1. Gazzaniga • Heatherton • Halpern
Psychological Science
FOURTH EDITION
BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK LECTURE SLIDES
and CLICKER QUESTIONS
Chapter 6
Learning
©2013 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

2. Beyond the Textbook
Lecture Slides

3. Learning and Relevance
• Unlike native English speakers, Japanese adults have
difficulty perceiving the r/l distinction in words like
“red” and “led”
• Japanese infants, however, show dishabituation when
“la, la, la” changes to “ra, ra, ra”
• However, by age 12 months, infants lose this ability for
sounds that are not relevant in the language of the
infants’ surroundings
• This seems to be a case of “use it or lose it,” where
relevance matters for learning.

4. Imperfect Predictors
• Conditioned responses are strong when the
conditioned stimulus (CS) is a predictor of the
unconditioned stimulus (US)
• However, we know that in real life stimuli may
not always represent perfect predictors
• For example, weather forecasts are often wrong
• Research shows that predictors do not have to be
perfect to be effective—conditioning is still
observed
• A somewhat reliable signal is better than no
signal at all

5. Intrinsic Motivation
• How good a reward is depends on what kind of reward is
expected
• Behavioral contrast: The effect of a reinforcer depends on
what other rewards have been available in the past
• Children who are used to being overtly rewarded for an activity
such as drawing show less interest in the activity later when no
reward is offered
– One way of viewing this is as a case of behavioral contrast, where the
quantity of rewards has diminished
– Another way to view this is that there are both external and intrinsic
rewards, and they can interfere. In this case, the intrinsic reward of
enjoyment was supplanted by an external reward.

6. Clicker Questions

7. Classical conditioning is also known as __________
conditioning.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
instrumental
Skinnerian
operant
Pavlovian
Ivanian

8. Classical conditioning is also known as __________
conditioning.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
instrumental
Skinnerian
operant
Pavlovian
Ivanian

9. In Pavlov’s experiment, salivation to FOOD is known as the
__________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Conditioned response

10. In Pavlov’s experiment, salivation to FOOD is known as the
__________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Conditioned response

11. Which of the following is an assumption of
learning theories?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Reponses are innate rather than learned.
Learning is adaptive.
Learning is impossible to measure.
Learning does not cause changes in one’s behaviors.

12. Which of the following is an assumption of
learning theories?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Reponses are innate rather than learned.
Learning is adaptive.
Learning is impossible to measure.
Learning does not cause changes in one’s behaviors.

13. If an unconditioned stimulus is not repeatedly paired
with the conditioned stimulus, __________ will occur.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
discrimination
acquisition
extinction
sensitization
generalization

14. If an unconditioned stimulus is not repeatedly paired
with the conditioned stimulus, __________ will occur.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
discrimination
acquisition
extinction
sensitization
generalization

15. In classical conditioning, what is spontaneous
recovery?
A. An animal can easily learn to associate a conditioned stimulus with an
unconditioned stimulus.
B. If an animal is sick, it remembers the learned association after it
recovers from its sickness.
C. After extinction of the association, the animal shows the conditioned
response again.
D. After extinction of the association, the animal shows the unconditioned
response again.

16. In classical conditioning, what is spontaneous
recovery?
A. An animal can easily learn to associate a conditioned stimulus with an
unconditioned stimulus.
B. If an animal is sick, it remembers the learned association after it
recovers from its sickness.
C. After extinction of the association, the animal shows the conditioned
response again.
D. After extinction of the association, the animal shows the unconditioned
response again.

17. What does an animal learn in classical
conditioning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
An association between an US and an UR
An association between an US and a CR
An association between an US and a CS
An association between a CS and an UR
None of the above

18. What does an animal learn in classical
conditioning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
An association between an US and an UR
An association between an US and a CR
An association between an US and a CS
An association between a CS and an UR
None of the above

19. Joey likes to listen to rock music when cutting onions.
After doing so for awhile, he notices his eyes get
teary when listening to rock music. The onion in
this situation is a __________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Conditioned response

20. Joey likes to listen to rock music when cutting onions.
After doing so for awhile, he notices his eyes get
teary when listening to rock music. The onion in
this situation is a __________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Conditioned response

21. __________ refers to the occurrence of the conditioned
response when the stimulus is slightly different than
the conditioned stimulus.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Discrimination
Habituation
Acquisition
Generalization

22. __________ refers to the occurrence of the conditioned
response when the stimulus is slightly different than
the conditioned stimulus.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Discrimination
Habituation
Acquisition
Generalization

23. Which of the following has the strongest learning
effects?
A. Reciting π to the 100th decimal place
B. Eating salad with infected lettuce
C. Remembering material from Chapter 6 of your psychology
textbook
D. Driving from California to Florida

24. Which of the following has the strongest learning
effects?
A. Reciting π to the 100th decimal place
B. Eating salad with infected lettuce
C. Remembering material from Chapter 6 of your psychology
textbook
D. Driving from California to Florida

25. If an animal becomes conditioned to a given stimulus,
the animal will show the conditioned response to only
that particular stimulus.
A. True
B. False
C. Cannot be determined

