operant conditioning Flashcards
define operant conditioning
type of learning that takes place because of actions and rewards
define positive reinforcement
strengthens a response by presenting a pleasurable stimulus after a response
define negative reinforcement
strengthens a response by removing pleasurable stimulus
eg. cant play xbox until you clean the house
define positive punishment
negative stimulus is administered
define negative punishment
removing desirable stimulus
what is the difference between reinforcement and punishment
punishment tells you what not to do
reinforcement tells you what to do
what does punishment not achieve
a desired behaviour, it only stops an undesired one
define primary reinforcer
something that is innately rewarding to your biological needs
define secondary reinforcer
something that you have learned is a reward through its association with the primary reinforcer
eg. money for food
define accidental reinforcement
person may engage in a certain behaviour before an event and if they experience a positive outcome, they might mistakenly believe their action caused the result
define continuous reinforcement
desired behaviour is reinforced every time it occurs
response rate and extinction rate is fast
define partial reinforcement
desired behaviour is reinforced sometimes not always
what are the different types of partial reinforcement
fixed ratio schedules
variable ratio schedules
fixed interval schedules
variable interval schedules
define fixed ratio schedules
response is reinforced after a specific number of responses
response rate is fast, extinction rate is medium
define variable ratio schedules
response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses
response rate is fast
extinction rate is slow
define fixed ratio interval schedules
first response is rewarded after a specific amount of time has passed
response rate is medium, extinction rate is medium
define variable interval schedules
response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed
response rate and extinction rate is slow
what are the supporting studies of operant conditioning
skinner and thorndike
what did thorndike say and how is this useful for operant conditioning
law of effect demonstrated than cats were more likely to repeat behaviours that lead to positive outcomes and less likely to repeat behaviours that resulted in no reward
highlights principle of reinforcement as behaviours followed by satisfying outcomes are reinforced, making them more likely to be repeated
what did skinner say and how is this useful for operant conditioning
his experiment with rats and pigeons in skinner boxes, he showed that animals could be trained to perform specific actions when reinforced with food
by rewarding desired behaviour, he showed that operant conditioning can shape and maintain behaviours effectively, reinforcing the idea that behaviour is influenced by consequences
what is a criticism of the supporting studies of operant conditioning
use of animal research raises the issue of extrapolation
human behaviour is more complex and influenced by factors like cognitive processes and emotions
so operant conditioning can explain animal behaviour it might not fully account for intricacies, limiting generalisability
what is the opposing study of operant conditioning
tolman
what did tolam find
a rat will learn mazes without reinforcement and they acquire mental maps of mazes rather than a series of a left and right turning behaviours
making it an incomplete explanation of the learning process in humans and animals
how does SLT provide an alternative explanation for operant conditioning
SLT believes that we learn through observation and imitation and not reinforcement
observed behaviour may be imitated if desirable consequences are expected without the need for trial and error practice
