Operant Conditioning

Question 1

What does the theory say learning is learnt through?

Answer 1

Reinforcement

Question 2

What is postivive reinforcemnt?

Answer 2

A positive consequence is added to increase the likelihood of a behaviour.

Question 3

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 3

Negative consequence is avoided to increase likelihood of a behaviour.

Question 4

What is positive punishment?

Answer 4

A consequence is given for a behaviour to reduce the likelihood of a behaviour.

Question 5

What is negitive punishment?

Answer 5

Something is removed to decrease the likelihood of a behaviour happening.

Question 6

What is a primary and secondary reinforcer?

Answer 6

Primary-Used to satisfy a basic survival need (food/water).
Secondary-Fulfilling as they are associated with the primary reinforcer(money used to buy food).

Question 7

What is shaping?

Answer 7

-Getting closer and closer to a result each time.
-reward behaviour getting closer then stop until they move closer then reward again.

Question 8

What is partial reinforcement?

Answer 8

Reinforced after a certain period of time/number of events.

Question 9

What is continuous reinforcemnt?

Answer 9

Reinforcing every time a thing is done.

Question 10

What is fixed interval?

Answer 10

Happens at the same time

Question 11

What is variable interval?

Answer 11

Differs when it happens after the first correct responce.

Question 12

What is fixed ratio?

Answer 12

Same number of times until a reward is given.

Question 13

What is a variable ratio?

Answer 13

Response is reinforced after a set number of times then varies.

Question 14

How does skinner 1 and skinner 2 support the theory?

Answer 14

1- Found animals could learn behaviours so animals can learn through reinforcement for a reward.
2-When rats were punished through electrical shocks the amount of lever pushes decreased.

Question 15

How does Ferster support the theory?

Answer 15

Found a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement produced the highest level of attempts in rats and pigeons.

Question 16

How does Nasa support the theory?

Answer 16

Found shaping in an 11 year old child with ADHD and helped focus on tasks.

Question 17

Why might biological theories be better to explain behaviour?

Answer 17

-Can explain how brain structure effects behaviour/hormone levels.
-Learning ignores biology so is incomplete.

Question 18

What are the testability points for the theory?

Answer 18

-All supporting studies uses animals which cannot be generalised to human behaviour.
-Reductionist as ignores biological theories, CC and SLT.
-Deterministic as reward/punishment takes away free will so more socially sensitive.

Question 19

How is the theory useful?

Answer 19

-Token economies(rewards used to manage behaviour to get higher rewards later on).
-ABA-treatment for ADHD(similar to token economy).
-Is empirical as can be directly measured through observation.