Module 3.8

Question 1

Operant conditioning

Answer 1

focuses on associating consequences (reinforcement and punishment) with behaviors

Question 2

Reinforcement

Answer 2

a process in which the frequency or probability of a response is increased by a dependent relationship, or contingency, with a stimulus or circumstance (the reinforcer)

Question 3

Punishment

Answer 3

the process in which the relationship, or contingency, between a response and some stimulus or circumstance results in the response becoming less probable

Question 4

Law of Effect

Answer 4

states that behaviors with reinforcing consequences are more likely to be repeated while behaviors with punishing consequences are not as likely to be repeated

Question 5

Positive reinforcement

Answer 5

the procedure of presenting a positive reinforcer after a response

Question 6

Negative reinforcement

Answer 6

the removal, prevention, or postponement of an aversive stimulus as a consequence of a response, which, in turn, increases the probability of that response

Question 7

Positive punishment

Answer 7

punishment that results because some stimulus or circumstance is presented as a consequence of a response. For example, if a response results in presentation of a loud noise and the response becomes less likely as a result of this experience, then positive punishment has occurred

Question 8

Negative punishment

Answer 8

punishment that results because some stimulus or circumstance is removed as a consequence of a response. For example, if a response results in a subtraction of money from an accumulating account, and the response becomes less likely as a result of this experience, then negative punishment has occurred

Question 9

Primary reinforcers

Answer 9

reinforcers that have innate reinforcing qualities. These kinds of reinforcers are not learned. Water, food, sleep, shelter, sex, and touch, among others, are primary reinforcers

Question 10

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 10

refers to a situation wherein a stimulus reinforces a behavior after being previously associated with a primary reinforcer or a stimulus that satisfies basic survival instinct such as food, drinks, and clothing. Example, money

Question 11

Reinforcement discrimination

Answer 11

the ability to respond differently to different stimuli

Question 12

Reinforcement generalization

Answer 12

explains how we can learn something in one situation and apply it to other similar situations

Question 13

Shaping

Answer 13

happens through rewarding successive approximations of the desired behavior

Question 14

Instinctive drift

Answer 14

in animals only certain behaviors can be shaped through reinforcement

Question 15

Superstitious behavior

Answer 15

the irrational belief that a specific action or behavior can influence unrelated events. It often arises from a false correlation between an action and a subsequent outcome

Question 16

Learned helplessness

Answer 16

occurs when organisms learn that they have no control over their experience of aversive consequences in a given situation

Question 17

Reinforcement schedules

Answer 17

the rules that determine how often an organism is reinforced for a particular behavior

Question 18

Continuous reinforcement

Answer 18

the repeated reinforcement of a behavior every time it happens

Question 19

Partial reinforcement schedules

Answer 19

occur when a reinforcement is provided after a behavior, but not the same way every single time

Question 20

fixed Interval

Answer 20

a set amount of time between occurrences of something like a reward, result, or review

Question 21

variable Interval

Answer 21

a schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed

Question 22

fixed Ratio

Answer 22

an arrangement in which reinforcement is given after a specified number of responses

Question 23

variable Ratio

Answer 23

a partial schedule of reinforcement in which a response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses