instrumental conditioning

Question 1

what is Thorndike’s law of effect?

Answer 1

the probability that a particular stimulus will repeatedly elicit a particular learned response depends on the perceived consequences of the response

Question 2

what does the animal learn during instrumental conditioning?

Answer 2

• learn an association between the stimulus and response; the reinforcer influences the strength of the association, but isn’t part of the associative link

Question 3

human applications of instrumental conditioning

Answer 3

• Silvermann; conducted a study with cocaone and heroin users
• Treatment of drug addiction; using methadone which prevents the withdrawal symptoms of heroin

Question 4

procedures of instrumental conditioning

Answer 4

• positive reinforcement
• negative reinforcement
• positive punishment
• negative punishment

Question 5

what are the schedules of reinforcement?

Answer 5

fixed interval: fixed period of time
fixed ratio: fixed number of responses
variable interval: non-fixed period
variable ratio: non-fixed number of responses

Question 6

applications of schedules of reinforcement

Answer 6

• companies with performance or target-based bonuses operate a fixed ratio reinforcement
• revision/school