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Operant Conditioning Quiz: Reinforcement and Punishment Practice

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This operant conditioning quiz helps you recognize when behavior is strengthened or reduced through reinforcement or punishment, using clear, everyday examples. Review your results to see what to study next, then explore the classical vs operant conditioning quiz for a side-by-side refresher. If you want more work on consequences, try our punishment quiz for extra practice.

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1In operant conditioning, reinforcement is best defined as any consequence that increases the future likelihood of a behavior.
2Which choice illustrates positive reinforcement?
3Negative reinforcement involves removing a stimulus to increase behavior.
4Which example best represents positive punishment?
5Time-out from reinforcement is a form of negative punishment.
6Variable ratio schedules typically produce high, steady response rates with little pause.
7Which schedule is most associated with a post-reinforcement pause and break-and-run pattern?
8Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) means reinforcing any behavior other than the target problem behavior within a specified time.
9Which is the best example of the Premack principle?
10An abolishing operation (AO) decreases the effectiveness of a reinforcer and decreases the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus.
11The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) refers to greater persistence of behavior during extinction after intermittent reinforcement than after continuous reinforcement.
12Which option best describes a variable interval (VI) schedule?
13Stimulus control means a behavior occurs more in the presence of the SD and less in the presence of S-delta.
14Which procedure adds a restitutional requirement plus practice of appropriate behavior after a misbehavior?
15Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) delivers reinforcement independent of responding and can reduce problem behavior by abolishing its maintaining EO.
16In the three-term contingency, which sequence is standard?
17The matching law predicts that on concurrent variable interval schedules, the proportion of responses matches the proportion of obtained reinforcers.
18Which procedure specifically reinforces lower rates of responding?
19In applied behavior analysis, fun<wbr>ctional analysis tests hypotheses about maintaining variables by systematically manipulating antecedents and consequences.
20Which is the best example of an S-delta?
Learning Goals

Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Key Concepts of Operant Conditioning -

    Learn to define reinforcement and punishment and differentiate their roles in behavioral modification within the operant conditioning quiz context.

  2. Apply Reinforcement and Punishment Principles -

    Use operant conditioning practice scenarios to determine when to employ positive or negative reinforcement versus punishment to shape desired behaviors.

  3. Identify Negative Punishment Situations -

    Recognize examples where negative punishment refers to a situation where a stimulus is removed to decrease unwanted behavior and understand its practical implications.

  4. Compare Reinforcement to Punishment -

    Analyze questions such as "in operant conditioning theory reinforcement is to punishment as…" to solidify your grasp of their functional relationship.

  5. Evaluate Behavioral Scenarios -

    Assess various real”world examples to determine which type of operant conditioning technique best decreases or increases specific behaviors.

  6. Test and Strengthen Your Knowledge -

    Engage with the free operant conditioning quiz to measure your understanding and identify areas for further study in reinforcement and punishment.

Study Guide

Cheat Sheet

  1. Positive vs Negative Reinforcement -

    Positive reinforcement increases behavior by presenting a rewarding stimulus, such as praising a student for correct quiz answers. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing an aversive stimulus, like canceling chores when a child studies. Use the mnemonic "plus add, minus subtract" to recall reinforcement types easily.

  2. Positive vs Negative Punishment -

    Positive punishment decreases behavior by adding an unpleasant stimulus, for example assigning extra homework for misbehavior. Negative punishment reduces behavior by removing a desired stimulus, such as taking away screen time for missing curfew. Remember: "add to stop" and "take away to sway" to keep punishment concepts straight.

  3. Reinforcement Is to Punishment as… -

    In operant conditioning theory, reinforcement is to punishment as the gas pedal is to the brake pedal: one speeds up responses, the other slows them down. This analogy helps you remember that reinforcement always aims to increase behavior while punishment aims to decrease it. Visualize a car dashboard to anchor the relationship.

  4. Schedules of Reinforcement -

    Fixed-ratio schedules deliver reinforcement after a set number of responses (e.g., a bonus after every tenth sale), producing high, steady response rates. Variable-ratio schedules reward after unpredictable response numbers (think slot machines), generating very high, persistent responding. A quick tip: FR = Frequent Reward, VR = Very random Reward.

  5. Negative Punishment Refers to a Situation Where… -

    Negative punishment refers to removing a valuable stimulus to decrease unwanted behavior, such as revoking toy privileges when a child throws a tantrum. First studied by B.F. Skinner, this method is widely used in classroom management and parenting. Tip: always state the removed privilege clearly so the contingency is understood.

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Updated Feb 24, 2026