Operant Conditioning Flashcards
Operant conditioning is learning through
conseq of actions ie behaviour determines whether its repeated or stopped
innv voluntary behaviours
actions can be
reinforced=pleasent conseqences to strengthen behaviour= likely to be repeated
punished= unp conseq to weaken behaviour
reinforcement
+add pleasant
-remove averisve stimulus
=likely to repeat
punishment
+ add unp stimulus
- remove desirable stimulus
= less likely to repeat
skinners box reinforcement and punishment
+ food pellets and - turn off light to avoid electric current
primary and secondary reinforcer
biological sig eg survival needs
asts w pr doesnt directly satisfy survival eg money, promotion
behaviour modification
therapy w theortical basis
intention to extinguish undesirable behaviour by removing r
and replace orig w desriable + reinforce
b. shaping
change behaviour by rewarding desirable behaviour, rewards are slective to behaviours closeto desired
complex can be broken into series of simple behaviour
examples of shaping
coherant gramtically correct sentences
reward= babble, prod of recognisable words, seq of words, grammatically correct sentences
schedules of reinforcement
differnt patterns have diff effects on speed of learning and extinction
eg continious= reinforce everytime so desired behaviour is achieved
inital stages response is learnt quick, effects dont last unless schedule is adapted
eg dog treats
fixed interval
b reawrded after spec time elapses
resp nesr end of intv but slow after behaviour
eg food pellet for rat after 30s of pressing leaver
variable interval
rewarded after unpredictable amt of time has passed
slow steady rate of response and time varies around avg
fixed ratio
reinforced after spec no.times
high steady rate of response , brief pause after delivery of reinforcer
variable ratio
reinforced after, high steady rate of response
eg jackpot after several times
strength
I r.evidence to support idea, highly controlled as behaviour is easily isolated
J skinner where rodent learns to press the leaver to ear food or prev being electrofied + humans same principles= consistent conclusions
E support existence of oc so cause and effect betw learning and reward and punishment
weakness
I only exp how existing behaviours are strenghtend or weakened not where they originate from
J doesnt acc learning of new behaviours never performed eg pressing leaver initially
E oc not full exp of learning
