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ACVB Veterinary Behavior study materials
ACVB Veterinary Behavior study resources

ACVB Veterinary Behavior practice questions

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Question 1Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which neurotransmitter is most directly responsible for fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian central nervous system?

  1. Glutamate Correct answer.
  2. Acetylcholine
  3. Dopamine
  4. GABA

Explanation

Glutamate is the principal fast excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, acting largely through ionotropic AMPA and NMDA receptors. GABA is the main inhibitory transmitter, while dopamine and acetylcholine are modulatory.

Question 2Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A dog's pupil dilates and its heart rate rises during a thunderstorm. Which branch of the autonomic nervous system mediates these changes?

  1. Sympathetic Correct answer.
  2. Parasympathetic
  3. Somatic
  4. Enteric

Explanation

The sympathetic division drives the fight-or-flight response, producing mydriasis and tachycardia through norepinephrine release. The parasympathetic division produces the opposite effects via acetylcholine.

Question 3Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which brain structure is most classically associated with fear learning and the acquisition of conditioned fear responses?

  1. Amygdala Correct answer.
  2. Hippocampus
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Cerebellum

Explanation

The amygdala, particularly the lateral and central nuclei, is central to associating neutral cues with aversive events and generating fear responses. The hippocampus supports spatial and declarative memory, not the fear association itself.

Question 4Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which hormone is released from the adrenal cortex and is commonly measured as a physiological marker of chronic stress in animals?

  1. Melatonin
  2. Insulin
  3. Cortisol Correct answer.
  4. Oxytocin

Explanation

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid released from the adrenal cortex via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and rises with sustained stress. It is widely used as a biomarker of chronic stress.

Question 5Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which class of receptor directly opens an ion channel upon binding neurotransmitter, producing rapid millisecond-scale responses?

  1. Metabotropic receptor
  2. Ionotropic receptor Correct answer.
  3. Tyrosine kinase receptor
  4. Nuclear receptor

Explanation

Ionotropic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that open directly when a transmitter binds, giving fast synaptic responses. Metabotropic receptors act indirectly through G proteins and second messengers.

Question 6Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which sleep stage in dogs and cats is characterized by rapid eye movements, low-voltage fast cortical activity, and skeletal muscle atonia?

  1. Stage 1 sleep
  2. REM sleep Correct answer.
  3. Slow-wave sleep
  4. Sleep onset

Explanation

REM sleep combines desynchronized cortical activity resembling wakefulness with rapid eye movements and muscle atonia. It is the stage in which most vivid dreaming occurs.

Question 7Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which structure serves as the main relay station that routes sensory information to the cerebral cortex?

  1. Thalamus Correct answer.
  2. Basal ganglia
  3. Medulla oblongata
  4. Pons

Explanation

The thalamus relays nearly all sensory pathways (except olfaction) to the appropriate cortical areas. It also participates in arousal and attention.

Question 8Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A dog repeatedly receives food paired with a tone until the tone alone elicits salivation. This is best described as which type of learning?

  1. Habituation
  2. Observational learning
  3. Classical conditioning Correct answer.
  4. Operant conditioning

Explanation

Classical conditioning pairs a neutral conditioned stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so the conditioned stimulus comes to elicit a response. Operant conditioning instead depends on consequences of voluntary behavior.

Question 9Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A cat is repeatedly exposed to a harmless sound until it no longer reacts. Which process has occurred?

  1. Extinction
  2. Sensitization
  3. Counterconditioning
  4. Habituation Correct answer.

Explanation

Habituation is the decline in response to a repeated stimulus that proves neither rewarding nor harmful. Sensitization is the opposite, an increased response after repeated or intense stimulation.

Question 10Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which neurotransmitter system is most strongly implicated in the reward pathway and reinforcement of behavior?

  1. Descending GABAergic
  2. Ascending serotonergic
  3. Mesolimbic dopamine Correct answer.
  4. Cholinergic

Explanation

The mesolimbic dopamine pathway, projecting from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens, mediates reward and reinforcement. Serotonin and GABA contribute to mood and inhibition but are not the primary reward pathway.

