operant conditioning

Question 1

operant conditioning

Answer 1

BF Skinner suggested that learning is an active process. in operant conditioning there are four types of consequences for behaviour

Question 2

neutral operants

Answer 2

responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behaviour being repeated

Question 3

reinforcers

Answer 3

responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behaviour being repeated. can be either positive or negative

Question 4

punishers

Answer 4

responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. punishment weakens behaviour

Question 5

skinner (1948)

Answer 5

a rat was placed in a ‘skinner box.’ the rat explores the box while the floor shocks them until eventually pressing the lever which rewards them with food and the shock stopping. this encourages them to continue the desired behaviour of pressing the lever

Question 6

positive reinforcement

Answer 6

every time a desired behaviour is carried out you’re rewarded (something is added). e.g. giving a dog a treat when they follow an instruction

Question 7

negative reinforcement

Answer 7

doing something in order to avoid negative consequences (taking something away). e.g. doing homework to avoid a detention

Question 8

primary reinforcement

Answer 8

fulfilling a biological need (a reward that strengthens a behaviour). e.g. giving a dog a treat when they sit - biological need is food to survive

Question 9

secondary reinforcement

Answer 9

allows us access to the primary reinforcer (strengthens a behaviour). e.g. getting money for doing chores - money can be used to fulfil biological need

Question 10

positive punishment

Answer 10

something unpleasant is given after an undesired behaviour is exhibited. e.g. touching a hot stove and feeling pain (deters them from doing it again)

Question 11

negative punishment

Answer 11

when an undesirable behaviour is exhibited something is taking away to make behaviour less likely to re occur. e.g. you talk back to your mom and so you get your phone taken away

Question 12

contingent

Answer 12

there is a clear link between the persons behaviour and the consequences it produces so that they know exactly what they’re being punished for (punishment/reward given immediately after behaviour is shown)

Question 13

contiguent

Answer 13

the consequence follows soon after the behaviour - if this delay is too long the conditioning is weakened (e.g. kid behaves badly when out and is punished when they get home)

Question 14

continuous reinforcement

Answer 14

a reward is given every time the desired behaviour occurs. (e.g. a rat gets a pellet of food every time they press a lever)

Question 15

fixed interval

Answer 15

a fixed period of time passed between each reinforcement. (e.g. getting your pay check every two weeks)

Question 16

variable interval

Answer 16

a varying amount of time passes between each reinforcement. (e.g. checking emails)

Question 17

fixed ratio

Answer 17

reinforcement occurs after a fixed number of responses. (e.g. getting a free drink after purchasing 10)

Question 18

variable ratio

Answer 18

reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses. (e.g. making the lottery)

Question 19

reinforcement schedules

Answer 19

ratio - number of events
interval - time

Question 20

shaping

Answer 20

instead of wanting for a subject to exhibit a desired behaviour, any behaviour leading to the target nah your behaviour is rewarded. e.g. skinner trained a rate to posh a lever by rewarding it every time it moved in the direction of that lever