Module 6.2 - Operant Conditioning: Learning Through Consequences Flashcards
operant conditioning
a type of learning in which behaviour is influenced by consequences
what is required for learning to take place in operant conditioning?
a response (behaviour) and a consequence (e.g., a reward) are required for learning to take place
what does the consequence depend on?
the action
law of effect
of several responses made to the same situation, those which are accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to the animal will, other things being equal, be more firmly connected to the situation, so that, when it (the situation) recurs, they will be more likely to recur.
reinforcement
the process in which an event or reward that follows a response increases the likelihood of that response occurring again
reinforcer
a stimulus that is contingent upon a response, and that increase the probability of that response occurring again
punishment
the process that decreases the future probability of a response of behaviour
punisher
a stimulus that is contingent upon a response, and that results in a decrease in behaviour
operant chamber
a laboratory apparatus containing levers or keys tat the animal can manipulate
true or false: the experimenter can control whether behaviours are rewarded or punished in operant chamber
true
positive reinforcement
the strengthening of behaviour after potential reinforcers such as praise, money, or nourishment follow that behaviour
negative reinforcement
the strengthening of a behaviour because it removes or diminishes an adverse stimulus
avoidance learing
a specific type of negative reinforcement that removes the possibility that a stimulus will occur
what is avoidance learning associated with?
increased activity in the orbitofrontal cortex
escape learning
a type of negative reinforcement in which a response removes a stimulus that is already present
positive punishment
a process in which a behaviour decreases in frequency because it was followed by a particular, usually unpleasant, stimulus
negative punishment
when a behaviour decreases because it removes or diminishes a particular stimulus that the individual would like to have
primary reinforcers
reinforcing stimuli that satisfy basic motivational needs - needs that affect an individuals ability to survive (and if possible reproduce)
secondary reinforcers
stimuli that acquire their reinforcing effects only after we learn that they have value
reinforcers trigger ______ release in reward centres of the brain
dopamine
true or false: reinforcers trigger smaller amounts of dopamine in people prone to high-risk behaviour
FALSE: reinforcers trigger larger amounts of dopamine in people prone to high-risk behaviour
true or false: there is a larger dopamine response during learning of stimulus - reward association
true
discriminative stimulus
a cue or event that indicates that a response, if made, will be reinforced
is there a point in responding when the cue isn’t present in discriminative stimulus?
no point in responding… no reinforcement will occur
discrimination
when an operant response is made to one stimulus but not to another, even if they are similar
generalization
when an operant response takes place to a new stimulus that is similar to the stimulus present during original learning
true or false: conditioning is stronger when the reinforcement immediately follows the behaviour
true
extinction
the weakening of an operant response when reinforcement is no longer available
extinction causes a decrease in what response?
dopamine response
shaping
a procedure in which a specific operant response is created by reinforcing successive approximations of that response
chaining
shaping several behaviours into a sequence
continuous reinforcement
when every response made results in reinforcement
continuous reinforcement leads to what?
rapid learning
partial reinforcement
when only a certain number of responses are rewarded, or a certain amount of time must pass before reinforcement is available
what is another name for partial reinforcement?
intermittent reinforcement
what are the 4 types of partial reinforcement schedules?
1) fixed-ratio schedule
2) variable-ratio schedule
3) fixed-interval schedule
4) variable-interval schedule
fixed-ratio schedule
when reinforcement is delivered after a specific umber of responses have been completed. FA7 - reinforcement occurs after every 7 responses
variable-ratio schedule
when the number of responses required to receive reinforcement varies according to an average. VA7 - reinforcement occurs randomly, with the average being after every 7 responses
fixed-interval schedule
when reinforcement occurs following first response occurring after a set amount of time passes. FI5min = 1 jelly bean for the first response after 5 minutes
variable-interval schedule
when the first response is reinforced following variable amount of time. V1 5 min - reinforcement occurs randomly, with the average being after 5 minutes
partial reinforcement effect
a phenomenon in which organisms that have been conditioned under partial reinforcement resist extinction longer than those conditioned under continuous reinforcement
what has more of an effect: photo radar or tickets from officers? why?
tickets from officers because they come immediately, photo radar tickets come a week after the behaviour