26. If an animal becomes conditioned to a given
stimulus, the animal will show the conditioned
response to only that particular stimulus.
A. True
B. False
C. Cannot be determined

27. Which of the following statements is a special property of the
conditioned food aversion that is not typically seen in classical
conditioning?
A. It is only present in humans.
B. The association is very easy to produce using a visual or
auditory cue.
C. Temporal proximity is not important.
D. All of the above

28. Which of the following statements is a special property of the
conditioned food aversion that is not typically seen in classical
conditioning?
A. It is only present in humans.
B. The association is very easy to produce using a visual or
auditory cue.
C. Temporal proximity is not important.
D. All of the above

29. Who proposed the Law of Effect?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Garcia
Bandura
Skinner
Pavlov
Thorndike

30. Who proposed the Law of Effect?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Garcia
Bandura
Skinner
Pavlov
Thorndike

31. Reinforcing successive approximations of an action in
an effort to teach a complex action is known as _______.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
shaping
observational learning
punishment
discrimination
generalization

32. Reinforcing successive approximations of an action in
an effort to teach a complex action is known as _______.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
shaping
observational learning
punishment
discrimination
generalization

33. Which of the following is an example of negative
punishment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Spanking a child
Giving a rat a food pellet
Removing shock
Removing food

34. Which of the following is an example of negative
punishment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Spanking a child
Giving a rat a food pellet
Removing shock
Removing food

35. Which of the following best characterizes
operant learning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The organism learns an association between a stimulus and a response.
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a reward.
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a punishment
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a
consequence
E. None of the above

36. Which of the following best characterizes
operant learning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The organism learns an association between a stimulus and a response.
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a reward.
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a punishment
The organism learns an association between a behavior and a
consequence
E. None of the above

37. Which reinforcement schedule involves being
reinforced after a random time period?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Variable ratio
Fixed interval
Fixed ratio
Variable interval

38. Which reinforcement schedule involves being
reinforced after a random time period?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Variable ratio
Fixed interval
Fixed ratio
Variable interval

39. Which statement is true concerning operant
conditioning?
A. It is more difficult to
learn fixed schedules
than variable.
B. Responses are higher
for ratio schedules than
interval.
C. Partial reinforcement
does not result in
significant learning.
D. Responses are higher
for fixed schedules than
variable.

40. Which statement is true concerning operant
conditioning?
A. It is more difficult to
learn fixed schedules
than variable.
B. Responses are higher
for ratio schedules
than interval.
C. Partial reinforcement
does not result in
significant learning.
D. Responses are higher
for fixed schedules than
variable.

41. In Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment, children who saw
an adult behave aggressively toward a doll:
A. Were less aggressive toward the doll than children who
did not see an adult behave aggressively toward the doll
B. Were more aggressive toward the doll than children who
did not see an adult behave aggressively toward the doll
C. Behaved similarly toward the doll as children who did not
see an adult behave aggressively toward the doll

42. In Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment, children who saw
an adult behave aggressively toward a doll:
A. Were less aggressive toward the doll than children who
did not see an adult behave aggressively toward the doll
B. Were more aggressive toward the doll than children
who did not see an adult behave aggressively toward
the doll
C. Behaved similarly toward the doll as children who did not
see an adult behave aggressively toward the doll

44. Mineka studied the fear responses of wild and
laboratory-raised rhesus monkeys to snakes. What
was the primary finding?
A.
B.
C.
D.
All monkeys have an innate fear of snakes.
Fear of snakes is learned through conditioning.
Fear of snakes can be acquired by observing others.
Through extinction of conditioned responses, the monkeys
overcame their innate fear of snakes.

45. Mineka studied the fear responses of wild and
laboratory-raised rhesus monkeys to snakes. What
was the primary finding?
A.
B.
C.
D.
All monkeys have an innate fear of snakes.
Fear of snakes is learned through conditioning.
Fear of snakes can be acquired by observing others.
Through extinction of conditioned responses, the monkeys
overcame their innate fear of snakes.

46. Which neurotransmitter is believed to play a key
role in the reward system in the brain?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Acetylcholine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
GABA
Dopamine

47. Which neurotransmitter is believed to play a key
role in the reward system in the brain?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Acetylcholine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
GABA
Dopamine

48. __________ occurs when a person’s response
increases after exposure to a stimulus.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sensitization
Habituation
Acquisition
Spontaneous recovery

49. __________ occurs when a person’s response
increases after exposure to a stimulus.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sensitization
Habituation
Acquisition
Spontaneous recovery

50. As you are sitting in a classroom, your neighbor starts clicking
his pen, opening and closing it repeatedly. Initially you find it
very annoying, but after a while, you realize that you don’t
“hear” it anymore. You have experienced_________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
sense activation
sensitization
desensitization
habituation

51. As you are sitting in a classroom, your neighbor starts clicking
his pen, opening and closing it repeatedly. Initially you find it
very annoying, but after a while, you realize that you don’t
“hear” it anymore. You have experienced_________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
sense activation
sensitization
desensitization
habituation