03_Principles Of Operant Conditioning

Question 1

Thorndike:

Associated research, terms and theories

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Thorndike:

Instrumental Learning

Answer 2

Behaviors are instrumental in helping achieve a goal

Question 3

Thorndike:

Law of Effect

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Thorndike:

Law of effect, later revision

Answer 4

Thorndike removed effect of annoying factors based on research that showed:

Positive consequences increase behavior

*Negative consequences have little or no effect

Question 5

BF Skinner:

Associated Terms

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Operant Conditioning

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Positive Punishment

Answer 7

Application of aversive stimulus following a response that decreases the response

Question 8

Negative Punishment

Answer 8

The removal of an positive stimulus to decrease the response

e.g. taking away allowance

Question 9

Operant Extinction

Answer 9

Reinforcement is consistently withheld from a previously reinforced behavior

Question 10

Extinction Burst

Answer 10

Initial phase of extinction in which response is more variable and forceful

Question 11

Behavioral Contrast

Answer 11

Extinction of one behavior is likely to increase responding of other reinforced behaviors

Question 12

Primary Reinforcer

Answer 12

Unconditioned reinforcer that is inherently desirable

Does not depend on experience for reinforcing value

E.g., food, water

Question 13

Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 13

Conditioned Reinforcers

Acquire value only through repeated association with primary reinforcers

E.g. tokens, applause, gold stars

Question 14

Generalized Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 14

When a secondary reinforcer is paired with several different primary reinforcers

E.g. money
(can be exchanged for a variety of primary reinforcers)

Question 15

Schedules of Reinforcement:

Continuous Schedule

Answer 15

Reinforcement presented after each response

*Fastest rate of acquisition of behavior

Question 16

Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:

Overview

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:

Fixed Interval

Answer 17

Reinforcement after fixed period of time

Regardless of number of responses made

Question 18

Fixed interval schedule and “scallop” pattern

Answer 18

Subject stops responding after reinforcer delivered

Responding resumes toward the end of the reinforcement interval

E.g. hourly or weekly wage

Question 19

Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:

Variable Interval

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:

Fixed Ratio

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement:

Variable ratio

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Matching Law

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Skinner’s view of Superstitious behavior

Answer 23

Accidental, non-contingent reinforcement

Question 24

Stimulus Control

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Discrimination Training

Answer 25

Performance of behavior in the presence of the positive discriminative stimulus but not in the presence of the negative discriminative stimulus

Question 26

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 26

Similar stimuli elicit the same response
(classical and operant conditioning)

Operant Conditioning: Stimuli that evoke the response are Positive Discriminative Stimuli

Question 27

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 27

Similar stimuli elicit the same response
(classical and operant conditioning)

Operant Conditioning: Stimuli that evoke the response are Positive Discriminative Stimuli

Question 28

Avoidance Conditioning

Answer 28

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