Lecture 4 Flashcards
What is operant conditioning ?
Give an example.
4pts
- Behaviour induces a change in the environment
- Involves the strengthening or weakening of a behaviour as a result of its consequences.
- voluntary and goal directed
Ex- Behaviour: Lever pressing
change in environment: food pellet
Who created operant conditioning?
E.L. Thorndike
What experiment did Thorndike conduct with the cat?
3pts
- Placed a hungry cat in an enclosed puzzle box while a dish of food was placed outside
- The cat had to learn how to escape the box
- The response that worked was strengthened and the responses that did not work were weakened
What is Thorndike’s Law of Effect?
3pts
- Behaviors leading to a satisfying/pleasant state are strengthened or “stamped in”
- Behaviors leading to an unsatisfying/unpleasant state are weakened or “stamped out”
- So, the consequences of a behaviour determined whether the behaviour will be repeated.
Who did the rat lever pressing experiment ?
B.F Skinner
What did B.F Skinner believe were the 2 types of behaviors?
4pts
reflexive type (involuntary, automatic, elicited) behaviors
S–> R
operant (voluntary- controlled by consequences)
R –> S
What is the S^D?
What is R?
Difference between S^R and S^P?
4pts
What are the ABCs of Operant Conditioning ?
3pts
S^D: A discriminative stimulus that occurs before the behavior (a signal)
A –> Antecedent event (notice something)
R: is a response that produces a certain consequence
B –> Behavior (do something)
Consequences that are favorable will lead to the strengthening of the behavior
–> Reinforcers: S^R
Consequences that are unfavorable will lead to the weakening of the behavior
–> Punishers: S^P
–> C- Consequence (get something - reward or punishment)
Positive vs Negative contingency?
2pts
Reinforcer vs Punisher contingency?
2pts
Positive means something is being added/presented.
Negative means something is being removed or subtracted.
Reinforcer: means the behavior has strengthened as a result of the consequence
Punisher: means the behavior has weakened as a result of the consequence
The presentation of a stimulus (+) (usually pleasant)
following a response, which then leads to an increase
in the future strength of that response.
a. Positive Reinforcement
b. Negative Reinforcement
c. Positive Punishment
d. Negative Punishment
Give an example.
a. Positive Reinforcement
R: Child says ‘please’
S^R+: Receives a cookie
The removal of a stimulus (-) (usually unpleasant or
aversive) following a response, which then leads to an
increase in the future strength of that response.
a. Positive Reinforcement
b. Negative Reinforcement
c. Positive Punishment
d. Negative Punishment
Give an example.
b. Negative Reinforcement
R: Turn on a fan
S^R-: Escape the heat
The presentation of a stimulus (+) (usually
unpleasant or aversive) following a response, which
then leads to a decrease in the future strength of
that response.
a. Positive Reinforcement
b. Negative Reinforcement
c. Positive Punishment
d. Negative Punishment
Give an example.
c. Positive Punishment
R: child plays with food at the table
S^P+: gets a spanking
What is escape vs avoidance behavior?
Give an example of each.
4pts
Stopping of an aversive stimulus
Ex- taking an Advil when you have a headache
Happens before the aversive stimulus is prevented and therefore prevents its delivery.
Ex- staying inside to avoid the rain
The removal of a stimulus (-) (usually pleasant)
following a response, which then leads to a
decrease in the future strength of that response.
a. Positive Reinforcement
b. Negative Reinforcement
c. Positive Punishment
d. Negative Punishment
Give an example.
d. Negative Punishment
R: child plays with food at the table
S^P-: gets sent to room (time out)
Primary reinforcer or secondary reinforcer:
Is an event that is innately reinforcing
Give an example or a few.
2pts
-Primary reinforcer: things we are born to like
- Water, food safety
Primary reinforcer or secondary reinforcer:
Is an event that is reinforcing because it has been associated with some other reinforcer.
Give an example or a few.
What is it also called?
3pts
Secondary reinforcer: things we learn to like
Ex- good marks, fine clothes, a nice car
- Also called a conditioned reinforcer