Question 11Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A dog's fearful response to a handler is most directly mediated by which limbic structure projecting to the hypothalamus and brainstem?

  1. Optic chiasm
  2. Dentate gyrus
  3. Central nucleus of the amygdala Correct answer.
  4. Substantia nigra

Explanation

The central nucleus of the amygdala coordinates fear expression by projecting to hypothalamic and brainstem centers controlling autonomic and behavioral responses. The other structures serve memory, motor, or visual functions.

Question 12Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which statement best describes the role of the prefrontal cortex in behavioral regulation?

  1. It generates reflexive withdrawal from pain
  2. It secretes releasing hormones into the portal system
  3. It stores procedural motor sequences
  4. It supports inhibitory control and flexible decision-making Correct answer.

Explanation

The prefrontal cortex mediates executive functions such as impulse inhibition, planning, and behavioral flexibility. Reflexes, procedural memory, and neuroendocrine secretion are handled elsewhere.

Question 13Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A chronically stressed dog shows reduced ability to learn a new discrimination task. Which physiological mechanism best explains this effect?

  1. Elevated oxytocin blocking synaptic plasticity
  2. Reduced circulating catecholamines suppressing arousal
  3. Sustained glucocorticoid exposure impairing hippocampal and prefrontal function Correct answer.
  4. Increased parasympathetic tone enhancing memory consolidation

Explanation

Prolonged glucocorticoid exposure, especially via hippocampal and prefrontal receptors, impairs synaptic plasticity, memory, and executive function. Chronic stress therefore degrades learning performance.

Question 14Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which of the following best describes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis sequence during a stress response?

  1. CRH release, then cortisol secretion, then ACTH release
  2. Cortisol release, then CRH release, then ACTH release
  3. CRH release, then ACTH release, then cortisol secretion Correct answer.
  4. ACTH release, then CRH release, then cortisol secretion

Explanation

The hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone, which drives pituitary ACTH release, which in turn stimulates adrenal cortisol secretion. Cortisol then feeds back to suppress CRH and ACTH.

Question 15Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which neurotransmitter is the principal inhibitory transmitter in the adult mammalian brain?

  1. Norepinephrine
  2. Glutamate
  3. Histamine
  4. GABA Correct answer.

Explanation

GABA is the dominant inhibitory neurotransmitter, acting largely through GABA-A and GABA-B receptors to reduce neuronal excitability. Glutamate is the main excitatory transmitter.

Question 16Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A puppy's behavior is shaped by a sensitive period during which social exposure strongly influences later adult behavior. Which concept does this illustrate?

  1. Reflex arc
  2. Long-term potentiation
  3. Developmental critical period Correct answer.
  4. Circadian entrainment

Explanation

A critical or sensitive period is a developmental window during which experience strongly and enduringly shapes neural circuits and behavior, as in socialization. Outside this window the same experience has much less effect.

Question 17Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which mechanism underlies long-term potentiation at hippocampal synapses?

  1. Strengthened synaptic efficacy following repeated high-frequency stimulation Correct answer.
  2. Reduced neurotransmitter release from the presynaptic terminal
  3. Permanent loss of synaptic connections after a single stimulus
  4. Desynchronization of cortical oscillations

Explanation

Long-term potentiation is a lasting increase in synaptic strength after repeated high-frequency stimulation, widely considered a cellular substrate of learning and memory. It involves increased receptor efficacy and synaptic remodeling.

Question 18Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A horse becomes agitated and difficult to handle after a sudden loud noise. Which neural system most directly mediates this acute arousal and vigilance response?

  1. Olfactory bulb
  2. Enteric nervous system
  3. Ascending reticular activating system Correct answer.
  4. Vestibular nuclei

Explanation

The ascending reticular activating system in the brainstem regulates arousal, alertness, and vigilance in response to salient stimuli. The other structures serve digestion, olfaction, and balance.

Question 19Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which best explains why a behavior maintained on a variable-ratio schedule is highly resistant to extinction?

