Which of the following correctly defines positive reinforcement?
A: Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behaviour
B: Adding a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour to increase it
C: Adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behaviour to decrease it
D: Removing a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour to decrease it
Correct: Adding a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour to increase it
Positive reinforcement involves presenting a rewarding stimulus following a behaviour, which increases the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. "Positive" refers to the addition of something, not to pleasantness. A pay rise for good work, praise for completing homework, or a treat for a dog that sits on command are all positive reinforcers.
Negative reinforcement is commonly misunderstood. Which example correctly illustrates it?
A: A child is grounded for lying
B: A driver buckles their seatbelt to stop the warning beep
C: An employee receives a bonus for exceeding targets
D: A student loses screen time for failing to do homework
Correct: A driver buckles their seatbelt to stop the warning beep
Negative reinforcement increases a behaviour by removing an aversive stimulus. The driver fastens their seatbelt (behaviour) to eliminate the annoying beeping (removal of aversive stimulus) — the behaviour is reinforced because it successfully switches off something unpleasant. Negative reinforcement is not punishment; it always increases behaviour.
Thorndike's "Law of Effect" states that:
A: Behaviour is primarily driven by unconscious instincts
B: Responses followed by satisfying outcomes are strengthened; those followed by discomfort are weakened
C: Animals can only learn through observation, not trial and error
D: Punishment is more effective than reward in shaping behaviour
Correct: Responses followed by satisfying outcomes are strengthened; those followed by discomfort are weakened
Thorndike's Law of Effect (1898), derived from his puzzle box experiments with cats, provided the foundation for operant conditioning: behaviours that produce satisfying effects become more likely, while those producing discomfort become less likely. Skinner later formalised and expanded this principle, distinguishing between different types of reinforcement and punishment.
Which reinforcement schedule produces the highest and most consistent rate of responding, and is also the most resistant to extinction?
A: Fixed interval
B: Fixed ratio
C: Variable ratio
D: Variable interval
Correct: Variable ratio
Variable ratio schedules deliver reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses. Because the organism never knows when the next reward will come, it keeps responding at a high, steady rate. This is why slot machines and social media notifications are so compelling — they use a variable ratio schedule. Extinction after variable ratio training is extremely slow.
Shaping a new behaviour involves:
A: Waiting for the target behaviour to occur naturally and then reinforcing it
B: Reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behaviour
C: Punishing all behaviours except the target behaviour
D: Pairing an unconditioned stimulus with the desired response
Correct: Reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behaviour
Shaping is used to teach behaviours that an organism would never spontaneously produce. The trainer reinforces any behaviour that is slightly closer to the goal, then raises the criterion incrementally. A pigeon can be taught to bowl by first reinforcing any movement toward the ball, then only turns that touch it, then actual rolls. Shaping underlies most animal training and many clinical behaviour modification programmes.
The "partial reinforcement extinction effect" means that:
A: Behaviours on partial reinforcement extinguish faster than those on continuous reinforcement
B: Behaviours on partial reinforcement extinguish slower than those on continuous reinforcement
C: Extinction is impossible once partial reinforcement has been used
D: Continuous reinforcement makes behaviour entirely immune to extinction
Correct: Behaviours on partial reinforcement extinguish slower than those on continuous reinforcement
Intermittently reinforced behaviours are far more resistant to extinction than continuously reinforced ones. When reinforcement has been consistent, the absence of reward is immediately obvious and extinction is rapid. Under partial reinforcement, the organism has learned that non-reward sometimes occurs naturally — so a period without reward doesn't signal that the behaviour is no longer effective.
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is a therapeutic approach grounded in operant conditioning principles. For which condition is it most widely used?
A: Bipolar disorder
B: Schizophrenia
C: Autism spectrum disorder
D: Major depressive disorder
Correct: Autism spectrum disorder
ABA is most extensively applied in the support of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly to develop communication, social, and adaptive skills and reduce challenging behaviours. It uses reinforcement, shaping, and prompting systematically. While evidence supports its effectiveness, the approach remains debated ethically, with some autistic advocates raising concerns about its goals and methods.
Operant Conditioning
Which of the following correctly defines positive reinforcement?
About this quiz
Operant conditioning explains how behaviour is shaped by its consequences. Unlike classical conditioning, which involves reflexive responses to stimuli, operant conditioning concerns voluntary behaviour — actions that organisms learn to repeat or avoid based on what follows them.
This quiz covers reinforcement, punishment, schedules of reinforcement, and the concept of shaping, drawing on the foundational work of B.F. Skinner and Edward Thorndike.