
• B) Taking away a privilege as punishment
• C) Ignoring a child’s bad behavior
• D) Giving a timeout for misbehavior

Answer: A) Giving a child a toy after they clean their room
Explanation: Positive reinforcement involves presenting a rewarding stimulus after a desired behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.

• A) Adding something unpleasant to discourage behavior
• B) Removing something unpleasant to encourage behavior
• C) Ignoring unwanted behavior
• D) Using physical punishment to reduce behavior

Answer: B) Removing something unpleasant to encourage behavior
Explanation: Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to strengthen a behavior, such as turning off a loud noise when a person behaves appropriately.

• A) Giving a child candy when they finish their homework
• B) Removing a child’s TV time for misbehaving
• C) Praising a child for cleaning their room
• D) Allowing extra playtime after good behavior

Answer: B) Removing a child’s TV time for misbehaving
Explanation: Punishment is a technique used in operant conditioning to decrease the likelihood of an unwanted behavior by introducing an aversive stimulus or removing a rewarding stimulus.

• A) Classical conditioning in rats
• B) The power of reinforcement on behavior
• C) The effect of punishment on behavior
• D) The development of instinctual behaviors

Answer: B) The power of reinforcement on behavior
Explanation: The Skinner box was used to demonstrate how reinforcement could shape an animal’s behavior, particularly in pigeons and rats.

• A) Reinforcing the final behavior immediately
• B) Reinforcing closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
• C) Ignoring undesired behavior to make it go away
• D) Repeating the exact same behavior each time

Answer: B) Reinforcing closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
Explanation: Shaping involves reinforcing successive steps toward a desired behavior, gradually guiding the subject toward the desired behavior.

• A) Reinforcement is given after a random number of responses
• B) Reinforcement is given after a variable amount of time
• C) Reinforcement is given after a set number of responses
• D) Reinforcement is given after the first response after a variable amount of time

Answer: C) Reinforcement is given after a set number of responses
Explanation: A fixed-ratio schedule delivers reinforcement after a fixed number of responses, such as being paid for every 10 items produced in a factory.

• A) Fixed-interval schedule
• B) Variable-ratio schedule
• C) Fixed-ratio schedule
• D) Continuous reinforcement

Answer: B) Variable-ratio schedule
Explanation: A variable-ratio schedule, where reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses, produces a high and steady rate of response.

• A) Reinforcement occurs after a fixed amount of time
• B) Reinforcement occurs after a random number of responses
• C) Reinforcement occurs after a variable amount of time
• D) Reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of responses

Answer: A) Reinforcement occurs after a fixed amount of time
Explanation: A fixed-interval schedule delivers reinforcement after a set period of time, such as being paid every two weeks.

• A) It served as the unconditioned stimulus
• B) It was the desired behavior that was reinforced
• C) It was the punishment for the animal
• D) It was a neutral stimulus in the experiment

Answer: B) It was the desired behavior that was reinforced
Explanation: In Skinner’s experiment, the lever press was the behavior that animals learned to perform in exchange for food or other rewards.

• A) Operant conditioning is based on association between stimuli
• B) Classical conditioning focuses on voluntary behavior, while operant focuses on involuntary behavior
• C) Classical conditioning is based on rewards and punishments, while operant conditioning focuses on reflexive responses
• D) Operant conditioning involves voluntary behavior, while classical conditioning focuses on involuntary behavior

Answer: D) Operant conditioning involves voluntary behavior, while classical conditioning focuses on involuntary behavior
Explanation: Operant conditioning focuses on strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviors through reinforcement or punishment, while classical conditioning focuses on involuntary responses.

• A) Punishment
• B) Extinction
• C) Reinforcer
• D) Conditioned stimulus

Answer: C) Reinforcer
Explanation: A reinforcer is any stimulus or event that strengthens the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, either by adding a pleasant stimulus (positive reinforcement) or removing an unpleasant one (negative reinforcement).

• A) Giving a child a sticker for good behavior
• B) Taking away a phone as punishment for misbehavior
• C) Removing chores when a child behaves well
• D) Ignoring bad behavior to reduce it

Answer: C) Removing chores when a child behaves well
Explanation: Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus, such as chores, to encourage desirable behavior.

• A) A teacher giving a reward after every 5 correct answers
• B) A worker being paid after every 10 units produced
• C) A person receiving a bonus after an unpredictable number of weeks worked
• D) A dog receiving a treat for sitting after every 3rd sit

Answer: C) A person receiving a bonus after an unpredictable number of weeks worked
Explanation: Variable-interval schedules reinforce a behavior after a variable amount of time has passed.

• A) Spontaneous recovery
• B) Extinction burst
• C) Shaping
• D) Reinforcement effect

Answer: A) Spontaneous recovery
Explanation: Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance of a conditioned behavior after it has been extinguished, often occurring after a period of rest.

• A) A worker receives a bonus after every 5 sales
• B) A person receives a bonus after working for an unpredictable number of hours
• C) A child is rewarded for good behavior every hour
• D) A dog receives a treat every time it performs a trick

Answer: A) A worker receives a bonus after every 5 sales
Explanation: In a fixed-ratio schedule, reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses, such as earning a bonus for a fixed number of sales.

• A) The unlearning of a behavior when reinforcement is no longer provided
• B) The appearance of a new behavior without reinforcement
• C) A sudden increase in the intensity of a behavior
• D) The addition of an aversive stimulus to stop a behavior

Answer: A) The unlearning of a behavior when reinforcement is no longer provided
Explanation: Extinction in operant conditioning happens when reinforcement is no longer provided, causing the conditioned behavior to diminish and eventually stop.

• A) A dog stops salivating at the sound of a bell after learning it won’t be followed by food
• B) A child behaves differently in the presence of a teacher and a parent
• C) A rat learns to press a lever only in a specific context
• D) A person avoids a specific place after being punished there

Answer: C) A rat learns to press a lever only in a specific context
Explanation: Stimulus discrimination occurs when an individual learns to distinguish between different stimuli and responds differently to each.

• A) Variable-ratio schedule
• B) Fixed-interval schedule
• C) Continuous reinforcement schedule
• D) Variable-interval schedule

Answer: C) Continuous reinforcement schedule
Explanation: Continuous reinforcement, where the behavior is reinforced every time it occurs, is most effective for teaching new behaviors because it provides immediate feedback.