4.1.3 - main features of operant conditioning (types of reinforcement and punishment) Flashcards
what is positive reinforcement?
when a pleasurable consequence (reward) follows a desired behaviour
what is negative reinforcement?
when an unpleasant stimulus is removed or avoided following a desired behaviour
what is the effect of reinforcement?
it strengthens the behaviour, making it more likely to be repeated
what is positive punishment?
when a behaviour is followed by an unpleasant consequence
what is negative punishment?
when a behaviour is followed by the removal of a desired/pleasant stimulus
what is the effect of punishment?
it weakens the behaviour, making it less likely to be repeated
how did Skinner demonstrate operant conditioning?
he conducted lab experiments with his Skinner Box (dispensed food and electric shocks to animals like rats and pigeons)
how did Skinner’s experiments show positive reinforcement?
when a rat demonstrated a desired behaviour like pressing a lever, it would be rewarded with a food pellet
the rat would initially press the lever accidentally, but because the food was dispensed instantly, the rats learned to press the lever to get the food
how did Skinner’s experiments show negative reinforcement?
Skinner electrified the floor the Skinner Box and arranged for pressing the lever to turn the current off for 30 seconds
the rats learned to press the lever to stop the shock, but the association didn’t form as quickly as with the rats which were positively reinforced
how did Skinner’s experiments show positive punishment?
if a rat or pigeon pressed a lever snd was then given an electric shock, it would stop that behaviour
what is the ABC model of operant conditioning which Skinner created?
Antecedent - the Skinner box presented a stimulus which triggered behaviour
Behaviour - the response made by an animal which can be observed as an outcome of the antecedent
Consequence - the reward or punishment following behaviour
who created the theory of operant conditioning?
B.F Skinner
issues and debates - practical issues in the design and implementation of research?
Skinner chose to use animals in his research because humans and animals share many biological characteristics, and using animals enables more experimental control and objectivity
however, animals behave differently to humans (because the demands created by evolution have created unique behaviours for each species) so animal research lacks generalisability, human brains are very different to those of other animals, and animals are studied in artificial lab settings reducing the validity of the research - researchers should be aware of these issue when using animals to research eg. in learning theories
what is an issue with using reinforcement/punishment in operant conditioning?
the reinforcer must be considered rewarding and the punishment must actually be perceived as punishment for conditioning to work
