Operant Conditioning Flashcards: Reinforcement & Punishment
Practice reinforcement and punishment with 48 English flashcards: original scenarios, clear behavior changes, and checks for insufficient information.
על החפיסה הזו
Practice reinforcement and punishment with 48 English flashcards for introductory psychology. The focus is classifying consequences from a named person’s action, the stimulus added or removed, and the stated change in that same behavior. These are simplified hypothetical cases: where a consequence is said to cause a change, use that stipulated relationship. Ordinary anecdotes alone do not prove causation.
The cards practice terms to definitions, the four basic definitions back to their terms, original scenarios to consequence categories, and selected comparisons between confusable categories. Other prompts identify the target behavior or stimulus and diagnose missing evidence. A separated pair follows two people in one exchange to show why the chosen actor matters. Answers put the result first, followed by a short reason when useful.
The sequence introduces the two classification axes and the four terms, then mixes short scenarios with reverse recall and evidence checks. Later cards address unintended effects, combined consequences, individual differences, and tracking the wrong behavior. Closely related variants are separated; the review scheduler handles longer-term spacing. Every card uses the operant-conditioning tag.
Arbitrary category-to-example prompts are omitted because many examples would be valid. Reinforcement schedules, classical conditioning, famous-study trivia, clinical applications, and child-discipline or animal-training instructions are outside this focused deck. No exam or complete-course alignment is claimed.
The questions, scenarios, explanations, organization, and metadata were written independently with AI assistance and checked against psychological reference facts. No competitor cards, textbook examples, examination questions, or source diagrams were copied. Factual references include the APA Dictionary’s reinforcement entry and Control Learning and Human Potential. Reference works retain their own rights; common facts are not claimed as proprietary. Original material, including the AI-generated decorative cover, is dedicated under CC0 1.0 to the extent applicable rights exist. This is independent study material without institutional endorsement.
הכרטיסים בחפיסה הזו
כרטיס 1
שאלה
What changes through operant conditioning?
תשובה
The future likelihood of a behavior changes through its consequences.
כרטיס 2
שאלה
In operant conditioning, what does positive mean?
תשובה
A stimulus is added after the behavior. The word does not mean good or desirable.
כרטיס 3
שאלה
What makes a consequence reinforcement?
תשובה
It increases the future likelihood of the behavior it follows.
כרטיס 4
שאלה
Before classifying an operant consequence, what behavior should you identify?
תשובה
The specific action by the specific person whose later behavior you are tracking.
כרטיס 5
שאלה
In operant conditioning, what does negative mean?
תשובה
A stimulus is removed, prevented, or postponed through the behavior. The word does not mean bad.
כרטיס 6
שאלה
What makes a consequence punishment?
תשובה
It decreases the future likelihood of the behavior it follows.
כרטיס 7
שאלה
What does it mean for a consequence to be contingent on a behavior?
תשובה
Its occurrence depends on that behavior. Simply happening later does not establish that relationship.
כרטיס 8
שאלה
What is positive reinforcement?
תשובה
Adding a stimulus after a behavior makes that behavior more likely in the future.
כרטיס 9
שאלה
What is negative punishment?
תשובה
Removing a stimulus after a behavior makes that behavior less likely in the future.
כרטיס 10
שאלה
Does an intended reward automatically count as reinforcement?
תשובה
No. It must actually increase the future likelihood of the target behavior.
כרטיס 11
שאלה
What is negative reinforcement?
תשובה
Removing or preventing a stimulus through a behavior makes that behavior more likely in the future.
כרטיס 12
שאלה
What is positive punishment?
תשובה
Adding a stimulus after a behavior makes that behavior less likely in the future.
כרטיס 13
שאלה
In a study game, completing a recall round earns Mira a token. This makes her complete more rounds later. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. Tokens are added, and completing recall rounds increases.
כרטיס 14
שאלה
In a puzzle game, using a shortcut removes a token from Jo’s earned balance. This makes Jo use the shortcut less often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative punishment. An earned token is removed, and shortcut use decreases.
כרטיס 15
שאלה
A behavior becomes more frequent because it removes an ongoing stimulus. Which operant process is this?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement.
כרטיס 16
שאלה
In a simulated task, pressing the striped button adds a bothersome message. As a result, Lee presses it less often in later trials. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive punishment. The message is added, and pressing the striped button decreases.
כרטיס 17
שאלה
A tutor gives Pat a compliment after a practice session. Nothing is known about Pat’s later practice. Can you conclude that practice was reinforced?
תשובה
No. You need evidence that the compliment increased Pat’s later practice; the compliment alone is insufficient.
כרטיס 18
שאלה
A behavior becomes more frequent because it produces a stimulus. Which operant process is this?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement.
כרטיס 19
שאלה
A behavior becomes less frequent because it causes a stimulus to be taken away. Which operant process is this?
תשובה
Negative punishment.
כרטיס 20
שאלה
Selecting a display setting stops a distracting flicker. Because of this relief, Ari selects that setting more often when the flicker returns. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement. The flicker is removed, and selecting the setting increases.
כרטיס 21
שאלה
A behavior becomes less frequent because it produces a stimulus. Which operant process is this?
תשובה
Positive punishment.
כרטיס 22
שאלה
Sending a draft earns Noor an encouraging reply from a collaborator. Because of those replies, Noor sends drafts more often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. Encouraging replies are added, and sending drafts increases.
כרטיס 23
שאלה
A consequence is known to increase a behavior, but the account never says what changed in the environment. What can you classify?
תשובה
Reinforcement, but not whether it is positive or negative. You still need to know whether a stimulus was added or removed.
