5] Operant Conditioning (1) Flashcards
What is operant conditioning
The relation between environmental stimuli and our own behaviour, focusing on events before and after our behaviour
Who first discovered operant conditioning
Edward L. Thorndike (1905): Cat in the box
What is the law of effect
The occurrence of the favourable outcome strengthens the response that produces it
Who was B.F. Skinner
He felt classical conditioning was to simple and invented the operant chamber.
He studied the law of effect and supported the application of behavioural analysis
What is the three term contingency
It described the antecedent, behaviour and consequence when discussing operant conditioning
What is operant behaviour
Any behaviour whose future frequency is determined by its history of consequences.
Its shaped and maintained by consequences
What is a response class
When operant behaviours topography share similar elements are produce the same consequence
What is reinforcement
Increasing the likelihood of a behaviour through a stimuli or consequence
What is a punishment
Decreasing the likelihood of a behaviour through a stimuli or consequence
What is a reinforcer
Any stimulus which increases the future frequency of a behaviour being emitted
What is a positive reinforcement
The presentation of a stimulus event which is likely to increase the frequency of that behaviour repeating
What is a negative reinforcement
The withdrawal of a stimulus event which is likely to increase the frequency of that behaviour repeating
What is punishment
It decreases the frequency of a behaviour occurring again and can be positive or negative
