A Researcher Tells a Group of Participants That as Part

question 150

Multiple Choice

A researcher tells a group of participants that as part of his experiment they are going to receive "painful" electrical shocks.He tells a second group that they will receive electric shocks,but that the shocks will only produce a "mild tickling" sensation.He asks participants in both groups whether they prefer to wait alone or with others while he sets up the shock machinery.In this experiment,what is the dependent variable?

• A) painful shocks
• B) mild shocks
• C) participants' answers to the question
• D) the shock machinery

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Definitions:

Variable-Interval Schedules

A reinforcement schedule in operant conditioning where responses are rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

Extinction

The gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Successive Approximations

A behavior training process where closer and closer approximations to a desired behavior are reinforced until the desired behavior is achieved.

Shaping

A method of conditioning by which successive approximations towards a desired behavior are reinforced, gradually guiding the behavior closer to the target.