Understanding Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning

Hard Unit 4: Learning Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning plays a crucial role in understanding how behaviors are acquired and maintained. In an experiment designed to modify a specific behavior, a researcher uses positive reinforcement to encourage completing a task. The participants who receive immediate praise after successfully completing the task demonstrate a significant increase in task completion frequency, compared to those who did not receive any reinforcement. This experiment illustrates the effectiveness of reinforcement schedules in operant conditioning.

Which of the following statements best encapsulates the role of reinforcement in this context?

Reinforcement only leads to temporary changes in behavior and does not produce long-term learning.

Positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, especially when delivered immediately.

Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing an aversive stimulus only when a task is completed.

Reinforcement is only effective when it is unpredictable to the subject.

Positive reinforcement can condition fear responses when used with stressful tasks.

Hint

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