  1. Continuous reinforcement eliminates the behavior
  2. Habituation reduces the response over time
  3. Intermittent reinforcement produces persistent responding Correct answer.
  4. Punishment schedules strengthen the behavior

Explanation

Intermittent, unpredictable reinforcement makes the association harder to extinguish because the animal has learned that reinforcement eventually follows repeated responses. Continuous reinforcement extinguishes faster once it stops.

Question 20Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

Which brain region is most closely associated with the coordination of circadian rhythms in mammals?

  1. Nucleus accumbens
  2. Inferior colliculus
  3. Suprachiasmatic nucleus Correct answer.
  4. Locus coeruleus

Explanation

The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is the master circadian pacemaker, entrained by light via the retinohypothalamic tract. It coordinates daily rhythms in physiology and behavior.

Question 21Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A cat exhibits reduced serotonin signaling in limbic circuits. Which behavioral change is most consistent with this finding?

  1. Reduced fear response
  2. Increased impulsive aggression Correct answer.
  3. Improved impulse control
  4. Enhanced social affiliation

Explanation

Low serotonergic tone in limbic regions is associated with reduced impulse control and increased aggressive reactivity. Serotonin generally dampens impulsive and reactive behavior.

Question 22Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

During fear extinction, a previously conditioned dog stops showing fear to a tone after repeated unreinforced presentations. Which statement best describes the neural basis of this outcome?

  1. A new inhibitory memory suppresses the original fear association Correct answer.
  2. The tone is no longer perceived by the auditory cortex
  3. The original fear memory is permanently erased from the amygdala
  4. The autonomic nervous system ceases to function

Explanation

Extinction is generally understood as new inhibitory learning, involving prefrontal regulation of amygdala output, that suppresses the original fear memory rather than deleting it. The original association can return under certain conditions.

Question 23Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

A dog with a lesion in the cerebellum shows intact strength but poorly coordinated, jerky movements. Which function does this best illustrate?

  1. Fine-tuning of motor coordination and timing Correct answer.
  2. Processing of painful stimuli
  3. Initiation of voluntary movement from the cortex
  4. Regulation of body temperature

Explanation

The cerebellum compares intended with actual motor output to smooth and time movements, so lesions cause ataxia and dysmetria without loss of strength. Movement initiation is primarily cortical, and pain and temperature are handled by other pathways.

Question 24Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior

An animal shows a blunted cortisol response to a novel stressor after months of chronic stress. Which interpretation is most accurate?

  1. The stressor is no longer perceived at all
  2. The adrenal cortex has permanently lost all function
  3. Cortisol has no role in chronic stress adaptation
  4. Chronic HPA activation can downregulate feedback sensitivity and alter the stress response Correct answer.

Explanation

Prolonged HPA activation can dysregulate the axis, altering negative feedback and producing blunted or atypical cortisol responses. This reflects a changed regulatory set point rather than complete adrenal failure or absent perception.

Question 25Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

In classical conditioning of a fear response, a neutral stimulus that comes to elicit fear after being paired with an aversive event is best described as which of the following?

  1. The conditioned stimulus Correct answer.
  2. The unconditioned stimulus
  3. The unconditioned response
  4. The orienting response

Explanation

The neutral stimulus that gains the capacity to evoke a response through pairing is the conditioned stimulus. The aversive event itself is the unconditioned stimulus, and the reflexive reaction to it is the unconditioned response.

Question 26Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A dog is rewarded with a treat every time it sits on cue. Over successive sessions the sit response becomes faster and more reliable. This increase in response strength as a function of reinforcement is the defining feature of which process?

  1. Sensitization
  2. Social learning
  3. Habituation
  4. Operant conditioning Correct answer.

Explanation

Operant conditioning describes changes in the probability of a behavior based on its consequences. Reinforcement increases the likelihood of the behavior that produced it.

Question 27Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which schedule of reinforcement typically produces the highest, most persistent rate of responding that is highly resistant to extinction?

