Operant Conditioning Flashcards
Background
Operant conditioning was coined by behaviourist B.F. Skinner, which is why you may occasionally hear it referred to as Skinnerian conditioning.
As a behaviourist, Skinner believed that it was not really necessary to look at internal thoughts and motivations in order to explain behaviour. Instead, he suggested, we should look only at observable behaviour.
Where the early behaviourists had focused their interests on associative learning, Skinner was more interested in how the consequences of people’s actions influenced their behaviour.
Skinner suggested that learning is an active process whereby humans/animals operate on their environment.
His theory was heavily influenced by the work of psychologist Edward Thorndike, who had proposed what he called the law of effect. According to this principle, actions that are followed by desirable outcomes are more likely to be repeated while those followed by undesirable outcomes are less likely to be repeated.
Described Thorndike’s research
Placed a cat in a puzzle box, and the cat had to pull latches to escape. The 1st time the cat escaped was through trial and error (by chance). The 2nd time the cat escaped much faster as it resembles how to escape.
Describes operant conditioning
• The work of Skinner was rooted in a view that classical conditioning was far too simplistic to be a complete explanation of complex human behaviour.
• He believed that the best way to understand behaviour is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences.
• He called this approach operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which an individual/animal changes its behaviour because of the consequences (results) of the behaviour.
• The person or animal learns its behaviour has a consequence. This is where behaviour is shaped and reinforced by consequences
• Leaning is therefore-to a certain extent- active and two way
• Operant conditioning deals with operants - intentional actions- that have an effect on the surrounding environment.
• Skinner set out to identify the processes which made certain operant behaviours more or less likely to occur.
How did skinner study operant conditioning?
Skinner (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using animals which he placed in a ‘Skinner Box’ which was similar to Thorndike’s puzzle box.
What did the Skinner box consist of?
-lever
-pellet dispenser
-dispenser tube
-food cup
-electric grid
-shock generator
What is positive reinforcement?
Providing a consequence an individual finds rewarding
What is the impact of positive reinforcement on behaviour?
Positive reinforcement strengthens a behaviour. This makes it more likely to be repeated.
How did skinner use positive reinforcement in his research?
-hungry rat in box
-rat pulls lever by chance
-food pellet drops (reward)
-rats learned to go straight to the lever when put in the box
What is negative reinforcement?
Negative reinforcement is a removal of an unpleasant reinforcer. This is known as negative reinforcement as it is a removal of an adverse stimulus which is rewarding to the animal or person.
What is the impact of negative reinforcement on behaviour?
Negative reinforcement strengthens behaviour because it stops or removes an unpleasant experience. This makes it more likely to be repeated.
How does skinner use negative reinforcement in his research?
-Placed in box and electric grid shocks it
-Rat moves around and hits the lever which stops the shocks by chance
-Learned to go straight to the lever to stop the shocks
What is punishment?
Directly applying an unpleasant stimulus after a response or by removing a potentially rewarding stimulus
What is the impact of punishment on behaviour?
It is designed to weaken or eliminate a response. This makes it less likely to be repeated.
How did Skinner use punishment in his research?
-hungry rat in a box
-That moves and touches lever by chance
-Rat subjected to an unpleasant electric current
Rat learns to avoid touching the lever
