Lecture 21

Question 1

What is the law of effect?

Answer 1

The law of effect states that responses accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to the animal will be more firmly connected with the situation, so that, when it recurs, they will be more likely to recur. This means positive consequences increase likelihood of behaviours, punishment leads to behaviours being “stamped out” if negative consequences occur.

Question 2

What is the difference between classical and instrumental conditioning?

Answer 2

Classical conditioning is a relation between two stimuli, instrumental conditioning is instead the probability of a response changing as a function of its consequences. The subject does the response in order to reap the benefits.

Question 3

What is the other name for instrumental conditioning and why?

Answer 3

Instrumental conditioning is also called operant conditioning (due to it operating on the environment), the operant is the response defined in terms of its environment effect (what it does, not how it is done).

Question 4

What is acquisition?

Answer 4

Acquisition is when behaviour is shaped by successive approximations.

Question 5

What is positive and negative reinforcement?

Answer 5

Positive reinforcement is adding a stimulus or event contingent upon a response, this increases the behaviour chances. Negative reinforcement is removing a stimulus or event contingent upon a response, increases the behaviour, this can be escape(terminates ongoing problem, e.g leaving boring conversation) or avoidance (prevents problem, e.g not starting the conversation).

Question 6

What is positive and negative punishment?

Answer 6

Punishment decreases likelihood of a behaviour. Positive punishment is adding a stimulus or event contingent upon a response, decreases the behaviour. Negative punishment is removing a stimulus or event contingent upon a response, decreases that behaviour.