Random Psych Questions =]

[Glockmeister]

Can someone control a reflex? If so, what examples are there and explain how?
thanks!

You can artificially generate a reflex (I actually did a lab on this today) by simulating it using electricity. But can you control a reflex... not really. There's a substantial difference between voluntarily moving areas of muscle and reflexes (the major one being time).

[TrueLight]

you cant control reflex, it will happen whether or not you like it, you can't control your neurons once a stimulus is applied.

[d0minicz]

1.

a) Identify the independent and dependent variables in Skinner's (1938) experiment with the hungry rat.

b) Identify the condition when the IV is present and the condition when it is not present. Can these conditions be called experimental and control conditions respectively? Explain your answer.

c) Identify the operant responses observed in the rat in this experiment.

thanks !

[d0minicz]

Also, how might the use of an inappropriate reinforcer affect learning?

thx again

[Glockmeister]

1.

a) Identify the independent and dependent variables in Skinner's (1938) experiment with the hungry rat.

b) Identify the condition when the IV is present and the condition when it is not present. Can these conditions be called experimental and control conditions respectively? Explain your answer.

c) Identify the operant responses observed in the rat in this experiment.

thanks !

You're going to have to give me more details about the experiment. Skinner did a lot of experimenting in his lifetime.

Also, how might the use of an inappropriate reinforcer affect learning?

thx again

What do you mean by inappropriate reinforcer? (you got to operationally define the term *tsk* *tsk*)

[d0minicz]

What do you mean by inappropriate reinforcer? (you got to operationally define the term *tsk* *tsk*)

[/quote]

lol thats the question in the text book
i didnt understand it either

[Glockmeister]

Ok, I'll take a pint on this question.

When a response is reinforced inappropriately, it may create an association between the reinforcer and the response that may cause problems with the life of the person. For example, phobias is said to be cause by a classical condition response to a stimuli which is then reinforced by avoidance of the stimulus (something called the Two-Factor Theory of Avoidance Conditioning, which you don't have to learn, but it does have clinical significance). This avoidance of the stimulus could be regarded as an inappropriate reinforcer.

[d0minicz]

Mr Ying is a young, handsome Psych teacher who has just been appointed to a girls' college. His unit 2 class is so distracted by his looks and they find it difficult to concentrate and focus. There is a lot of giggling,etc... Mr Ying is determined to make a good impression with his classroom control and teaching methods. He decides to use detention as a means of fixing the girls' behaviour. He runs a lunchtime detention for sin girls whose behaviour has been the worst. In the next class not only do these six misbehave but they are joined by another 4, and eventually the whole class.

a) Which element of operant conditioning is Mr Ying trying to use to change the girls' behaviour?

b) Provide a description of its effectiveness and an explanation as to why this is so.



Maria had enjoyed attending her school for 10 years. Quite suddenly, her friendship group had disappeared and she began to get bullied for being a loner. After an unsuccessful attempt to solve her problems with the school, Maria started taking days off school, telling her mother that she was sick. Although she was concerned about missing school, she couldn't face the unpleasant actions of those girls.

a) Which element of operant conditioning explains the increase in Maria's behaviour of deceiving her mother and staying home? Explain how this principle worked in Maria's situation.

b) Which element of operant conditioning describes the consequences of the bullying behaviour for Maria? Explain its effect on Maria's attendance behaviour.


your views please

[vexx]

Mr Ying is a young, handsome Psych teacher who has just been appointed to a girls' college. His unit 2 class is so distracted by his looks and they find it difficult to concentrate and focus. There is a lot of giggling,etc... Mr Ying is determined to make a good impression with his classroom control and teaching methods. He decides to use detention as a means of fixing the girls' behaviour. He runs a lunchtime detention for sin girls whose behaviour has been the worst. In the next class not only do these six misbehave but they are joined by another 4, and eventually the whole class.

a) Which element of operant conditioning is Mr Ying trying to use to change the girls' behaviour?

b) Provide a description of its effectiveness and an explanation as to why this is so.



