In Small Desert Mammals, the Water Cost of Being Active

question 23

Multiple Choice

In small desert mammals, the water cost of being active in the daytime soars due to

• A) the fact that they often hide in burrows to escape the heat rather than seek water.
• B) the percentage of body weight lost per hour via evaporative thermoregulation.
• C) their relatively small body-surface area per unit of weight.
• D) their low metabolic rate.

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Definitions:

Reinforcement

In behavioral psychology, a consequence that will strengthen an organism's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus.

Variable Interval

A variable interval refers to a schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed, used in behaviorist studies.

Fixed Interval

A schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after a set period of time has passed.

Fixed Ratio

A schedule of reinforcement wherein a response is rewarded only after a specified number of correct responses, leading to a high rate of responding.