  1. Variable ratio Correct answer.
  2. Continuous reinforcement
  3. Fixed interval
  4. Fixed ratio

Explanation

Variable ratio schedules deliver reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses, producing high, steady response rates that resist extinction. The unpredictability makes the animal persist through many unrewarded responses.

Question 28Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A cat stops showing a startle response to the sound of a refrigerator compressor after repeated exposure over several weeks. This decline in responsiveness is best explained by which process?

  1. Counterconditioning
  2. Sensitization
  3. Habituation Correct answer.
  4. Flooding

Explanation

Habituation is a decrease in response to a repeated stimulus that proves neither rewarding nor harmful. The benign compressor sound is repeated until the cat no longer reacts.

Question 29Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

In systematic desensitization, the animal is exposed to a fear-eliciting stimulus at a level that does not provoke fear, and the intensity is increased only when the animal remains relaxed. Which principle makes this technique effective?

  1. Punishment of the fear response
  2. Graduated exposure below the fear threshold Correct answer.
  3. Extinction of the conditioned response
  4. Counterconditioning to an incompatible response

Explanation

Desensitization relies on gradual exposure to the feared stimulus at intensities below the threshold for evoking fear, so the response is never triggered and gradually weakens. Increasing intensity occurs only while the animal stays calm.

Question 30Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A dog that has been conditioned to fear a specific sound is now presented with that sound while simultaneously offered highly valued food until the fear response is replaced by a relaxed, food-seeking response. This procedure is best termed which of the following?

  1. Counterconditioning Correct answer.
  2. Flooding
  3. Response substitution
  4. Negative reinforcement

Explanation

Counterconditioning changes the valence of a conditioned stimulus by pairing it with an appetitive stimulus, so the emotional response shifts from fear to anticipation. The food competes with and replaces the fear response.

Question 31Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following best describes the concept of a critical (sensitive) period in behavioral development?

  1. A period of heightened aggression seen in all species during adolescence
  2. A stage when learning is most easily acquired and after which acquisition is difficult or impossible Correct answer.
  3. The time immediately after birth when the animal is fully dependent on the dam
  4. The interval between two consecutive reproductive cycles

Explanation

A critical or sensitive period is a developmental window during which specific experiences must occur for normal behavioral development, and after which the capacity to acquire them is limited. The classic example is early social attachment.

Question 32Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

In dogs, the primary sensitive period for socialization to humans and conspecifics is generally considered to occur at approximately which age range?

  1. 0 to 2 weeks of age
  2. 3 to 12 to 16 weeks of age Correct answer.
  3. 12 to 18 months of age
  4. 6 to 9 months of age

Explanation

The main socialization window in dogs is roughly from 3 weeks to 12 to 16 weeks of age, when exposure to diverse people, animals, and environments most readily produces lasting social tolerance. Experiences after this window have less effect on social attachment.

Question 33Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A young puppy is exposed to many different people, dogs, and novel surfaces during its socialization window and later shows reduced fear of strangers. Which ethological concept does this best illustrate?

  1. Imprinting
  2. Socialization and habituation to novelty Correct answer.
  3. Dominance hierarchy formation
  4. Territoriality

Explanation

Broad, positive exposure during the sensitive period produces socialization and habituation to novelty, reducing later fear. The animal learns that diverse stimuli are non-threatening.

Question 34Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following is the most accurate description of imprinting as described by classical ethology?

  1. A learned avoidance of predators acquired by observing the dam
  2. A rapid, phase-sensitive attachment to a specific stimulus that can be difficult to reverse Correct answer.
  3. A gradual increase in social tolerance produced by repeated exposure
  4. A conditioned fear response acquired through aversive pairing

Explanation

Imprinting is a rapid form of learning occurring within a restricted developmental window in which a young animal forms a strong attachment to a particular stimulus. The attachment is notably resistant to change.

Question 35Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following is the best example of a fixed action pattern?

