Behaviourist Approach Operant Conditioning Flashcards
What is operant conditioning?
Behaviour is learnt as result of consequences in our environment
Who proposed operant conditioning?
B.F. Skinner
What does operant conditioning involve?
Learning through consequences which as positive or negative of behavipural responses.
What is reinforcement?
A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
What is punishment?
A consequence of behaviour that decreases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated
What is positive reinforcement?
Increases the likelihood of a response occuring because it involves a reward for their behaviour
What is negative reinforcement?
Increases the likelihood of a response occuring because it involves the removal of, or escaping from unpleasant consequences
What is positive punishment?
The consequence is receiving something unpleasant which decreases the probability of the behaviour being repeated.
What is a negative punishment?
The consequence is removing soemthing desirable and decreases probability of the behaviour being repeated.
What is skinner’s box?
-Had a leaver which rats could press to gain food or stock an electric shock
-Speaker made a loud noise as food was dispensed
-Light indicated food
-(1 condition) Electric shock floor + minor shock
How does Skinner’s box follow views of behaviourism?
-Used operant conditioning
-Rewards
-Stooped punishment for certain behaviours
-Scientific as each rat was placed in box at same time
-Observable behaviour or lever was noted.
What is an example of operant conditioning being applied for treatment of behaviour?
Token economy systems in prisons: appropriate behaviour is rewarded with a token, and enough token are exchanged for a priviledge
Every time the rat activated a lever within in the box it was rewarded with a food pellet. What would be the findings?
The rate would continue to press the lever to gain the reward: positive reinforcement
Every time the rate was in the cage it was subjected to unpleasant electric shocks. When it hit the lever, the shocks stopped/ What would the findings be?
The rat would press the lever to stop the shock from occuring: negative reinforcement
