Module 21: Operant Conditioning Flashcards
law of effect
the principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely
operant chamber (Skinner box)
a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing
Who founded the operant chamber?
B.F. Skinner
reinforcement
any event that strengthens a preceding response
shaping
reinforcers gradually guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
positive reinforcement
increases behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers, any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response (addition)
negative reinforcement
increases behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, any stimulus that, when removed after a response,
strengthens the response (subtraction)
primary reinforcement
unlearned, innately reinforcing stimuli
conditioned(secondary) reinforcement
gains power through association with primary reinforcer
immediate reinforcement
occurs immediately after a behavior
delayed reinforcement
involves time delay between desired response and delivery of reward
reinforcement schedule
a pattern defines how often a desired response will be reinforced
continuous reinforcement schedule
reinforces the desired response every time it occurs
partial (intermittent) reinforcement
reinforces a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement.
fixed-ratio reinforcement
Every so many: reinforcement after every nth behavior
variable-ratio reinforcement
After an unpredictable number: reinforcement after a random number of behaviors
fixed-interval reinforcement
Every so often: reinforcement for behavior after a fixed time
variable-interval reinforcement
Unpredictably often: reinforcement for behavior after a random amount of time
punishment
administers an undesirable consequence or withdraws something desirable in an attempt to decrease the frequency of behavior
positive punishment
presenting a negative consequence after an undesired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior less likely to happen in the future (addition)
negative punishment
removing a desired stimulus after a particular undesired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior less likely to happen in the future. (subtraction)
applications of operant conditioning
At school: Computer and adaptive learning software used in teaching and learning
In sports: Behavioral methods implemented in shaping behavior in athletic performance
At work: Rewards successfully used to increase productivity
In parenting: Basic rules of shaping used in parenting