Maria had enjoyed attending her school for 10 years. Quite suddenly, her friendship group had disappeared and she began to get bullied for being a loner. After an unsuccessful attempt to solve her problems with the school, Maria started taking days off school, telling her mother that she was sick. Although she was concerned about missing school, she couldn't face the unpleasant actions of those girls.

a) Which element of operant conditioning explains the increase in Maria's behaviour of deceiving her mother and staying home? Explain how this principle worked in Maria's situation.

b) Which element of operant conditioning describes the consequences of the bullying behaviour for Maria? Explain its effect on Maria's attendance behaviour.


your views please

I will attempt this.

1a) Punishment
b) Appropriateness is a factor that affects the effectiveness of punishment (or reinforcer), individual characteristics play an  important role in determining what is or isn't an appropriate consequence. This 'punishment' of the girls getting detention could act as a reinforcement,. as they get to be with him again (attention).

2a) Negative reinforcement -- the increased behaviour (deceiving mother) to removal a negative stimulus (school) for a desired outcome (not getting bullied at school).
b) Punishment - a delivery of an unpleasent stimulus (bullying) to decrease the likelihood of a response (going to school) being repeated.

[Glockmeister]

Mr Ying is a young, handsome Psych teacher who has just been appointed to a girls' college. His unit 2 class is so distracted by his looks and they find it difficult to concentrate and focus. There is a lot of giggling,etc... Mr Ying is determined to make a good impression with his classroom control and teaching methods. He decides to use detention as a means of fixing the girls' behaviour. He runs a lunchtime detention for sin girls whose behaviour has been the worst. In the next class not only do these six misbehave but they are joined by another 4, and eventually the whole class.

a) Which element of operant conditioning is Mr Ying trying to use to change the girls' behaviour?

b) Provide a description of its effectiveness and an explanation as to why this is so.



Maria had enjoyed attending her school for 10 years. Quite suddenly, her friendship group had disappeared and she began to get bullied for being a loner. After an unsuccessful attempt to solve her problems with the school, Maria started taking days off school, telling her mother that she was sick. Although she was concerned about missing school, she couldn't face the unpleasant actions of those girls.

a) Which element of operant conditioning explains the increase in Maria's behaviour of deceiving her mother and staying home? Explain how this principle worked in Maria's situation.

b) Which element of operant conditioning describes the consequences of the bullying behaviour for Maria? Explain its effect on Maria's attendance behaviour.


your views please

I will attempt this.

1a) Punishment
b) Appropriateness is a factor that affects the effectiveness of punishment (or reinforcer), individual characteristics play an  important role in determining what is or isn't an appropriate consequence. This 'punishment' of the girls getting detention could act as a reinforcement,. as they get to be with him again (attention).

2a) Negative reinforcement -- the increased behaviour (deceiving mother) to removal a negative stimulus (school) for a desired outcome (not getting bullied at school).
b) Punishment - a delivery of an unpleasent stimulus (bullying) to decrease the likelihood of a response (going to school) being repeated.

yep, they sound like good responses. well done

[d0minicz]

Behaviour which is learnt through operant conditioning rather than through classical conditioning is more likely to be:
A. passive
B. active
C. involuntary
D. deliberate

cheers

[vexx]

Behaviour which is learnt through operant conditioning rather than through classical conditioning is more likely to be:
A. passive
B. active
C. involuntary
D. deliberate

cheers

It cannot be A or C, as that is classical conditioning.
I don't think it's B as the role of the learner is active, but the nature oft he response is a deliberate one.
So i'm guessing it's D.

[d0minicz]

i got D aswell; answer is B

[vexx]

Oh sorry i didn't read the question properly, Behaviour which is learnt a behaviour is learned in operant coniditoning when it has been established by reinforcement or weakened by punishment. therefore the BEHAVIOUR that is learnt is ACTIVE, as they actively operate on the environment to receive the consequence. ahh sorry i always read questions wrong.><

[Glockmeister]

i got D aswell; answer is B

It's definitely B. Why? Well, remember operant conditioning doesn't necessarily occur for conscious behaviours. Easiest examples I can give is phobias. A person doesn't deliberately avoid a anxiety-provoking solution because he/she wants to. It's because he/she has been conditioned to feel anxiety at X situation. Repetitive exposure to this could be likened to a sort of punishment. Hence the person would want to avoid that sort of situation.