6.2 Flashcards
What does contingency mean?
That a consequence depends on an action
What is the process of reinforcement?
A process in which an event or reward that follows a response increases the likelihood of that response occurring again
What is a reinforcer?
A stimuli that is contingent upon a response, and that increases the probability of that response occurring again
What’s the difference between punishment and a punisher?
Punishment is a process that decreased the future probability of a response
Punisher is a stimulus that is contingent upon a response and that results in a decrease in behaviour
What is positive reinforcement?
The strengthening of behaviour after potential reinforcers such as praise, money, or nourishment follow that behaviour
What is negative reinforcement?
The strengthening of a behaviour because it removes or diminishes a stimulus
Negative reinforcement an be classified what what 2 subcategories?
AVOIDANCE LEARNING: removes the possibility that stimulus will occur
ESCAPE LEARNING: occurs if a response removes a stimulus that is already present
What do primary reinforcers consist of?
Reinforcing stimuli that satisfy basic motivational needs (the way of survival)
What consists of secondary reinforcers?
Stimuli that acquire their reinforcing effects only after we learn that they have value (ex. Money and praise)
What is the nucleus accumbens?
Becomes activated during the processing of all kinds of rewards, including eating and having sex. Also including “artificial” rewards like cocaine and smoking
What is the concept of a discriminative stimulus
A cue or event that indicates that a response, if made will be reinforced
When does generalization occur?
When an opera takes place to a new stimulus that is similar to the stimulus present during original learning
What is shaping?
A procedure where a specific operant response is created by reinforcing successive approximations of that response
What are schedules of reinforcement?
Rules that determine when reinforcement is available
What is operant conditioning?
A type of learning in which behaviour us influenced by consequences
