4.1.3/4/5 - OC

Question 1

OC is learning through

Answer 1

consequences of behaviour

Question 2

reinforcement - pos/neg

Answer 2

positive reinforcement - when something desired is given in response to behaviour

negative reinforcement - when something undesired is taken away in response to behaviour

Question 3

punishment - pos/neg

Answer 3

positive punishment - when something undesired is given as punishment in response to unwanted behaviour

negative punishment - when something desired is taken away as punishment in response to unwanted behaviour

Question 4

eg skinner

Answer 4

• developed theory of operant conditioning
• reinforced rats using food pellets as they were hungry = reinforcement
• skinners box - rats learnt to press lever when the red light was on to receive food

ABC model:
- Antecedent - the skinners box presents stimuli triggering behaviour
- Behaviour - response by animal that can be measured as an outcome of the antecedent
- Consequence - the reward/punishment following behaviour

Question 5

eg thorndike

Answer 5

• examined operant conditioning using cats and a puzzle box with a single exit - trial and error learning to get food by escaping box
• law of effect - if the effect of learning is good then the behaviour is learned and repeated

Question 6

primary reinforcement

Answer 6

the reward is a basic need eg food

Question 7

secondary reinforcement

Answer 7

the reward satisfies a basic need but is not a basic need itself eg money/tokens for food

Question 8

schedules of reinforcement:

Answer 8

• concerns how many behaviours should get the reward eg ration num of behaviours before consequences
• continuous reinforcement - behaviour reinforced every time its seen
• partial reinforcement - behaviour reinforced some of the time
• partial reinforcement takes longer but is more resistant to extinction

Question 9

4 stages of reinforcement:

Answer 9

• fixed interval - rewarding of a first correct response only after a pre-set amount of time has passed
• variable interval - the rewarding of the first correct response after a set amount of time has passed after which A new time period Is that
• fixed ratio - where a response is reinforced only after a specified number of responses
• variable ratio - A response may be reinforced after a set number of correct responses is giver. After this has been achieved, the number of correct responses in order for reinforcement to be given changes. Gonna argue about this form of schedule is good for maintaining behaviour

Question 10

Shaping behaviour:

Answer 10

• desired behaviour may not be exhibited immediately to be reinforced
• may have to shaped by reinforcing steps towards that behaviour (behaviour modification - not jut rewarding 1 behaviour, its modifying behaviour from the start
• used to extinguish undesirable behaviour and replace original behaviour with a desirable behaviour and reinforce it

skinner developed method of shaping behaviour:
- rewarding moves towards the desired behaviour
- then waiting for an action that is nearer to the desired behaviour
- finally waiting for the actual behaviour before offering reinforcement
- can be used in therapy to treat ADHD, OCD and autism

Question 11

strengths operant conditioning and classical conditioning as an explanation for human behaviour:

Answer 11

• studies used objective experimental methods and careful controls = scientific (can calculate cause and effect) eg skinner used controlled procedures eg he isolated animals in a cage to control all variables except IV = only observable behaviour is measured therefore an objective measure
• both can be applied - therapy eg aversion, token economy programs (reward money), discipline in schools
• studies can be replicated = reliable
• operant conditioning explains many behaviours - addiction, language acquisition. a substance/activity can become addictive if its rewarding

Question 12

weaknesses for operant conditioning and classical conditioning as an explanation for human behaviour:

Answer 12

• generalisability and credibility - use of animals eg cats learned to escape puzzel box through trial and error- repeated behaviour to get more rewards. Humans however have higher lvls of intelligence and may use problem solving techniques and past experiance, can also conditioned through language and speaking to escape ie not trial and error → humans brains may respond to conditioning diff so results cant G
• task and ecological validity eg pavlov, only 1 stimuli as its controlled environments→ not true to everyday life tasks
• ethics of research eg pavlov
• research has potential sinister implications allowing for others to control the behaviour of someone through conditioning mechanisms, however skinner viewed this as positive as principles could be used to create a better world → may have ethical issues with social control