  1. A gull chick pecking at a red spot on the parent's bill to elicit regurgitation Correct answer.
  2. A cat gradually habituating to a vacuum cleaner
  3. A dog learning to sit for a treat after several training sessions
  4. A horse adjusting its gait to the terrain

Explanation

A fixed action pattern is an innate, stereotyped behavioral sequence triggered by a specific sign stimulus and typically completed once initiated. The chick's pecking response to the bill spot is a classic example.

Question 36Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A territorial dog barks at unfamiliar people approaching the boundary of its yard but ignores the same people when encountered on neutral ground. Which ethological concept best explains this difference?

  1. Territorial defense Correct answer.
  2. Resource guarding of food
  3. Predatory drift
  4. Separation-related distress

Explanation

Territorial defense is context-dependent and occurs within a defended area, which explains why the same people elicit barking at the boundary but not elsewhere. The behavior is tied to the location rather than to the individuals alone.

Question 37Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following best characterizes the ethological concept of a dominance hierarchy?

  1. A relationship based solely on body size at maturity
  2. A behavioral disorder defined by frequent aggression toward all group members
  3. A fixed, inherited rank that never changes over an animal's lifetime
  4. A learned, context-dependent pattern of priority of access to resources that can shift over time Correct answer.

Explanation

Dominance describes a relatively consistent priority of access to resources within a group, learned through interactions and subject to change with context, age, and condition. It is not a fixed inherited trait.

Question 38Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A behaviorist observes that a dog's aggressive display toward other dogs decreases when the owner stops pulling the leash tight during encounters. Which analysis best fits this observation?

  1. The leash tension was functioning as an aversive stimulus that contributed to the aggressive display Correct answer.
  2. The aggressive display was being maintained by positive reinforcement from the owner
  3. The dog was undergoing habituation to other dogs
  4. The dog was spontaneously recovering from a conditioned fear response

Explanation

Leash tension can act as an aversive stimulus that amplifies arousal and defensive behavior, so removing it can reduce the aggressive display. This reflects the role of antecedent and concurrent aversive stimulation in behavior.

Question 39Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following best describes the difference between negative reinforcement and negative punishment?

  1. Both procedures decrease behavior by removing a stimulus
  2. Negative reinforcement adds an aversive stimulus to increase behavior; negative punishment adds an appetitive stimulus to decrease behavior
  3. Negative reinforcement removes an appetitive stimulus to decrease behavior; negative punishment removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior
  4. Negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior; negative punishment removes an appetitive stimulus to decrease behavior Correct answer.

Explanation

In operant terminology, 'negative' means a stimulus is removed, and 'reinforcement' increases behavior while 'punishment' decreases it. Negative reinforcement removes an aversive event to strengthen behavior, whereas negative punishment removes a desirable event to weaken behavior.

Question 40Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A horse is given a food treat whenever it stands calmly while being approached with a syringe. Over time the horse's avoidance behavior declines. Which learning process is primarily responsible?

  1. Extinction of the syringe as a stimulus
  2. Observational learning
  3. Counterconditioning Correct answer.
  4. Punishment of avoidance

Explanation

Pairing the syringe with food changes the emotional response from fear to anticipation, which is counterconditioning. The appetitive stimulus competes with and replaces the avoidance response.

Question 41Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following most accurately describes the process of extinction in operant conditioning?

  1. Reinforcement is withheld, and the previously reinforced behavior gradually declines in frequency Correct answer.
  2. The behavior is reinforced on a continuous schedule
  3. The behavior is transferred to a new cue
  4. An aversive stimulus is presented contingent on the behavior

Explanation

Operant extinction occurs when the reinforcement maintaining a behavior is no longer delivered, leading to a gradual decrease in the behavior. It is distinct from punishment, which applies an aversive consequence.

Question 42Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A dog's barking for attention was previously reinforced on a variable ratio schedule. After the owner begins ignoring the barking, the dog barks more intensely for several days before the behavior declines. This temporary increase is best described as which phenomenon?

  1. An extinction burst Correct answer.
  2. Reinstatement
  3. Sensitization
  4. Spontaneous recovery

Explanation

An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency or intensity of a behavior when reinforcement is first withheld. It is a predictable early feature of extinction.

