Introduction to Stimulus and Stimulus Class

Questions and Answers

What is a stimulus?

Any condition, event or change in the physical world.

Which of the following may be a stimulus? (Select all that apply)

Movement performed by the organism itself (correct)

External environmental changes

Internal physiological changes

All of the above (correct)

What is a stimulus class?

A group of stimuli with one or more common properties, including temporal or formal properties.

All stimuli in a class could exert control over behavior.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which stimuli might be members of the same stimulus class? (Select all that apply)

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a stimulus?

Light that one could see, but that is too dim to be functional Signup and view all the answers

Select the best example of an objective description of an event.

There were 32 children in a classroom. Signup and view all the answers

Select the most objective description of an event.

The forest sounds were too loud for one to speak at a conversational level. Signup and view all the answers

What is a commonly accepted definition of a stimulus class?

A group of stimuli that have a common effect on a response class. Signup and view all the answers

What action did the client perform in the narrative?

Picks a handful of flowers and arranges them into a circle on the ground around her. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definition of Stimulus

A stimulus is defined as any condition, event, or change in the physical world that can affect behavior.
Examples of stimuli can include movements performed by the organism itself, environmental changes, or sensory experiences.

Stimulus Class

A stimulus class consists of a group of stimuli sharing common properties, which may be temporal (time-related) or formal (shape or size-related).
All stimuli within a class can exert control over a specific behavior or response class.

Examples of Objectivity

Objective descriptions involve quantifiable terms, such as stating the exact number of children present in a classroom (e.g., there were 32 children in a classroom).
An event can also be described objectively in terms of sensory experiences, such as the loudness of sounds in a forest affecting conversational levels.

Characteristics of Stimuli

Common characteristics of stimuli include environmental factors like light intensity (e.g., light that is visible but not intense enough to be functional).
The pressure experienced on one's body (e.g., pressure on the right hand caused by the left hand) is an example of stimuli affecting physical perception.

Identification of Stimulus Classes

Determining the members of a stimulus class can involve recognizing that multiple stimuli can belong to it if they produce similar effects on behavior.
The narrative of a client's behavior in a specific setting, like arranging flowers in a park, illustrates an example of subjective behavior tied to external stimuli.

Key Takeaways

Understanding stimulus and stimulus class is essential for behavior analysis and intervention strategies in various settings.
Objective descriptions are crucial for accurately conveying events and behaviors without ambiguity, supporting consistency in behavior analysis.

Description

This quiz focuses on defining and providing examples of stimuli and stimulus classes. Understand how different stimuli can influence behavior and the characteristics that classify them. Ideal for psychology students or anyone interested in behavioral science.