Chapter 4 - Reinforcement Flashcards
What happens when a behavior results in a favorable outcome?
That behavior is more likely to be repeated in the future in similar circumstances
Reinforcement is defined as:
- The occurrence of a particular behavior
- Followed by an immediate consequence
- That results in the strengthening of the behavior
How can we determine if a behavior is strengthened?
There is an increase in frequency, duration, intensity or speed
Operant Behavior
A behavior that is strengthened through the process of reinforcement
What does an operant behavior acts on the environment to produce
A consequence and, in turn, is controlled by, or occurs again in the future as a result of, it’s immediate consequence
Reinforcer
A consequence that strengthens an operant behavior
Positive Reinforcement
- The occurrence of a behavior
- Is followed by the addition of a stimulus (a reinforcer) or an increase in the intensity of a stimulus
- Which results in the strengthening of the behavior
Negative Reinforcement
- The occurrence of a behavior
- Is followed by the removal of a stimulus (an aversive stimulus) or a decrease in the intensity of a stimulus
- Which results in the strengthening of the behavior
Stimulus
An object or event that can be detected by one of the senses, and thus has the potential to influence the person
Positive Reinforcer
The stimulus that is presented or that appears after the behavior
Negative Reinforcer
The stimulus that is removed or avoided after the behavior
Negative Reinforcement is NOT what?
Punishment
Social Reinforcement
When a behavior produces a reinforcing consequence through the actions of another person
Automatic Reinforcement
When the behavior produces a reinforcing consequence through direct contact with the physical environment
Premack Principle
The opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior as a consequence for a low-probability behavior to increase the low-probability
Escape Behavior
The occurrence of the behavior results in the termination of an aversive stimulus that was already present when the behavior occurred
Avoidance Behavior
The occurrence of the behavior prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring
Unconditional Reinforcers
- Natural reinforcers
- They function as reinforcers the first time they are presented to most human beings; no prior experience with these stimuli is needed for them to function as reinforcers
Conditioned Reinforcers
- Secondary reinforcer
- Stimulus that was once neutral but became established as a reinforcer by being paired with an unconditioned reinforcer or an already established conditioned reinforcer
What is the most common conditioned reinforcer
Money
Generalized conditioned reinforcer
When a conditioned reinforcer is paired with a wide variety of other reinforcers
Immediacy
The time between the occurrence of a behavior and the reinforcing consequence is important
Contingency
- When the response produces the consequences and the consequence does not occur unless the response occurs first, we say a contingency exists, between the response and the consequence
- When this exists, the consequence is more likely to reinforce the response
Motivating Operations (MO’s)
- An establishing operation (EO): makes a reinforcer more potent
- An abolishing operation (AO): makes a reinforcer less potent
Motivating operations have two effects:
- They alter the value of a reinforcer
2. They make the behavior that produces that reinforcer more or less likely to occur at that time
Deprivation
A type of establishing operation that increases the effectiveness of most unconditioned reinforcers and some conditioned reinforcers
Satation
- Occurs when a person has recently consumed a large amount of a particular reinforcer or has had substantial exposure to a reinforcing stimulus.
- these reinforcers are less potent at that time
Magnitude
- Effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer is greater if the amount or magnitude of a stimulus is greater
- Likewise, the termination of a more intense aversive stimulus strengthens
Schedules of Reinforcement
For a particular behavior specifies whether every response is followed by a reinforcer or whether only some responses are followed by a reinforcer
Continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF)
Each occurrence of a response is reinforced
Intermittent reinforcement schedule (IRF)
Each occurrence of a response is not reinforced. Rather, responses are occasionally or intermittently reinforced
Fixed Ratio (FR) schedule
A specific or fixed number of responses must occur before the reinforcer is delivered
Variable Ration (VR) schedule
Delivery of a reinforcer is based on the number of responses that occur, but in this case, the number of responses needed for reinforcement varies each time, around an average number.
Interval schedules
Interval schedules a response is reinforced only if it occurs after an interval of time has passed
Fixed Interval (FI)
- the interval of time is fixed, or stays the same each time
Variable Interval (VI)
- The reinforcer is delivered for the first response that occurs after an interval of time has elapsed
- Each time interval is a different length
Concurrent Schedules of Reinforcement
All of the schedules of reinforcement that are in effect for a person’s behaviors at one time
Concurrent Operants
A number of different behaviors or response options are concurrently available for the person
Effects of Reinforcement
- Increase in frequency
- Increase in duration
- Increase in intensity
- Increase in quickness (decrease in latency)
Sleigman
- Big in positive psychology
- began with dogs
- demonstrated aspect of negative reinforcement (kennel and electric current)
Factors that influence reinforcement
- immediacy
- consistency
- motivating operations
- individual differences
- intensity of stimulus
- concurrent schedule of reinforcement of punishment
