4.1.4 - properties of reinforcement (primary, secondary and schedules of reinforcement) Flashcards
what is a primary reinforcer?
a reward which occurs naturally and satisfies a basic human need eg. food, water, warmth, pleasure
what is a secondary reinforcer?
a reward which only strengthens behaviour because they are associated with a primary reinforcer eg. money can buy food
what is a token economy?
a treatment method used in schools and prisons which provides secondary reinforcement for a desired behaviour, which can be saved up or exchanged for a primary reinforcer - through selective reinforcement, desirable behaviours can be encouraged and undesirable ones extinguished
what is continuous reinforcement?
when the desired behaviour is reinforced with a reward every time it occurs
what are issues with continuous reinforcement?
- the value of the reinforcer may decrease
- the individual is likely to stop the behaviour when the reinforcement stops
what is partial reinforcement?
when the desired behaviour is only reinforced some of the time, or only some behaviours are rewarded
what is a schedule of reinforcement?
a structured plan for how reinforcement should be given - either how many behaviours will get the reward (ratio) or how much time there is between rewards (interval)
schedules of partial reinforcement - fixed interval?
a correct response is rewarded only after a certain amount of time has passed
schedules of partial reinforcement - variable interval?
a correct response is rewarded after a set amount of time has passed, and then a new time period is set
schedules of partial reinforcement - fixed ratio?
a response is reinforced only after a specified number of responses
schedules of partial reinforcement - variable ratio?
a response is reinforced after a set number of responses is given, and then the number of correct responses for reinforcement to be given changes
issues and debates - issues of social control (Paul and Lentz, 1977)?
they looked at how effective operant conditioning was by reinforcing appropriate behaviour (using tokens) with 84 schizophrenic patients
the token economy reduced some motor behaviours like rocking and blank-staring, and improved interpersonal and self-care skills
however, it didn’t treat cognitive symptoms eg. hallucinations or hostile behaviour eg. swearing
overall, 11% of token economy patients needed drug treatment compared to 100% of the control group (conclude operant conditioning is effective way to treat schizophrenic behaviour)
can argue that it isn’t morally right for one person to control the behaviour of another - patients had freedom of choice regarding treatment options reduced by token economy
questions about therapeutic goals of treatment - token economy may have been used to make patients more manageable for staff, instead of helping patient specifically
issues and debates - use of psychological knowledge within society?
tokens economies have been used in psychiatry, clinical psychology and education to shape behaviour, showing applications of operant techniques in society
Ayllon and Milan (1979) reviewed programmes which used token economies and found them successful at prompting rule-keeping and controlling aggression
however, other research suggests the benefits of token economies aren’t long-lasting and aren’t generalised beyond the institution the economy exists in
