Module 27

Question 1

operant conditioning

Answer 1

a type of learning where a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher

Question 2

law of effect

Answer 2

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Question 3

operant chamber

Answer 3

a chamber (AKA Skinner box) containing a bar or key than an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking

Question 4

reinforcement

Answer 4

in operant conditioning
any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Question 5

shaping

Answer 5

an operant conditioning procedure where reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

Question 6

discriminative stimulus

Answer 6

in operant conditioning
a stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement (in contrast to related stimuli not associated with reinforcement)

Question 7

positive reinforcement

Answer 7

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcers is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens their response

add a desirable stimulus

Question 8

negative reinforcement

Answer 8

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversion stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (it is NOT punishment)

remove an aversive stimulus

Question 9

primary reinforcers

Answer 9

an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need

Question 10

conditioned reinforcers

Answer 10

a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; AKA secondary reinforcer

Question 11

reinforcement schedules

Answer 11

a pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

Question 12

continuous reinforcement

Answer 12

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Question 13

partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedules

Answer 13

reinforcing a response only party of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to exctinction than does continuous reinforcement

Question 14

fixed-ratio schedules

Answer 14

in operant conditioning
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Question 15

variable-ratio schedules

Answer 15

in operant conditioning
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Question 16

fixed-interval schedules

Answer 16

in operant conditioning
a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Question 17

variable-interval schedules

Answer 17

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Question 18

punishment

Answer 18

an event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows