03 Principles, Processes, and Concepts / 03.01 Behavior/Response/Response Class

Question 1

To get attention, an individual sometimes bites his lower hand and at other times bites his arm. Both behaviors
are operantly controlled.
are part of the same response class.
are probably strengthened or weakened together when operant conditioning is employed.
(all of the others)

Answer 1

all others

Similar behaviors that are strengthened or weakened as a result of operant conditioning are collectively called a response class (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987, p. 24; Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26) or a functional response class (Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, pp. 70-72; Johnston & Pennypacker, 2009, pp. 76).

Question 2

Lifting one's finger
	is a behavior only if you could see it.
	is not a behavior.
	affects the environment.
	(all of the others)

Answer 2

slight affect in the environment

Question 3

Select the response.
An instance of face hitting occurred at 2:00 PM on Tuesday.
Face hitting is defined as contacting the face with any part of the hand.
Jumping occurred mostly between 4:00 and 5:00 PM.
A greeting occurs when he approaches and extends a hand.

Answer 3

Correct: An instance of face hitting occurred at 2:00 PM on Tuesday.

Question 4

Topography refers to
the form of a behavior, or what it looks like.
the intensity of a behavior, or how much effort is extended.
duration, or how long a behavior occurs.
the latency between an event and the onset of a behavior.

Answer 4

the form of a behavior, or what it looks like.

Question 5

Select the response.
	a single eye wink
	self-injurious behavior
	repeatedly saying the same thing
	flapping all day

Answer 5

a single eye wink
A response is a single occurrence of behavior. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987, p. 18; Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, p. 70)

Question 6

Behavior
involves the movement of muscles and glands.
occurs only if another individual is present to observe it.
involves the movement of the muscles only.
(all of the others)

Answer 6

Behavior involves the movement of muscles and glands.

A response is a single instance of a behavior. We target behaviors, but we record responses. While some behavior analysts limit the definition of a response to physical movement (Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, p. 363) or the movement of the muscles or glands (Michael, 1993), others (Catania, 1998, p. 10) also include neural activity. Acknowledging the similarity, yet making the distinction, Michael (1993) refers to the latter as a “response analogy.” (See also, Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26.)

Question 7

Generally a response is a single
	behavior.
	instance of a behavior.
	response class.
	(all of the others)

Answer 7

instance of a behavior.

A response is a single instance of a behavior. We target behaviors, but we record responses. A response class is a set of topographies that are controlled by the same variables. (See also, Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26.)

Question 8

Which of the following constitutes an instance of behavior?
falling from a tree
getting sun burn
raising an arm as a result of someone else lifting it
squinting in the sun

Answer 8

squinting in the sun

Question 9

Which of the following can exhibit behavior?
	a sleeping dog
	a plastic duck bobbing in the water
	the government
	a dead person

Answer 9

A sleeping dog

Only living organisms behave. This excludes groups of people. For example, the “The school board proposes…” does not constitute an instance of behavior. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987, p. 17; Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 25; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, pp. 23-26)

Question 10

Behavior can be exhibited by
living organisms and nonliving entities, as long as they are moving.
living single-celled and complex organisms.
anything that moves in space through time.
(all of the others)

Answer 10

living single-celled and complex organisms.

Only living organisms can exhibit behavior. It doesn’t matter whether they are simple (e.g., single-celled) or complex (e.g., mammals). (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987, pp. 17-18; Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, pp. 25-26; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1980 p. 48; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, p. 23)

Question 11

Behaviors that may differ in topography but are collectively strengthened or weakened by operant conditioning form
	a topographical response class.
	a functional response class.
	an operant response class.
	a contingency.

Answer 11

functional response class.

Although pushing a door open with your hand or with your foot require different topographies, they are part of the same functional response class because they both result in opening the door. They are not part of the same topographical response class. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, pp. 70-72)

Question 12

To get attention, sometimes an individual bites his hand and other times he hits people. Both behaviors
are part of the same functional response class.
should have unique consequences to decrease these behaviors.
are part of the same topographical response class.
(all of the others)

Answer 12

are part of the same functional response class.

Behaviors that may differ in topography but are collectively strengthened or weakened by operant conditioning is a functional response class. For example, although pushing a door open with your hand or with your foot require different topographies, they are part of the same functional response class because they both result in opening the door. They are not part of the same topographical response class. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, pp. 70-72)

Question 13

Which of the following constitutes behavior?
	landing on your head
	sleep walking
	wearing a ring
	being thirsty

Answer 13

sleep walking

Question 14

Which is a topographical description?
	squints, makes fist
	assaults brother
	aggravates sister
	steals food

Answer 14

squints, makes fist

Topography refers to what the behavior looks like. That is, you could visualize it. You could steal food in a number of ways (e.g., picking it up and running with it, slipping it under your coat). It is the same for aggravating others and hitting. However, “squinting and making a fist” describe the form of the behavior. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 26; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1980, pp. 108-109; Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, pp. 70-72; Miltenberger, 1997, p. 178)

Question 15

Behavior
	has an effect on the environment.
	involves movement.
	is measurable.
	(all of the others)

Answer 15

all others

Question 16

The definition of behavior includes
	a relation between an organism and its environment.
	what happens in the mind.
	cognitive processes.
	(all of the others)

Answer 16

a relation between an organism and its environment.

Question 17

Similar behaviors that are strengthened or weakened as a result of operant conditioning are collectively called
	a contingency.
	an operant class.
	a stimulus class.
	a response class.

Answer 17

a response class.

Question 18

Which of the following constitutes behavior?
getting a sunburn
stopping a baseball by passively standing in its path
riding a bus
lifting a finger a fraction of an inch

Answer 18

lifting a finger a fraction of an inch

Question 19

The definition of behavior includes
	the requirement of measurable change.
	movement of some part of the organism.
	displacements in space through time.
	(all of the others)

Answer 19

all others