Instrumental Conditioning Flashcards
instrumental Conditioning
the learning of a contingency between a behaviour and its consequences
Thorndike
cats in a puzzle box. He focused on overt behaviour rather than on unmeasurable mental processes. He predicted that the cat would be able to escape immediately once it randomly discovered the solution, but it turned out that there was never a distinct “ah-hah!” moment, and improvement was gradual.
Stamping In
Random behaviours that are followed by the favourable consequences are performed more frequently
Stamping Out
Random behaviours with negative or no consequences are performed less frequently
Law of Effect
behaviours with positive consequences are stamped in, those with negative consequences are stamped out. Leads to refinement and the learning of a contingency between good behaviours and rewards.
Four Consequences
Presentation of a Positive reinforcer,
Removal of a positive reinforcer,
Presentation of a negative reinforcer
Removal of a negative reinforcer
Reinforcer
any stimulus which, when presented after a response, leads to a change in the rate of that response.
Reward Training/Positive Reinforcement
involves the presentation of a positive reinforcer following a response. Increases the frequency of the behaviour.
Punishment Training/Positive Punishment
involves the presentation of a negative reinforcer to decrease undesired behaviour. Can raise ethical concerns in the real world and the authority can become a CS.
Omission Training/Negative Punishment
involves the removal of a positive reinforcer in order to decrease undesired behaviour. Leads to avoidance.
Punishment vs. Omission
Both lead to a decrease in undesired behaviour, but each do so by different means. The removal of a positive reinforcer IS NOT the same as the presentation of a negative reinforcer. Punishment has a more specific meaning in instrumental conditioning than in everyday life.
Escape Training/Negative Reinforcement
involves the removal of a negative reinforcer to increase desired behaviour. The reinforcer is constantly being presented and the subject wants to have it removed.
Consequence Timing
any type of instrumental conditioning occurs best when the consequence is presented immediately after response.
Responding Rate
dependent on subject, complexity of behaviour, and type of reinforcement used.
Autoshaping
Over time, a contingency is learned when the behaviour to response pattern is repeated. The subject isn’t taught anything, it just learned it eventually. Rewards are spontaneous through correct action.
Shaping by Successive Approximation/Chaining
A complex behaviour van be organized into smaller steps which gradually build up to the full response that we hope to condition through reward training. Used for behaviours that the organism wouldn’t be able to do on its own.
Discriminative Stimulus (SD/S+)
signals when a contingency between a particular response and reinforcement is on.
S-Delta (S-)
a cue which indicates when the contingent relationship is not valid
Generalization
a response can be elicited by cues that are similar to the original CS.
Discrimination
in a controlled environment, an experimenter can control and train the contingencies with S+ and S-
Extinction
the association between a behaviour and an instrumental outcome can be lost
CS versus SD
CS is involuntary and automatically elicits a response.
SD does not reflexively elicit a response. Rather, it signals the occasion for a voluntary response by signalling when the response-reinforcer-outcome relationship is valid.
Continuous Reinforcement
response leads to a reinforcer on every single trial.
Partial Reinforcement Schedules
reinforcers for a portion of correct responses and is more effective than continuous schedules. Fixed Ratio Variable Ratio Fixed Interval Variable Interval
Ratio Schedule
based on number os responses which determines when reinforcement is given
Interval Schedule
based on time since last response was reinforced
Fixed Ratio
reinforcement is delivered after a certain number of responses (EX: every five times.)
Variable Ratio
reinforcement is delivered after some random number of responses around a characteristic mean.
Higher Response Rates
caused by more frequent/faster reinforcement rates.
Fixed Interval
reinforcement is delivered following the first response after a set interval time. Following reinforcement, responding drops then slowly begins peaking up again before schedule period is delivered following a response.
Variable Interval
reinforcement can be received at any time, though you do have an idea of how often reinforcement is likely to occur.
Extinction and Reinforcement schedules
Partial: when reinforcement stops occurring, abrupt change is not immediately obvious
Continuous: when reinforcement stops occurring, learner is aware of abrupt change and will decrease responding.
Overjustification Effect
displays how changes in reinforcement (newly introduced reward for a previously unrewarded task) can alter the individual’s perception of that task. A task that was previously viewed as having intrinsic value now becomes viewed as work with extrinsic value.
Observational Learning
associative learning involves direct experience and often leads to imitation or avoidance behaviours when appropriate, especially in unfamiliar situations.
