Asked by RyanA Gaming on Jun 22, 2024
Verified
In Skinner's research,food-deprived rats pressed a lever to receive a food pellet.The rat will eventually press the lever
A) and receive an electric shock.
B) at a decreasing rate.
C) because he will understand that he will be reinforced for his behavior with a food pellet.
D) since the lever is the reinforcer for the food pellet.
Food-deprived Rats
A condition used in experiments where rats are not given food for a period of time to study the effects of hunger on behavior and physiology.
Lever
A simple mechanical device consisting of a rigid bar that pivots on a fixed point, used to apply force and move an object at one end by applying force to the other.
- Familiarize oneself with the basic principles of operant conditioning, notably shaping and the strategies for reinforcement.
Verified Answer
DW
Daniel WallaceJun 28, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
The rat in Skinner's research learns to press the lever because it understands that it will be reinforced with a food pellet. This is a form of operant conditioning, where the behavior (pressing the lever) is strengthened by the consequence (receiving a food pellet). Over time, the rat will press the lever more frequently and consistently because it has learned that this behavior leads to a desirable outcome.
Learning Objectives
- Familiarize oneself with the basic principles of operant conditioning, notably shaping and the strategies for reinforcement.