Lecture 12: Operant Conditioning - Complex Choice

Question 1

The child refuses to get dressed, so the parent shuts off the TV. The child does not refuse the next day. What is this an example of?

Answer 1

• Negative punishment

Question 2

What is the schedule of reinforcement that provides a measure of breaking point?

Answer 2

• Progressive ratio

Question 3

Variable Interval schedules usually evoke ____ rates of responding than Variable Ratio.

Answer 3

• Slower

- (VR = steady/fast)

Question 4

What is the molecular explanation for the increase in rate of Variable Ratio schedules vs. Variable Interval?

Answer 4

• Reinforcement of short inter-response times

Question 5

According to the Matching Law…

Answer 5

• Relative rates of responding usually ‘match’ relative rates of reinforcement

Question 6

What do concurrent schedules involve?

Answer 6

• Involve choice behaviour without any long-term commitment

- Behaviour can be switched at will

Question 7

What do concurrent-chain schedules involve?

Answer 7

• Commitment to the choice

Question 8

What are the 2 stages of the concurrent-chain schedule?

Answer 8

• Choice/initial link

- Terminal link

Question 9

Describe the choice/initial link in the concurrent-chain schedule.

Answer 9

• Participant chooses b/n two schedule alternatives by making one of two responses
• First component
• Activates terminal link

Question 10

Describe the terminal link in the concurrent-chain schedule.

Answer 10

• Participant has the opportunity for reinforcement via schedule chosen in the choice link of the chain schedule
• Can only respond off of choice link
• Makes choice, then reinforcement schedule is activated (must make terminal link)
• Chain resets after

Question 11

What is the type of reinforcer on the terminal link in concurrent-chain schedules?

Answer 11

• Primary reinforcer (e.g. food)

Question 12

What is the behaviour pattern during the terminal link in a concurrent-chain schedule related to?

Answer 12

• Behaviour pattern during terminal link of chain is appropriate to the schedule of reinforcement in place

Question 13

What type of reinforcer can be found on the choice/initial link of the concurrent-chain schedule?

Answer 13

• Conditioned reinforcer

- Provides motivation to engage in initial link

Question 14

What are the two stages of chain schedules?

Answer 14

• Complete response requirement on initial link to access terminal link
• Complete response requirement on terminal link to access primary reinforcement

Question 15

What is an example of a chain schedule?

Answer 15

• Seeking-taking chain

- Involves completing one behaviour sequence to gain access to a second behaviour sequence

Question 16

Describe the seeking-taking chain

Answer 16

• Rat pushes on seeking lever to access taking lever

- Rat pushes taking lever to access primary reinforcer (e.g. drug)

Question 17

What is punishment contingency in the seeking-taking chain?

Answer 17

• Reinforcement and punishment occur, or they alternate

- Will it stop seeking/taking drug with punishment?

Question 18

What is the description of substance use disorder that is relevant to punishment contingency?

Answer 18

• Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous
• Substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance

Question 19

Do rats continue to seek primary reinforcer in the face of punishment?

Answer 19

• About 15% do

- Have phenotypes that are either sensitive or resistant to punishment

Question 20

What is the relative value seen as when the choice varies on a single dimension?

Answer 20

• Objective

Question 21

When does subjectivity in choice increase?

Answer 21

• When the options vary on more than one dimension

Question 22

What is delay discounting?

Answer 22

• The value of a reward declines as a function of the delay you have to wait to obtain it
• Animals ‘discount’ delayed rewards
• Highly contingent on context (or phenotype)
• Subject value decreased as a function of quality/quantity

Question 23

What is the rate of delay discounting closely linked to?

Answer 23

• Impulsivity
• Risk-taking
• Self-regulation

Question 24

What is the hyperbolic decay function?

Answer 24

• Value of a reinforcer (V) is directly related to reward magnitude (M) and inversely related to reward delay (D) where k is the discounting rate parameter (depends on person
  V = M/(1+kD)
• If the reinforcer is delivered with no delay (D=0), then the value of the reinforcer is solely dependent on reward magnitude (M)

Question 25

What happens when university students from USA and South Korea are required to make a series of choices b/n smaller, sooner rewards and later, larger rewards?

Answer 25

• Cultural components/socioeconomic status have an effect on delay discounting
• American students discounted more than Korean students
• Cross-cultural psychological explanation based on collectivist vs. individualist societies
• Value of $ reduced more quickly with delay for USA

Question 26

What type of rewards do patients with orbitofrontal cortex damage prefer?

Answer 26

• Smaller immediate rewards
• Make more impulsive choices
• Discount more, and are less tolerant to delay
• Steeper discounting curves

Question 27

What is steep discounting of delays considered a measure of?

Answer 27

• Impulsive choice

- Not considering consequences or long term

Question 28

How do those with substance use disorders compare when it comes to delay discounting?

Answer 28

• Those with substance use disorders more rapidly discount rewards than those without
• Addicts discount $ as well (acts as a representative of drug)