Stimuli and Response

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
 1. While caring for a friend’s 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.

• Dogs are often disciplined by being swatted (the US)

with rolled up newspapers, magazines, and such (the CS).
Fear is a natural response to being hit (the UR) and an
acquired response (CR) to the sight of such objects.
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.

• Joan has been attacked (the US) by monkeys (the CS) in the past.
Fear of monkeys (the CR) is an acquired response and fear of
attacks (the UR) is more reflexive. Extinction is occurring as contact
continues without further incident; that is, presenting the CS
(monkeys) without the US (pain from the attack). Moreover, a bit of
counterconditioning is also taking place as the cuddly, affectionate
monkeys elicit feelings incompatible with fear.
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.

• Screeching tires (CS) often cause people to tense up and flinch (CR).
The lack of this response during a car race suggests that stimulus
discrimination may be present. Because neither person has had an
accident, higher-order conditioning may account for their learning.
Specifically, screeching tires (CS) often give rise to mental images of
accidents. These mental images are already established CSs,
providing the basis for the CS-CS pairing.
 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.

• The sight of Donna (CS) elicits romantic excitement (CR). The

response was extinguished when Donna failed to stimulate
her partner (the US). The reaction one year later suggests
spontaneous recovery—the reappearance of the conditioned
response after an apparent extinction.
5. Bill couldn’t ever remember being so sick and nauseated.
He would never go to that restaurant again, and he would never
again eat chicken. All he could think about was the good dinner
his mother would prepare for his homecoming. As he entered
the kitchen, be became flushed and felt nauseated when he saw
the golden brown turkey sitting on the table.

• The turkey is the source of the CS; the appearance, smell, and
taste of turkey, and also the US, the contamination. The
nausea pattern is naturally elicited by contaminated
foodstuffs (UR) and is an acquired response to specific foods
(CR). In the example, stimulus generalization is taking place.
Punishers and Reinforcers

Worksheet “quiz” Chapter 6

For each example presented below, identify whether
positive reinforcement (PR), negative reinforcement
(NR), or punishment (PUN) is illustrated

1. Police pulling drivers over and giving prizes for buckling up

PR
2. Suspending a basketball player for committing a flagrant foul
PUN
3. A soccer player rolls her eyes at a teammate who delivered a bad
pass
PUN
4. A child snaps her fingers until her teacher calls on her
NR
5. A hospital patient is allowed extra visiting time after eating a
complete meal
PR
 Punishment or P/N
Reinforcement?
6. Receiving a city utility discount for participating in a recycling program
PR

7. Grounding a teenager until his or her homework is finished

NR

8. Scolding a child for playing in the street

PUN

9. A prisoner loses TV privileges for one week for a rule violation

PUN

10. A parent nagging a child to clean up her room

NR
 Punishment or P/N
Reinforcement?
11. A rat presses a lever to terminate a shock or a loud tone
NR
12. A professor gives extra credit to students with perfect attendance
PR
13. A dog is banished to his doghouse after soiling the living room
carpet
PUN
14. A defendant is harassed and tortured until he confesses
NR
15. A young child receives $5 for earning good grades in school
PR
 Punishment or P/N
Reinforcement?
16. A mother smiles when her child utters “Mama”
PR
17. A child is put into “time out” for misbehaving
PUN
18. Employee of the month gets a reserved parking space
PR
19. At a party, a husband becomes sullen when his wife
flirts with a colleague
PUN
20. A woman watching a football game offers her child
candy to play quietly
PR