03_Principles Of Operant Conditioning Flashcards
Thorndike:
Associated research, terms and theories
Connectionism: Learning is due to connections between responses and stimuli as a result of trial and error
Cats in puzzle boxes
Instrumental Learning
Law of Effect
Thorndike:
Instrumental Learning
Behaviors are instrumental in helping achieve a goal
Thorndike:
Law of Effect
Response followed by “a satisfying state of affairs” is likely to be repeated
Response followed by “an annoying state of affairs” is less likely to be repeated
Thorndike:
Law of effect, later revision
Thorndike removed effect of annoying factors based on research that showed:
Positive consequences increase behavior
*Negative consequences have little or no effect
BF Skinner:
Associated Terms
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement and punishment
Operant Chamber (“Skinner box”)
Schedules of reinforcement
Extinction bursts
Primary versus secondary reinforcers
Matching law
Stimulus control
Stimulus/response generalization
Escape and avoidance conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Most complex behaviors are voluntarily emitted or not emitted at as a result of the consequences that follow them
ie.e as a result of the way they Operate on the environment
Positive Punishment
Application of aversive stimulus following a response that decreases the response
Negative Punishment
The removal of an positive stimulus to decrease the response
e.g. taking away allowance
Operant Extinction
Reinforcement is consistently withheld from a previously reinforced behavior
Extinction Burst
Initial phase of extinction in which response is more variable and forceful
Behavioral Contrast
Extinction of one behavior is likely to increase responding of other reinforced behaviors
Primary Reinforcer
Unconditioned reinforcer that is inherently desirable
Does not depend on experience for reinforcing value
E.g., food, water
Secondary Reinforcer
Conditioned Reinforcers
Acquire value only through repeated association with primary reinforcers
E.g. tokens, applause, gold stars
Generalized Secondary Reinforcer
When a secondary reinforcer is paired with several different primary reinforcers
E.g. money
(can be exchanged for a variety of primary reinforcers)
Schedules of Reinforcement:
Continuous Schedule
Reinforcement presented after each response
*Fastest rate of acquisition of behavior
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:
Overview
Satiation and extinction are high for continuous schedules
Therefore, once an operant behavior has been acquired, the best way to maintain the behavior is to switch to an intermittent schedule
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:
Fixed Interval
Reinforcement after fixed period of time
Regardless of number of responses made
Fixed interval schedule and “scallop” pattern
Subject stops responding after reinforcer delivered
Responding resumes toward the end of the reinforcement interval
E.g. hourly or weekly wage
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:
Variable Interval
Unpredictable delivery of reinforcers between intervals
Produces steady but relatively low rate of response
E.g. pop quizzes during a semester when time between quizzes varies
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:
Fixed Ratio
Reinforcer delivered after specific number of responses
High and steady rate of responding
Involves a brief pause following delivery of the reinforcer
E.g. piecework (workers receive payments on completion of a specific number of units)
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:
Variable ratio
Reinforcers provided after a variable number of responses
- Highest rates of responding
- Also includes responses that are most resistant to extinction
E.g., slot machines
Matching Law
Reinforcements are presented with two different schedules
Subjects responds to both, but with different frequency
Responding will be more frequent to task that has increased frequency of reinforcement
Skinner’s view of Superstitious behavior
Accidental, non-contingent reinforcement
Stimulus Control
Occurrence of behavior is affected by the presence of a discriminative stimulus
A.k.a. stimulus discrimination
Behavior is performed because it has been reinforced
Discrimination Training
Performance of behavior in the presence of the positive discriminative stimulus but not in the presence of the negative discriminative stimulus
Stimulus Generalization
Similar stimuli elicit the same response
(classical and operant conditioning)
Operant Conditioning: Stimuli that evoke the response are Positive Discriminative Stimuli
Stimulus Generalization
Similar stimuli elicit the same response
(classical and operant conditioning)
Operant Conditioning: Stimuli that evoke the response are Positive Discriminative Stimuli
Avoidance Conditioning
Negative reinforcer is preceded by positive discriminative stimulus
(signals the negative reinforcer is about to be applied)
If the target behavior (avoidance) is performed in the presence of the cue, they can avoid the negative reinforcer altogether
*Based upon Two-factor theory of conditioning
