Negative Reinforcement

Multiple Choice

100

Negative reinforcement can be defined as: Stimulus _______________, contingent upon a response, which _______________ the future probability of that response. A. Presented, increases B. Presented, decreases C. Removed, increases D. Removed, decreases

What is C

200

Which of the following is an example of a negative reinforcement contingency? A. Jo is sitting near a window at Starbucks having a cup of coffee. The sun is streaming in the window, and it is too warm for Jo-she is beginning to perspire. Jo moves to another chair away from the window, where it is shady. The next time Jo goes to Starbucks, she sees the sun shining in the window again and sits in the chair in the shade instead. B. Frank often goes to Starbucks for coffee as well. After receiving his coffee, he sits down in his seat. It is 9:00 am, and Starbucks is very busy. Most of the tables are full. As a result, a smart woman approaches Frank and asks if she can share his table. Frank agrees, and the woman sits down and has coffee with Frank. Frank decides he will come to Starbucks at 9:00 am for coffee more often in the future. C. Cheryl loves coffee. She orders a coffee at Starbucks but burns her mouth on it because it is too hot. After a couple of occurrences of this, Cheryl stops coming to Starbucks for coffee. D.Sam was walking to Starbucks for coffee. On his way, he lost his wallet to a pickpocket. Sam no longer walks to that Starbucks for coffee. End of Question 2

A

300

Mary Jo decides to implement a negative reinforcement intervention with one of her students, Anjali, to increase the amount of work Anjali completes. Mary Jo tells Anjali, if you complete 15 math problems today (Monday), you don't have to do your math worksheet on Friday. What is one problem that might arise with this intervention? A.Reinforcement is available for a competing behavior. B.There is little difference in the stimulus conditions before the response (completing work) occurs and after the response occurs. C.The stimulus change following the occurrence of target behavior is not immediate. D. Mary Jo is being inconsistent in her delivery of reinforcement

C

400

Unlike assessments for identifying positive reinforcers, assessments for negative reinforcers must place equal emphasis on _______________ as well as the consequence events for target behavior. A. The EO or antecedent event B. The future occurrence of the target behavior C. The stimulus D. Punishment

A

500

The key difference between an escape contingency and an avoidance contingency is: A. In an escape contingency the future probability of the target behavior increases, while the future probability of the target behavior decreases with an avoidance contingency. B. In an escape contingency the EO is present prior to the occurrence of the target behavior, while in an avoidance contingency, the EO is not present prior to the occurrence of the target behavior. C. In an escape contingency the EO is not present prior to the occurrence of the target behavior, while in an avoidance contingency, the EO is present prior to the occurrence of the target behavior. D. In an escape contingency, there is a warning stimulus that signals an aversive stimulus is imminent, while in an avoidance contingency there is no such warning stimulus.

B

Multiple Choice

100

Which of the following is an example of free-operant avoidance? A.Jackie crosses the street when she sees Donna come around the corner on the next block so that she doesn't have to talk to her. B. Lavonia puts on a bicycle helmet when she rides her bike so that she doesn't hurt her head in the event that she falls off her bike. C. Nathaniel puts down the hurricane shutters on his Florida home when he hears that a tropical storm is approaching so that his windows do not get broken. D. All of these

D

200

Which of the following behaviors could be maintained by negative reinforcement? A.Completing school work. B. Cleaning a bedroom C. Tantrums D.All of these

D

300

An unconditioned negative reinforcer: A. Is one that began as a neutral stimulus. B. Acquired its aversive qualities by being paired with another aversive stimulus. C.Is one that strengthens behavior in the absence of prior learning. D. Can be thought of as an inherited negative reinforcer. E. Third and fourth choices .

E

400

Ethical concerns about the use of negative reinforcement stem from: A. Having to deprive the individual of positive reinforcement for an extended period of time. B.The presence of antecedent aversive stimuli in the individual's environment. C.The potential for creating a context that generates undesired behaviors. D.The presentation of aversive stimuli contingent upon a target behavior displayed by an individual. E Second and third choices.

E The use of negative reinforcement is concerning to some because it requires the presentation of aversive stimuli as an antecedent (EO) to a target behavior. In some cases, this may involve presenting stimuli that are particularly noxious to individuals in order to motivate them to engage in the target behavior. The presentation of these noxious stimuli can also generate undesired behaviors, such as running away and crying. Negative reinforcement contingencies do not require one to deprive an individual of positive reinforcement over time-this is required, however, for positive reinforcement contingencies, which creates its own ethical dilemmas. Negative reinforcement contingencies do not require the presentation of an aversive stimulus following a target behavior. This is associated with punishment procedures, however, assuming that such procedures produce a decrease in the future probability of the target behavior.

500

The potential negative side effects (e.g., crying, running away) of negative reinforcement are similar to the side effects associated with: A. Positive Reinforcement B. Punishment C. Stimulus Control D. All of these None of these

B The potential side effects of negative reinforcement contingencies are similar to the potential side effects of punishment. Positive reinforcement often does not have negative side effects. Side effects are irrelevant to stimulus control procedures.