Learning (Operant Conditioning) Flashcards
operant conditioning
the kind of learning that applies to voluntary behavior
learning depends on what happens after response (consequence)
what’s in it for me
reinforcement key to learning
thorndike
cat, puzzle box
develop law of effect
cat pushing lever followed by pleasure (food), so pushing lever become repeated response
law of effect
thorndike
if an action is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated. if an action is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated
basic principle behind learning voluntary behavior
skinner
behaviorist, focus only on observable bx
gave learning of voluntary behavior name of operant conditioning
contribute reinforcement
skinner box, train rat to push lever to get food
operant behavior
voluntary behavior
reinforcement
anything that, when following a response, causes that response to be more likely to happen again
typically pleasurable
key to learning in operant conditioning
reinforcers
items or events that when following a response will strengthen it
primary reinforcer
a reinforcer that fulfills a basic need like hunger, thirst, touch
infants, toddlers, children, and animals can be easily reinforced using these
secondary reinforcer
gets it reinforcing properties from being associated with primary reinforcers in the past
ex. money can be traded for food/drink
get power from classical conditioning
positive reinforcement
the reinforcement of a response by the addition or experience of a pleasurable consequence
bx increases, something added
negative reinforcement
following a response with the removal or escape from something unpleasant will increase the likelihood of that response being repeated
bx increases, something removed
partial reinforcement effect
a response that is reinforced after some, but not all, correct responses will be more resistant to extinction than a response that receives continuous reinforcement
continuous reinforcement
a reinforcer for each and every correct response
interval schedule
when timing of response is important
ratio schedule
when number of responses is important
fixed
same in each case
variable
different in each case
fixed interval schedule of reinforcement
a reinforcer is received after a certain, fixed interval of time has passed
scalloping
response rate goes up just before the reinforcer and drops off immediately after under almost time for next reinforcer
variable interval schedule of reinforcement
interval of time after which the individual must respond in order to receive a reinforcer changes from one time to the next
fixed ratio schedule or reinforcement
the number of responses required to receive each reinforcer will always be the same number
variable ratio schedule of reinforcement
the number of responses changes from one trial to the next
graphs of schedules of reinforcement
FI: bounces up
VI: semi straight line but different slopes
FR: steep line
VR: steep line, straighter
two additional factors that make reinforcement of bx as effective as possible
- timing: reinforcer given ASAP after desired bx
2. reinforce only desired bx
punishment
the opposite of reinforcement
any event or stimulus that, when following a response, causes that response to be less likely to happen again
punishment _____ responses, whereas reinforcement _____ responses
weakens, strenghtens
positive punishment
occurs when something unpleasant is added to the situation or applied
decreases bx, something added
negative punishment
behavior is punished by the removal of something pleasurable or desired after the behavior occurs
decreases bx, something removed
problems with positive punishment
too severe
leads to aggressive bx in kids
1. could cause kid to avoid punisher instead of bx being punished
2. may encourage lying to avoid punishment
3 creates fear and anxiety
4. hitting provides successful model for aggression
problems with negative punishment
teaches child what not to do but not what child should do
after time bx most likely return as memory of punishment gets weaker, allowing spontaneous recovery
how to make punishment more effective
- punishment should immediately follow the behavior it is meant to punish
- punishment should be consistent (same punishment, same intensity)
- punishment of the wrong behavior should be paired, whenever possible, with reinforcement of the right behavior
spanking and aggression
link in kids
taylor and colleagues found so
discriminative stimulus
any stimulus that provides an organism with a cue for making a certain response in order to obtain reinforcement
specific cues lead to specific responses, and discriminating between the cues leads to success
shaping
aka shaping by successive approximation
small steps toward some ultimate goal reinforced until goal itself is reached
process in operant conditioning
successive approximation
part of shaping
small steps one after the other that get closer and closer to the goal
skinner
extinction
removal of reinforcement
generalization and spontaneous recovery
generalization can happen in operant too
spontaneous recovery happens in operant too
brelands
paper
trained by skinner
study raccoon putting in slit
biological constraints on operant conditioning
- animal doesn’t come into lab as blank slate, can’t be taught any bx
- differences between species of animals matter in determining what bx can or can’t be conditioned
- not all responses are equally able to be conditioned to any stimulus
instinctive drift
the tendency to revert to genetically controlled patterns
brelands
pigs and raccoons treat stimulus as food
behavior modification
the application of operant conditioning and sometimes classical conditioning to bring about changes in undesirable behavior to create desirable responses
how to modify bx
- select target bx
- choose reinforcer
- put plan in action (appropriate bx reinforced, inappropriate bx not reinforced)
- reward for doing bx at end
tokens
secondary reinforcers that can be traded in for other kinds of reinforcers
token economy
the use of tokens to modify behavior
ABA
applied behavior analysis
modern term for a form of behavior modification that uses both analysis of current behavior and behavioral techniques to address a socially relevant issue
skills broken down to their simplest steps and then taught to child through system of reinforcement
prompts given as needed then gradually withdrawn
autism
disorder in which person has great difficulty in communicating with others, often refusing to look at another person
ABA applications here
lovaas works w, uses ABA to modify bx
biofeedback
the traditional term used to describe kind of biological feedback of information
use feedback from biological info to create state of relaxation
neurofeedback
newer biofeedback technique
involves trying to change brain activity
record electrical activity of brain w electroencephalograph
learn how to produce brain waves or specific types of brain activity associated with certain states
learn to make changes through operant conditioning
ways to modify bx
token economy time out applied behavior analysis biofeedback neurofeedback
cognition
the mental events that take place inside a person’s mind while behvaing
three important figures cited as key theorists in early days of development of cognitive learning theory
gestalt psychologists dolman and kohler and modern psychology seligman
tolman
teach three groups of rats same maze
first group reinforced with food for making it out
second group didn’t receive reinforcement until tenth day
third group no reinforcement ever
results of dolman’s rat experiment
first group solve maze faster than other groups
but on tenth day second group solve maze almost immediately
tolman conclusion
rats in second group had learned maze and stored knowledge away but hadn’t demonstrated it bc no need to
cognitive map
mental map
latent learning
cognitive map had hidden (remained latent) until rats had reason to demonstrate knowledge
idea that learning can happen without reinforcement and then later affect behavior
not something traditional operant conditioning could explain
kohler experiment
chimp how to get banana outside cage use stick eventually push sticks together then fit them together demonstrated insight
insight
rapid perception of relationships
can’t be gained through trial and error learning alone
requires sudden coming together of all elements of a problem in a kind of aha moment that is not predicted by traditional animal learning studies
seligman
found positive psychology
experiment on dogs
positive psychology
new way of looking at the entire concept of mental health and therapy that focuses on the adaptive, creative, and psychologically more fulfilling aspects of human experience rather than on mental disorders
learned helplessness
the tendency to fail to act to escape from a situation because of a history of repeated failures in the past
seligman dog experiment
dogs that couldn’t initially escape shock didn’t try to when they could, dogs that hadn’t been in harnesses escaped it
maier
seligman colleague
brain mechanisms, focus on area of brain stem that releases serotonin and can play role in activating amygdala
vmPFC
maier
ventromedial prefrontal cortex
part of frontal lobe
helps determine what behavior is controllable
inhibits brain stem and calms amygdala, allows animal to respond to stressor and exhibit control
depression
learned helplessness in some cases
think they won’t be able to escape so don’t try
