NPTEL Online Certification Course
The Human Beha654321viour
Assignment 3.2: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Question 1. Ivan Pavlov is important in psychology because he
A. discovered the principles of operant conditioning
B. discovered the principles of classical conditioning
C. was the first to understand the implications of classical conditioning for drug tolerance
D. won a Nobel prize for his work in animal digestion
Answer: B
Detailed Explanation: Ivan Pavlov is best known for his work on Classical conditioning.
Question 2. When you blow cold air on the skin, the hair will stand on end (this is called
piloerection). If a bell is rung before the cold air blows, eventually the bell alone may cause
piloerection. If this happens
A. Ringing of the bell is a CS
B. piloerection to the bell is a UCR
C. blowing the cold air is a CS
D. piloerection to the cold air is a CR
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: The cold air is an unconditioned stimulus (US) that naturally causes
piloerection (unconditioned response, UCR). When the bell is rung before the cold air, over time
the bell becomes associated with the cold air and can trigger piloerection by itself, making the bell
a conditioned stimulus (CS) and piloerection a conditioned response (CR) when it occurs due to the
bell alone.
Question 3. When you discontinue the unconditioned stimulus in classical conditioning, what
are you most likely to observe?
A. extinction.
B. a gradient of generalization
C. reinforcement
D. trace conditioning
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: When the unconditioned stimulus (US) is no longer presented after the
conditioned stimulus (CS), the conditioned response (CR) will gradually weaken and eventually
disappear. This process is known as extinction.
Question 4. Generalization is a reaction to _____ while discrimination is a reaction to_____
A. similarities; differences
B. differences; similarities
C. general laws of learning; perceptual qualities of stimuli
D. perceptual qualities of stimuli; general laws of learning
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: Generalization occurs when a conditioned response (CR) is triggered by
stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS). While discrimination occurs when an
organism learns to respond differently to stimuli that are distinct from the conditioned stimulus,
differentiating between them
Question 5. The ‘Law of Effect’ refers to which of the following?
A. every action has an equal and opposite reaction
B. the legal prohibition of ineffective psychological treatments
C. the concept that unsuccessful behaviour often leads to fruitless repetition in an attempt to
produce a different outcome
D. the concept that the consequence of a successful behaviour is that it is more likely to occur
in similar circumstances in future
Answer: D
Detailed Explanation: The Law of Effect, proposed by Edward Thorndike, suggests that
behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by
unpleasant outcomes are less likely to be repeated.
Question 6. An inconsistent safety signal will have what effect on your response to pain?
A. decrease your response
B. increase your response
C. decrease the intensity but lengthen the duration of your response
D. it will have no effect
Answer: B
Detailed Explanation: An inconsistent safety signal can make your brain less confident in the
presence of safety and more likely to interpret potential threats more sensitively, leading to an
increased response to pain or discomfort. When safety signals are inconsistent, your system may
become more hypervigilant and responsive to potential harm.
Question 7. _____ is a measure of operant strength.
A. Rate of response
B. Ease of generalization
C. Gradient of generalization
D. Amount of reinforcement
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: In operant conditioning, the rate of response is commonly used as a
measure of operant strength, as it reflects how frequently a behavior is performed in response to
reinforcement or other stimuli. The higher the rate of response, the stronger the operant behavior.
Question 8. In _____, an organism to ignore a stimulus that has become familiar.
A. habituation
B. operant conditioning
C. classical conditioning
D. complex learning
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: In habituation, an organism learns to ignore a stimulus that has become
familiar because it no longer provides new or significant information.
Question 9. A conditioned stimulus is one that
A. produces a conditioned response after conditioning has taken place
B. produces an automatic response from the learner before conditioning takes place
C. produces an unconditioned response after conditioning takes place
D. follows an organism's unconditioned response
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation: A conditioned stimulus (CS) is a previously neutral stimulus that, after
being paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS), begins to produce a conditioned response
(CR). This occurs only after the conditioning process has taken place, where the CS becomes
associated with the UCS.
Question 10. If an organism is on a(n) _____ schedule of reinforcement, the number of
responses necessary for a reinforcement to occur is the same from trial to trial; if an
organism is on a(n) _____ schedule of reinforcement, the number of responses necessary for
the reinforcement to occur changes from trial to trial
A. continuous; partial
B. partial; continuous
C. fixed; variable
D. variable; fixed
Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: In a fixed schedule of reinforcement, the number of responses required for
reinforcement is the same on each trial (e.g., fixed ratio or fixed interval). However, in a variable
schedule of reinforcement, the number of responses needed for reinforcement changes randomly
from trial to trial (e.g., variable ratio or variable interval).
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
NPTEL Online Certification Course
<COURSE NAME>
<Assignment Number>: Detailed Solution
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
