operant conditioning Flashcards
positive reinforcement
when a reward is added following a behaviour.
negative reinforcement
when something bad is taken away following a behaviour
positive punishment
adding an aversive stimulus that will reduce a behaviour.
negative punishment
the removal of a liked/ desirable stimuli to reduce a behaviour.
fixed interval
the reward turns up at a regular time. desirable behaviour increases in the run-up to the reward. learning is medium and extinction is medium.
variable interval
the reward turns up but you can’t be sure exactly when. learning is fast but extinction is slow.
fixed ratio
the reward turns up every time the desired behaviour is carried out so often. learning is fast, extinction is moderate.
variable ratio
the reward is dispensed randomly after a changing number of behaviours. learning is fast and extinction is moderate.
Intro.
operant conditioning is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behaviour, in order to be effective, it must be contingent (clear link between the persons behaviour and the consequence in order to know exactly what they’re being punished for) and contingent (consequence follows soon after the behaviour, too long a delay and the condition is weakened).
operant conditioning A03
strength- lots of research in support of operant conditioning, including the study by skinner called the superstition in the pigeon. skinner concluded the pigeons were repeating whatever behaviour they had been in the middle of doing when the reinforcer was offered to them. Therefore demonstrating that they kept repeating the behaviour in order to receive their reward.
Strength- research strictly scientific, being carried out on animals in lab conditions. theory only looks at behaviours rather than cognition, every step in conditioning process is observable, adding to the credibility as you can see it with your own eyes.
comparisons and limitations- Many similarities with classical conditioning. Both were based on lab studies done on animals and both then generalise the conclusions about learning to human beings.
however classical conditioning explains the acquisition of involuntary behaviours, while operant conditioning explains how behaviours are learned by their consequences and better explains voluntary behaviours.
operant conditioning focuses on behaviours and not cognitions including personality and willpower and motivation. Operant conditioning doesn’t take into account sigma Freuds theory, arguing that a lot of self destructive behaviour comes from hidden thought processes in the unconscious mind. Therefore this study can be seen as reductionist to other theories explaining behaviour.
Application (conc.)
Operant conditioning has always had huge applications for therapy, especially the treatment of more deliberate problems like addictions and crime.
Token economy programmes use positive reinforcement to modify behaviour in a closed setting like a school, hospital or prison. May also be used with addicts or mental health patients.
Behaviour modification therapy can also be used to extinguish undesirable behaviour and replace the original behaviour with a desirable behaviour and reinforce it. can also be known as the method of successive approximations.
primary reinforcer
occurs naturally and satisfies basic needs e.g food and drink
secondary reinforcer
strengthens behaviour, they are associated with a primary reinforcer.e.g money
