B F Skinner Rigged the Cages of Eight Pigeons So That

question 42

Multiple Choice

B. F. Skinner rigged the cages of eight pigeons so that food was delivered every 15 seconds. Within a short time, most of the pigeons were practicing some sort of consistent ritual, even though the ritual did not have the least effect on the delivery of the reinforcer. The birds were ________.

• A) demonstrating spontaneous recovery
• B) developing phobias
• C) trained by vicarious conditioning
• D) behaving superstitiously

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Definitions:

Light Reflex

The reaction of the pupil to light, either by contracting in response to increased light exposure or dilating in dim light, aiding in the diagnosis of neurological conditions.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

A standardized test designed to measure the intelligence of adults and older adolescents, comprising various verbal and performance subtests.

Verbal IQ

A measure of one's ability to understand, use, and analyze language.

Performance IQ

A measure of a person's non-verbal and spatial abilities as part of an overall intelligence assessment.