כרטיס 24
שאלה
In a game, skipping the tutorial removes access to a favorite avatar. This makes Ren skip tutorials less often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative punishment. Access to the avatar is removed, and skipping tutorials decreases.
כרטיס 25
שאלה
Submitting a status note stops unwanted reminder messages. This makes Sam submit status notes more often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement. The reminders stop, and submitting status notes increases.
כרטיס 26
שאלה
Uma sends a sketch, receives a reply, and then sends sketches more often because of the replies. What is the target behavior being reinforced?
תשובה
Uma’s sending sketches. Receiving a reply is the consequence, not the target action.
כרטיס 27
שאלה
In a simulation, choosing the fast route adds a tedious confirmation task. This makes Alex choose that route less often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive punishment. The confirmation task is added, and choosing the fast route decreases.
כרטיס 28
שאלה
In a music app, finishing a rhythm exercise plays a melody that Dev enjoys. The melody makes Dev finish exercises more often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. The melody is presented, and finishing exercises increases.
כרטיס 29
שאלה
In a simulated task, touching the red tile switches off music the participant enjoys. As a result, red-tile touches decrease. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative punishment. Enjoyed music is removed, and touching the red tile decreases.
כרטיס 30
שאלה
A bonus is added after each completed task, but it has no effect on later task completion. Has a reinforcing effect been demonstrated?
תשובה
No. A bonus counts as a reinforcer for that behavior only if it increases the behavior’s future likelihood.
כרטיס 31
שאלה
Closing a blind removes glare from a screen. This relief makes Kit close the blind more often when glare appears. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement. Glare is removed, and closing the blind increases.
כרטיס 32
שאלה
At a voluntary workshop, speaking up brings public applause. For Dana, the applause causes speaking up to decrease over later sessions. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive punishment. Applause is added, and Dana’s speaking up decreases, even though applause is often intended as a reward.
כרטיס 33
שאלה
Turning a dial removes an irritating tone, making future dial turns more frequent. What is removed in this negative reinforcement example?
תשובה
The tone. Negative refers to removal of the stimulus, not removal of the dial-turning behavior.
כרטיס 34
שאלה
What separates negative reinforcement from negative punishment when both remove a stimulus?
תשובה
The effect on the target behavior: it increases with negative reinforcement and decreases with negative punishment.
כרטיס 35
שאלה
A group responds to Morgan’s interruptions with attention. That added attention makes Morgan interrupt more often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. Attention is added and interruptions increase; reinforcement can strengthen an unwanted behavior.
כרטיס 36
שאלה
In a cooperative board game, claiming an extra turn costs Nia her next turn. This makes Nia claim extra turns less often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative punishment. Access to the next turn is removed, and claiming extra turns decreases.
כרטיס 37
שאלה
Moving a desk fan away removes an annoying hum. This makes Jules move the fan away more often when the hum returns. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement. The hum is removed, and moving the fan away increases.
כרטיס 38
שאלה
After a move in a simulation, a tone is added and a token is removed. The move then decreases. Can you assign one positive-or-negative punishment label from this account?
תשובה
No. The decrease is linked to a combined consequence. You need to isolate whether the added tone, the removed token, or both caused it.
כרטיס 39
שאלה
After Taylor shares an unfinished design, a peer adds blunt criticism. The criticism makes Taylor share unfinished designs less often. Which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive punishment. Criticism is added, and sharing unfinished designs decreases.
כרטיס 40
שאלה
How do negative reinforcement and positive punishment differ on both classification axes?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement removes a stimulus and increases behavior. Positive punishment adds a stimulus and decreases behavior.
כרטיס 41
שאלה
Bea asks Sol for a file; Sol sends it. Receiving the file makes Bea ask again more often in similar situations. For Bea’s asking, which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. Bea gains the requested file, and Bea’s asking increases.
כרטיס 42
שאלה
Practice rises during the same week that badges are introduced. Other conditions also change. Does this alone prove the badges reinforced practice?
תשובה
No. The timing alone does not establish that the badges caused the increase. Other changes could explain it.
כרטיס 43
שאלה
The same added comment increases one person’s participation and decreases another’s. Must it have the same operant function for both?
תשובה
No. It is positive reinforcement for the first person and positive punishment for the second; function depends on the effect on each person’s behavior.
כרטיס 44
שאלה
After a token is offered, a participant presses a key once. Is that single response enough to show that tokens increased key pressing?
תשובה
No. One response does not establish an increase in future key pressing compared with its previous level.
כרטיס 45
שאלה
Sol sends Bea a file; Bea’s repeated requests stop. Ending those requests makes Sol send files more readily next time. For Sol’s sending, which operant process is shown?
תשובה
Negative reinforcement. Repeated requests are removed, and Sol’s sending increases.
כרטיס 46
שאלה
How do positive reinforcement and negative punishment differ on both classification axes?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement adds a stimulus and increases behavior. Negative punishment removes a stimulus and decreases behavior.
כרטיס 47
שאלה
Extra pop-ups follow opening a reference panel, and completed exercises later increase. Why is that insufficient to classify the pop-ups as punishment of opening the panel?
תשובה
The stated outcome tracks a different behavior. You need evidence that the pop-ups reduced opening the panel; more completed exercises does not establish that.
כרטיס 48
שאלה
A speaker is given extra attention meant to discourage off-topic remarks. Instead, that attention makes the remarks more frequent. How should the consequence be classified?
תשובה
Positive reinforcement. Added attention increases the target behavior, regardless of the intention to discourage it.
48 כרטיסים
Operant Conditioning Flashcards: Reinforcement & Punishment
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