Operant Conditioning

Question 1

another term for operant conditioning

Answer 1

instrumental conditioning

Question 2

What is operant conditiioning?

Answer 2

use of reinforcement or punishment to either increase or decrease the probability that a behavior will occur again in the future

Question 3

This psychologist observed “trial and error” learning in puzzle box experiments with cats.

Answer 3

Edward L. Thorndike

hungry cat placed in puzzle box, has to figure out how to escape. over time, stopped using ineffective methods, trial and error learning lead them to escape more quickly over time.

Question 4

What is the Law of Effect?

Answer 4

when satisfaction follows an association, it is more likely to be repeated. If an unfavorable outcome follows an action, then it becomes less likely to be repeated.

(behaviors are more likely to reoccur if followed by good stuff, less likely to reoccur if followed by bad stuff)

reinforcer= “satisfier”

Question 5

Define respondent behaviors

Answer 5

actions that occur without requiring any learning.

e.g. touch something hot, immediately pull back hand in response.

Classical conditioning focuses on respondent behaviors

Question 6

what was the respondent behavior in Pavlov’s classic experiment?

Answer 6

salivation to the presentation of food

Question 7

according to Skinner, what leads to most effective learning?

Answer 7

Skinner suggested that it was the consequences of voluntary actions that lead to the greatest amount of learning.

He recognized that respondent behaviors can lead to learning via classical conditioning and that this did not account for every type of learning.

Question 8

what are operant behaviors?

Answer 8

Any and every voluntary behavior that acts upon the environment to create a response (according to Skinner)

actions that can be learned.

Question 9

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 9

presenting a favorable outcome

e.g. giving a child a treat after she cleans her room

Question 10

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 10

involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus

e.g. telling a child that if she eats all her potatoes then she won’t have to eat her broccoli.

to the child, eating the potatoes leads to removal of undesirable task (gross broccoli), and eating the potatoes is then negatively reinforced.

Question 11

Positive Punishment

Answer 11

applying unpleasant consequence after a behavior, to reduce the unwanted behavior.

e.g. spanking

Question 12

Negative Punishment

Answer 12

taking away something pleasant after a behavior occurs.

e.g. if child fails to clean room, parents then take away going to mall with friends.

Taking away desirable activity acts as a negative punisher on the preceding behavior (failing to clean the room)

Question 13

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 13

The classical conditioning process involves pairing a previously neutral stimulus (such as the sound of a bell) with an unconditioned stimulus (the taste of food).

After associating the neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus, the sound of the bell alone will start to evoke salivating as a response.

Question 14

unconditioned stimulus/response

Answer 14

unconditioned stimulus (e.g food) naturally/automatically triggers the unconditioned response (e.g. salivation)

Question 15

Conditioned Stimulus

Answer 15

previously neutral stimulus (bell) that now triggers the originally unconditioned response (salivation).

Question 16

Conditioned Response

Answer 16

when the response that was originally unconditioned/triggers naturally by an unconditioned sitmulus becomes paired with a previously neutral stimulus.

eg salivating in response to the bell in Pavlov’s experiments

Question 17

associating an involuntary response and a stimulus

Answer 17

Classical Conditioning

Question 18

associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence

Answer 18

operant/instrumental conditioning

Question 19

a teacher gives incentives when their student politely asks to use the bathroom. this is an example of what?

Answer 19

operational conditioning.

positive reinforcement

Question 20

T/F: Operant conditioning can only work after the subject first displays the behavior that is the focus of change.

Answer 20

True. subject has to display behavior for it to then be either rewarded or punished

Question 21

T/F: Classical conditioning does not involve incentives

Answer 21

true

Question 22

which type of conditioning is more active for the learner?

Answer 22

Operant- requires learner to actively participate and perform action to be rewarded/punished.

Question 23

T/F: Classical conditioning is usually a passive process for the learner.

Answer 23

False. Classical Conditioning is always a passive process. (you dont choose whether to salivate or to start salivating to the new thing- it happens from repeated exposure but is not related to voluntary behaviors)