6.2 Flashcards
Law of effect
Thorndike’s general theory of learning: Any behavior that leads to a “satisfying state of affairs” is likely to occur again, and any behavior that leads to an “annoying state of affairs” is less likely to occur again.
Reinforcer
A stimulus that follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will be repeated.
Shaping
Operant conditioning technique; consists of reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior.
Positive Reinforcement
The administration of a stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior’s being repeated.
Negative Reinforcement
The removal of a stimulus to increase the probability of a behavior’s being repeated.
Positive punishment
The administration of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior’s recurring
Negative Punishment
The removal of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior’s recurring.
continuous reinforcement
A type of learning in which behavior is reinforced each time it occurs.
partial reinforcement
A type of learning in which behavior is reinforced intermittently.
ratio schedule
A schedule in which reinforcement is based on the number of times the behavior occurs
interval schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a specific unit of time.
fixed schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a specific number of occurrences or after a specific amount of time.
variable schedule
a schedule in which reinforcement is provided at different rates or at different times.
partial-reinforcement extinction effect
the greater persistence of behavior under partial reinforcement than under continuous reinforcement
behavior modification
the use of operant conditioning techniques to eliminate unwanted behaviors and replace them with desirable ones
