Why Is the Use of Proxy Data Necessary When Studying

question 13

Multiple Choice

Why is the use of proxy data necessary when studying past climate change?

• A)Modern recording instruments are skewed by pollutants in the atmosphere
• B)Modern data has been biased by religious influence or political ideologies
• C)Instrumental records only go back a couple of centuries and are more incomplete the older they are
• D)Geological and atmospheric changes occurring at the time work differently than today

---

Definitions:

Primary Reinforcement

A reinforcing stimulus that satisfies a basic biological need or drive, such as food, water, or warmth.

Tertiary Reinforcer

A conditioned reinforcer that does not inherently satisfy a basic biological need but has acquired its reinforcing value through association with secondary and primary reinforcers.

Ratio Schedules

A reinforcement strategy where a response is reinforced after a certain number of responses, promoting higher rates of responding.