Psychology: Learning: Classical and Operant Conditioning Worksheet

Question 1

Define classical conditioning in your own words and give one everyday example.

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning is learning by association, when a neutral stimulus becomes connected with an automatic response. An example is feeling nervous when you hear a dentist's drill because you associate the sound with past discomfort.

Question 2

In Pavlov's dog experiment, identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, neutral stimulus, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response.

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus was the food, and the unconditioned response was salivation to the food. The neutral stimulus was the bell before learning, the conditioned stimulus was the bell after learning, and the conditioned response was salivation to the bell.

Question 3

A student hears a phone notification sound every time they receive an exciting message. After a few weeks, the sound alone makes the student feel excited. Is this classical conditioning or operant conditioning? Explain.

Accepted Answer

This is classical conditioning because the student learned an association between the notification sound and the excitement of receiving a message. The sound became a conditioned stimulus that triggers an excited response.

Question 4

Define operant conditioning and give one example from school, sports, or work.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is learning in which behavior changes because of its consequences. For example, a student may study more often after earning praise and a high grade for studying.

Question 5

Label each consequence as positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, or negative punishment: A teen loses phone privileges after breaking curfew.

Accepted Answer

This is negative punishment because something desirable, the phone privilege, is removed to decrease the behavior of breaking curfew.

Question 6

Label each consequence as positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, or negative punishment: A driver buckles a seat belt to stop the annoying warning beep.

Accepted Answer

This is negative reinforcement because an unpleasant stimulus, the warning beep, is removed when the driver buckles the seat belt, which increases seat belt use.

Question 7

Label each consequence as positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, or negative punishment: A teacher gives extra credit points when students turn in homework early.

Accepted Answer

This is positive reinforcement because a desirable stimulus, extra credit points, is added to increase the behavior of turning in homework early.

Question 8

A child touches a hot stove and feels pain, then avoids touching the stove in the future. Explain how learning occurred in this example.

Accepted Answer

The child learned through operant conditioning because the behavior of touching the stove led to an unpleasant consequence. The pain acted as positive punishment because it was added after the behavior and made the behavior less likely.

Question 9

Compare reinforcement and punishment. Include the effect each one has on future behavior.

Accepted Answer

Reinforcement increases the likelihood that a behavior will happen again. Punishment decreases the likelihood that a behavior will happen again.

Question 10

A dog trainer gives a dog a treat every time it sits on command. After many repetitions, the dog sits more often when told to sit. Identify the type of conditioning and the specific consequence.

Accepted Answer

This is operant conditioning. The treat is positive reinforcement because it is added after the dog sits and increases the sitting behavior.

Question 11

Explain the difference between acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery in classical conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Acquisition is the period when the association is first learned. Extinction happens when the conditioned response weakens after the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus. Spontaneous recovery is the return of the conditioned response after a pause.

Question 12

A person gets food poisoning after eating sushi and later feels nauseated just by smelling sushi. Identify the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response.

Accepted Answer

The unconditioned stimulus was the food poisoning or illness, and the unconditioned response was nausea. The conditioned stimulus was the smell of sushi, and the conditioned response was nausea when smelling sushi later.

Question 13

A vending machine gives a snack only after an unpredictable number of button presses because it is malfunctioning. Which reinforcement schedule does this most resemble, and why?

Accepted Answer

This most resembles a variable-ratio schedule because reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of responses. Variable-ratio schedules often produce persistent behavior.

Question 14

Study the scenario: A student checks their social media many times because likes appear unpredictably after posts. Explain how operant conditioning may help explain this behavior.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning helps explain the behavior because likes can act as positive reinforcement. Since the likes appear unpredictably, the behavior may be maintained by a variable-ratio or variable-interval schedule, making checking more persistent.

Question 15

Write one original example that shows classical conditioning and one original example that shows operant conditioning. Clearly label each example.

Accepted Answer

A correct response should include one example of classical conditioning, such as a song becoming associated with a happy memory and later causing happiness. It should also include one example of operant conditioning, such as practicing a skill more often after receiving praise.

Psychology: Learning: Classical and Operant Conditioning

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