CH:14 Operant Conditioning Flashcards
D-B-C of operant conditioning
environment - behaviour - consequence
continuous reinforcement
a schedule of reinforcement in which every response is reinforced
Discriminative stimulus
In operant conditioning, Skinners term for the precondition that indicates that a behaviour will be reinforced (D-B-C)
Effective Punishment
punishment administered in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of the behaviour recurring
Extinction
When a response no longer occurs. In operant conditioning, the response will be extinguished after being shown several times without reinforcement.
Fixed ratio schedule
A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses, no matter how many responses have been shown
Fixed interval schedule
A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a time period, no matter how many responses have been shown
negative reinforcers
The removal, reduction or prevention of an unpleasant stimulus in response to a behaviour, increasing the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated
operant conditioning
A type of learning in which behaviour becomes controlled by its consequeces
partial reinforcement
any schedule of reinforcement in which not every response is reinforced
positive reinforcers
A consequence that strengthens a behavioural response by providing a pleasant or satisfying outcome
punishers
any event that reduces the likelihood of a particular response occuring over time
reinforcer
any event that strengthens the likelihood of a particular event occurring over time
response cost
a form of punishment that occurs when something desirable is removed
schedule of reinforcement
frequency and manner in which a response is reinforced or punished
shaping
a procedure in which a reinforcer is given for each response that is closer and closer and eventually leads to the desired response
side effects of punishment
the tendency of the person being punished to show aggression, resent the punisher or withdraw completely
Skinner Box
an enclosed chamber with a device to deliver reinforcers (eg. food) and a mechanism which an animal can manipulate in order to escape
Spontaneous Recovery
After the response had not been reinforced for several trials, the discriminative stimulus will not elicit the response. After a time delay, if the discriminative stimulus occurs, the behaviour will again be shown
Stimulus Discrimination
When the behaviour is never reinforced in environments that are similar to the discriminative stimulus. Eventually the behaviour occurs when the discriminative stimulus is present
Stimulus generalisation
Occurs when the behaviour occurs in an environment similar to that which lead to reinforcement
Three phase model of learning
D-B-C or A-B-C model
token economy
a form of behaviour modification in which tokens are earned for performing target behaviours and these tokens can then be exchanged later for some reward
variable interval schedule
responses are reinforced after intervals of time that vary around a set mean, irrespective of the number of responses
variable ratio schedule
responses are reinforced after numbers of responses that vary around a set mean, irrespective of elapsed time
voluntary behaviours
actions that are controlled by the person or animal performing them
Role of learner
Active: behaviour must be initiated by the learner
Timing of stimulus
Best to have the reinforcement/punishment soon after behaviour, but possible for it to occur later
Nature of response
Voluntary response. Discriminative stimulus is the environment that provokes the behaviour - occurs before the response behaviour
Acquisition
By reinforcing a behavioural response
