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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

Operant Conditioning Quiz: Reinforcement and Punishment Practice

Quick, free reinforcement and punishment quiz. Instant feedback.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Susie Sikes PropeckUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for operant conditioning quiz on teal background

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.

In operant conditioning, reinforcement is best defined as any consequence that increases the future likelihood of a behavior.
True
False
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Which choice illustrates positive reinforcement?
Giving a child a sticker for completing homework, leading to more homework completion
Taking away recess for talking in class, leading to less talking
Assigning extra chores to reduce backtalk
Ignoring whining so it decreases over time
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Negative reinforcement involves removing a stimulus to increase behavior.
False
True
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Which example best represents positive punishment?
Providing praise to increase sharing
Removing screen time to reduce arguing
Letting a student skip homework to encourage reading
Adding extra push-ups after a rule violation, reducing future violations
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Time-out from reinforcement is a form of negative punishment.
True
False
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Variable ratio schedules typically produce high, steady response rates with little pause.
True
False
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Which schedule is most associated with a post-reinforcement pause and break-and-run pattern?
Variable interval (VI)
Continuous reinforcement (CRF)
Fixed ratio (FR)
Variable ratio (VR)
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Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) means reinforcing any behavior other than the target problem behavior within a specified time.
False
True
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Which is the best example of the Premack principle?
Using punishment to suppress a high-rate behavior
Using access to a high-probability behavior to reinforce a low-probability behavior
Using a variable schedule to maintain responding
Pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus
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An abolishing operation (AO) decreases the effectiveness of a reinforcer and decreases the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus.
False
True
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The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) refers to greater persistence of behavior during extinction after intermittent reinforcement than after continuous reinforcement.
False
True
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Which option best describes a variable interval (VI) schedule?
The first response after varying time intervals is reinforced
Every nth response is reinforced with n varying unpredictably
Every response is reinforced
The first response after a fixed time is reinforced
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Stimulus control means a behavior occurs more in the presence of the SD and less in the presence of S-delta.
False
True
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Which procedure adds a restitutional requirement plus practice of appropriate behavior after a misbehavior?
Overcorrection
Noncontingent reinforcement
Response cost
Timeout
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Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) delivers reinforcement independent of responding and can reduce problem behavior by abolishing its maintaining EO.
False
True
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In the three-term contingency, which sequence is standard?
Behavior - Antecedent - Consequence
Stimulus - Response - Reflex
Consequence - Behavior - Antecedent
Antecedent - Behavior - Consequence
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The matching law predicts that on concurrent variable interval schedules, the proportion of responses matches the proportion of obtained reinforcers.
True
False
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Which procedure specifically reinforces lower rates of responding?
DRH (Differential Reinforcement of High rates)
DRA (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative behavior)
DRL (Differential Reinforcement of Low rates)
DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other behavior)
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In applied behavior analysis, functional analysis tests hypotheses about maintaining variables by systematically manipulating antecedents and consequences.
False
True
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Which is the best example of an S-delta?
A bell that signals class is starting and participation is praised
A green light signaling that pressing a lever will produce food
A timer that signals reinforcement is currently available
A sign stating Closed that signals asking for service will not be reinforced
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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.

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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