Learning Psych Exam 3 Flashcards
What differentiates operant learning from classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning involves placing a neutral stimulus before a reaction and operant conditioning involves applying reinforcement or punishment after a behavior. Classical conditioning affects smooth muscles, reflexes, and glandular activity while operant conditioning is best used on skeletal muscles or voluntary behaviors.
Define reinforcement and provide an example.
Reinforcement is the use of any stimulus that, when presented following a behavior, will increase the likelihood of that behavior. (ex: getting a cookie for completing all homework)
Define punishment and provide an example.
Punishment is the use of any stimulus that, when presented following a behavior will decrease the likelihood of that behavior. (getting a speeding ticket)
What is meant when punishment or reinforcement is referred to as negative?
Negative means the consequence takes something away from the situation
What is meant when punishment or reinforcement are referred to as positive?
Positive means that the consequence is adding something to the situation.
Give an example of positive reinforcement.
Checking the coin slot on a pay phone an finding a quarter; you find yourself checking other pay phones for the next few days.
Give an example of positive punishment
your car has an annoying beeping sound that beeps annoyingly if the car is started without buckling your seat belt. You’re less likely to start the car without buckling your seat belt.
Give an example of negative reinforcement.
Your hands are cold and you put gloves on. you’re more likely to put gloves on when it’s cold out.
Give an example of negative punishment
A young coyote waggles it’s head which often results n the loss of prey. The coyote becomes less likely to waggle it’s head over time.
What is a primary reinforcer?
something that is naturally or innately reinforcing. (food, water, sex, social interaction.)
Define Deprivation.
Depriving an animal of a type of reinforcer. (a food deprived animal will do more work for the same amount of reinforcement as a non-deprived animal)
Define Satiation.
Accumulated reinforcers decrease their effectiveness. (a satiated animal will do less work for the same amount of reinforcement as a normal animal will)
What is a secondary reinforcer?
A secondary reinforcer is created through classical conditioning. The CS gains reinforcing properties of US.
Why are secondary reinforcers more beneficial than primary?
Primary reinforcers are limited and may not always be practical, possible, or immediate. They also can disrupt the behavior in question. Secondary reinforcers can be immediate and do not satiate. The can go extinct, but re-association is always possible.
What is clicker training?
The use of a clicker to induce the shaping process.
What is a generalized reinforcer?
Is a secondary reinforcer that has been paired with many primary reinforcers. (money can be associated with many things)
What is the token economy?
When secondary reinforcers accumulate and can be “traded in” for other reinforcers.
Who is Thorndike and what contributions did he make to operant learning?
He is known as the grandfather of operant conditioning and created the puzzle boxes. He plotted learning curbes and saw no evidence of observational learning, reasoning, or spontaneous problem solving. He supported trial and error learning.
Define the Law of Effect.
It stated that when a behavior was reinforced it would increase and when punished would decrease. (basis of operant conditioning provided by Thorndike.)
Who is BF Skinner and what contributions did he make to operant conditioning?
The father of operant conditioning; experimented with reinforcement and punishment, schedules of reinforcement/punishment and shaping.
Define discrete trial learning.
The behavior terminates the trial. It requires resetting the conditions of the trial. (puzzle boxes)
Define Chaining
A learned behavior sequience that occurs in order and reinforcement occurs at the end of a chian.
What is task analysis?
The process of determining the “links” in the chain and then training one link at a time.
Forward Chaining
Begins with the first link and adds links after
Backwards Chaining
Begins with the last link and you add previous links. It is learned backwards but performed in the right order
How does contingency affect operant learning?
A more perfect relationship results in stronger learning. Applies especially to the acquisition of a behavior.
How does contiguity affect operant learning?
Delayed reinforcement results in slower/weaker learning. Signal for delayed reinforcement decreases deficit in learning.
How does the size/number of times reinforced affect operant learning?
Bigger reinforcement causes faster satiation. Small reinforcers that occur more often cause more efficient learning and a less chance of extinction.
Define intermittent schedule of reinforcement
Reinforcement occurs on some occasions but not others. Animals learn on intermittent schedules because most behavior is reinforced on some occasions but not on others– reinforcement isn’t always possible.
Define CRF
Reinforces behavior every time it occurs.
Ratio Schedules.
Reinforce behaviors after N # of occurrences.
Interval Schedules.
Reinforces behavior when i t occurs after a certain period of time.
Fixed Schedules
After a fixed # of behavior occurrences or a fixed period of time
Variable Schedules
Reinforce after an average amount of occurrences or average amount of time.
Fixed Ratio
After x occurrences of behavior. (A dog is reinforced with a treat every other time he sits– FR2)
Variable Ratio
After average-x occurrences (An elephant is reinforced for touching trainers target on average every 5 times; sometimes after one and sometimes after nine.
Fixed Interval
First response after x-amount of time (timed toast)
Variable Interval
First response after average-x amount of time. (cake in oven)
Post reinforcement pause
Pause that occurs after reinforcement
Why does the post reinforcement pause occur?
It occurs in order for the subject to “rest” between completing behaviors. This occurs more in FR than VR and leaner schedules have longer pauses.
What is a lean schedule/
More behavior with less reinforcement. (FR10 is leaner than FR5)
What is the partial reinforcement effect?
Behavior maintained on an intermittent schedule is more resistant to extinction than behavior that has been on a CRF.
What are the side-effects of punishment?
Escape, aggression, apathy, abuse, imitation of punisher.
Escape
Subjects may avoid or escape the situation. (dog runs under bed to avoid being swatted with newspaper)
Aggression
Punishment may increase aggressive behaviors in subject. (A student who is bullied and humiliated may retaliate with aggression.)
Apathy
Suppression of behavior in general. (Punish rats for entering one of two passage ways; rats avoid entering either
Abuse
The punisher may get out of hand and abuse the subject (parents may begin with a mild form of punishment and use stronger and stronger forms until eventually resulting in bodily harm)
Imitation of punisher
Kids may enforce punishment upon siblings/peers after being punished by parents/teachers.
Learned helplessness
An extreme form of apathy. If a student gets questions wrong in class every time they stop answering even if the teacher makes them easier.
