Chapter 7- Behavioural Views of Learning

Question 1

operant conditioning

Answer 1

learning in which voluntary behaviour is strengthened or weakened by consequences or antecedents, operant behaviour can be altered by changes in the antecedents, the consequences, or both

Question 2

antecedents

Answer 2

events that precede an action

Question 3

consequences

Answer 3

events that follow an action, determine whether a person will repeat the behaviour that lead to those consequences

Question 4

reinforcement

Answer 4

use of consequences to strengthen behaviour, reinforcers typically are preferred activities or they satisfy needs

Question 5

positive reinforcement

Answer 5

strengthening behaviour by presenting a desired stimulus after the behaviour

Question 6

negative reinforcement

Answer 6

strengthening the behaviour by removing an aversive stimulus when the behaviour occurs

Question 7

continuous reinforcement

Answer 7

presenting a reinforcer after every appropriate response

Question 8

intermittent reinforcement

Answer 8

presenting a reinforcer after some but not all responses

Question 9

schedules of reinforcement

Answer 9

interval and ratio

interval: length of time between reinforcers
ratio: reinforcement based on the number of responses between reinforcers

Question 10

cueing

Answer 10

providing a stimulus that “sets up” a desired behaviour

Question 11

prompt

Answer 11

a reminder that follows a cue to make sure the person reacts to the cue

Question 12

applied behaviour analysis

Answer 12

the application of behavioural learning principles to understand and change behaviour, requires clear specification of the behaviour to be changed, careful measurement of behaviour, analysis of antecedents and reinforcers that might be maintaining undesirable behaviour, interventions based on behavioural principles to change the behaviour, and careful measurement of changes

Question 13

premack principle

Answer 13

a principle of reinforcement which states that an opportunity to engage in more probably behaviours (or activities) will reinforce less probable behaviours (or activities)
high frequency behaviour (a preferred activity) can be an effective reinforcer for a low frequency behaviour (a less preferred activity)

Question 14

shaping

Answer 14

reinforcing each small step of progress toward a desired goal or behaviour

Question 15

successive approximations

Answer 15

small components that make up a complex behaviour

Question 16

task analysis

Answer 16

system for breaking down a task hierarchically into basic skills and subskills

Question 17

positive practice

Answer 17

practicing correct responses immediately after errors

Question 18

contingency contracts

Answer 18

a contract between a teacher and a student specifying what the student must do to earn a particular reward or privilege

Question 19

token reinforcement system

Answer 19

system in which tokens earned for academic work and positive classroom behaviour can be exchanged for some desired reward

Question 20

good behaviour game

Answer 20

arrangement where a class is divided into teams and each team receives demerit points for breaking agreed-upon rules of good behaviour

Question 21

group consequences

Answer 21

rewards or punishments given to a class as a whole for adhering to or violating rules of conduct

Question 22

reprimands

Answer 22

criticisms for misbehaviour, rebukes

Question 23

response cost

Answer 23

punishment by loss of reinforcers

Question 24

social isolation

Answer 24

removal of a disruptive student for 5 to 10 minutes

Question 25

time out

Answer 25

technically, the removal or all reinforcement. in practice, isolation of a student from the rest of class for a brief time

Question 26

self-management

Answer 26

management of your own behaviour and acceptance of responsibility for your own actions; use of behavioural learning principles to change your own behaviour

Question 27

self-reinforcement

Answer 27

controlling your own reinforcers

Question 28

functional behaviour assessment

Answer 28

procedures used to obtain information about antecedents, behaviours, and consequences to determine the reason or function of the behaviour

Question 29

operants

Answer 29

voluntary (and generally goal directed) behaviours emitted by a person or animal

Question 30

punishment

Answer 30

consequence that decreases or suppresses behaviour, two forms: type I/presentation punishment (consequence is yelling, assigning extra homework), and type II/removal punishment (removing a stimulus, taking away privileges)