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Free Response Question #2 (Pigeon)

Directions: You have 25 minutes to answer the following question. It is not enough to answer the question b merely listing facts. You should present a cogent argment based on your critical analysis of the questions posed, using appropriate psychological terminology.

Source 1

B. F. Skinner was known for using the principles of operant conditioning to train animals to perform complex behaviors.

Group 1

Explain how he may have trained pigeons to play a game of ping pong using the following terms in your response:

Question 1a

Short answer
  • shaping and successive approximations

Question 1b

Short answer
  • Positive reinforcement

Question 1c

Short answer
  • negative reinforcement

Question 1d

Short answer

-fixed-ratio and variable-ratio schedules

Question 1e

Short answer
  • positive punishment and negative punishment

Question 1f

Short answer
  • extinction

Question 2

Short answer

Additionally, explain why operant conditioning was used to train the pigeons to play ping pong rather than classical conditioning.

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