Question 43Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following is the best example of a conditioned reinforcer (secondary reinforcer)?

  1. A piece of food delivered to a hungry dog
  2. A loud noise that startles an animal
  3. Relief from a tight collar
  4. A clicker sound that has been paired with food and now marks rewarded behavior Correct answer.

Explanation

A conditioned reinforcer is a previously neutral stimulus that acquires reinforcing properties through pairing with a primary reinforcer such as food. The clicker becomes reinforcing because it predicts food.

Question 44Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

In the analysis of a behavior problem, the 'ABC' framework refers to which sequence?

  1. Arousal, behavior, correction
  2. Antecedent, behavior, consequence Correct answer.
  3. Attention, bonding, conditioning
  4. Antecedent, baseline, criterion

Explanation

Functional analysis of behavior uses the antecedent-behavior-consequence sequence to identify what triggers a behavior and what maintains it. This framework guides both assessment and intervention.

Question 45Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A cat urinates outside the litter box whenever the box is located near a noisy appliance. The behavior stops when the box is moved to a quiet location. Which approach to the problem does this represent?

  1. Desensitization to the appliance
  2. Applying positive punishment for inappropriate elimination
  3. Modifying the antecedent environment Correct answer.
  4. Extinction of the elimination behavior

Explanation

Changing the environment that precedes and triggers the behavior is an antecedent intervention. Removing the aversive noise eliminates the stimulus conditions that promoted avoidance of the litter box.

Question 46Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following best explains why variable schedules of reinforcement produce behavior that resists extinction?

  1. The animal is exposed to an aversive stimulus that suppresses competing behaviors
  2. The animal learns the behavior through observation of a conspecific
  3. The animal receives reinforcement after every response, preventing extinction
  4. The animal cannot discriminate when reinforcement will occur, so it persists through many unreinforced responses Correct answer.

Explanation

Under variable schedules, the animal cannot predict which response will be reinforced, so it continues responding through many unreinforced trials. This partial reinforcement effect makes the behavior resistant to extinction.

Question 47Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

A dog that was previously trained to sit on a hand signal now also sits when the owner uses a similar hand motion during a different task. This unintended response to a similar cue is best described as which of the following?

  1. Overshadowing
  2. Blocking
  3. Stimulus generalization Correct answer.
  4. Stimulus discrimination

Explanation

Stimulus generalization occurs when a response trained to one stimulus is elicited by similar stimuli. The dog responds to a cue that resembles the trained hand signal.

Question 48Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior

Which of the following statements about the relationship between arousal and learning in animals is most accurate?

  1. Moderate arousal can facilitate performance, while extreme arousal often impairs learning and cognitive control Correct answer.
  2. Very high arousal generally facilitates the acquisition of complex new tasks
  3. Arousal has no measurable effect on learning or performance
  4. Low arousal always produces the best learning outcomes

Explanation

The relationship between arousal and performance is generally described as an inverted U, with moderate arousal optimal and extreme arousal impairing learning and behavioral control. High arousal can also narrow attention and favor simple, well-practiced responses.

Question 49Learning Theory and Behavior Modification

A dog jumps on visitors and the owner responds by petting and talking to the dog each time. Over several weeks the jumping increases in frequency. Which consequence maintains the behavior?

  1. Positive punishment
  2. Negative punishment
  3. Negative reinforcement
  4. Positive reinforcement Correct answer.

Explanation

Adding a stimulus (attention) after a behavior that increases the behavior's frequency is positive reinforcement. The critical feature is the contingency between the behavior and the added consequence, plus the observed increase in responding.

Question 50Learning Theory and Behavior Modification

In operant conditioning, a consequence that increases the future probability of the behavior it follows is called a:

  1. Discriminative stimulus
  2. Extinction burst
  3. Punisher
  4. Reinforcer Correct answer.

Explanation

A reinforcer is defined functionally by its effect: it increases the future likelihood of the behavior it follows. The label depends on the observed outcome, not on whether the event seems pleasant.