Operant conditioning Flashcards
Thornndike, 1898 found what in his research with cats?
Trail and error learning
Cats in a puzzle box- accidental pressing of escape mechanism- then learned pressing = release
A law of effect-
Successful learning + pleasurable consequences= strengthens performance.
Skinner, 1938 did what?
Refine Thorndikes work. By radical behaviourism. - Skinner box.
Studied observable behaviours, how organisms learn new behaviours through experience and consequences. (Involuntary/voluntary)
Rats- lever pressing and avoidance of electric shock floor tiles.
The antecedent sets the occasion for the behaviour.
How many types of reinforcement are there?
4
Pos, neg, primary and secondary.
How many processes of reinforcement are there?
2
Punishment and extinction.
How many schedules of reinforcement?
5
Con, FR, VR, FI, VI
What does the summary of Skinners work conclude?
Behaviour analysis:
Should be seen as a science
Behaviour is observable
Environment influences
Little operational difference between humans and animals.
What does Kohler, 1924 criticise?
Cognitive factors occur too
Primates learn through a flash of insight!
What does Bandura, 1977 criticise?
Social learning theory
Humans learn automatically from observable behaviours.
What does Maslow criticise the methodology for?
Data cannot be extrapolated!
Animal studies cannot be generalised to account for human behaviour.
Physiology and anatomy is very different.
What type of learning takes place through OC?
Learning through consequence.
