Chap 6–Operant Conditioning

Question 1

Operant Conditioning

Answer 1

A type of learning in which the organism learns through the consequences of its behavior.

Question 2

Law of Effect

Answer 2

A principle discovered by E L Thorndike, which states that behaviors that lead to positive consequences will be strengthened and behaviors that lead to negative consequences will be weakened.

Question 3

Reinforcement

Answer 3

The strengthening of a response that occurs when the response is rewarded.

Question 4

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 4

Strengthening a behavior by adding something pleasant to the environment of the organism.
-giving treats to reward correct behavior

Question 5

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 5

Strengthening a behavior by removing something unpleasant from the environment of the organism.
-pinched by collar, walks towards me, is rewarded when the pinch goes away.

Question 6

Punishment

Answer 6

The weakening of a response that occurs when a behavior leads to an unpleasant consequence.

Question 7

Positive Punishment

Answer 7

Weakening a behavior by adding something unpleasant to the organism’s environment.
-squirt with water bottle

Question 8

Negative Punishment

Answer 8

Weakening a behavior by removing something pleasant from the organism’s environment.
-put in kennel; leave alone; take away toys

Question 9

Skinner Box

Answer 9

A device created by B F Skinner to study operant behavior in a compressed time frame; in a Skinner box, an organism is automatically rewarded or punished for engaging in certain behaviors.

Question 10

Extinction Burst

Answer 10

A temporary increase in a behavioral response that occurs immediately after extinction has begun.

Question 11

Schedule of Reinforcement

Answer 11

The frequency and timing of the reinforcements that an organism receives.
–may give treat every time, maybe every other time, etc.

Question 12

Continuous Reinforcement

Answer 12

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded for every instance of the desired response.
–giving treat every time

Question 13

Partial Reinforcement

Answer 13

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded for only some instances of the desired response
–giving treats sporadically to keep them guessing

Question 14

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Answer 14

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded for every xth instance of the desired response.
–giving treats ever three successful times

Question 15

Variable Ratio Schedule

Answer 15

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded on average for ever xth instance of the desired response.
–hard to describe, is a kind of random one, or, variable!

Question 16

Fixed Interval Schedule

Answer 16

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded for the first desired response in an xth interval of time.
–giving a treat every two minutes as part of the stay

Question 17

Variable Interval Schedule

Answer 17

A schedule of reinforcement in which the organism is rewarded for the first desired response in an average xth interval of time.
–length of the interval varies. May be every two mins, then three, then one, etc. Keeps them guessing

Question 18

Shaping

Answer 18

Using operant conditioning to build new behavior in an organism by rewarding successive approximations of the desired response.
–Can not teach to hold a tribble in first go, have to slowly work up to it in small lessons

Question 19

Primary Reinforcer

Answer 19

A reinforcer that is reinforcing in and of itself.

–directly reinforcing

Question 20

Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 20

A reinforcer that is reinforcing only because it leads to the primary reinforcer.

Question 21

Token Economy

Answer 21

A system of operant conditioning in which participants are reinforced with tokens that can later be cashed in for primary reinforcers.

Question 22

Behaviorism

Answer 22

A school of thought in psychology that emphasizes the study of observable behavior over the study of the mind.

Question 23

Insight

Answer 23

A sudden realization about how to solve a problem that occurs after an organism has studied the problem for a period of time
–figuring out how to get food out of toy

Question 24

Latent Learning

Answer 24

Learning that cannot be directly observed in an organisms behavior.
–kind of like spontaneous learning that will help with other things farther along

Question 25

Cognitive Map

Answer 25

A mental representation of the environment that is formed through observation of one’s environment.

Question 26

Observational Learning, Social Learning, Modeling

Answer 26

Learning through observation and limitation of others’ behavior.

Question 27

More on Modeling

Answer 27

Attention, retention in memory, reproduction of the behavior, motivation.