Matt Is 5 Years Old and Loves Learning About Animals

question 9

Multiple Choice

Matt is 5 years old and loves learning about animals.If asked,"Could you turn a skunk into a raccoon?" Matt would most likely say that

• A)no matter how you changed a skunk's behavior or appearance,it would still be a skunk and not a raccoon.
• B)it is behavior that matters for category identity,so if a skunk learned to act like a raccoon,it would count as a genuine raccoon.
• C)it is appearance that matters for category identity,so if a skunk were altered to look like a raccoon,it would count as a genuine raccoon.
• D)it is the combination of behavior and appearance that matters for category identity,so both attributes would have to be changed to turn one organism into another.

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Definitions:

Classical Conditioning

The process of acquiring knowledge by forming associations between a stimulus present in the environment and one that naturally occurs.

Shaping

A method of behavior modification by which successive approximations toward a desired behavior are reinforced, used extensively in operant conditioning.

Desired Response

The preferred or intended outcome or reaction to a specific stimulus or set of circumstances.

Intermittent Reinforcement

A conditioning schedule where rewards or punishments are given out irregularly, which can strengthen behavior.