Operant Conditioning

Question 1

Define ‘Law of Effect’.

Answer 1

Of the several responses made to the same situation, those which are closely followed by satisfaction will be more firmly connected with the situation.

Question 2

What process did the cat in Thorndike’s (1911) experiment learn through?

Answer 2

Trial and error.

Question 3

Describe the conclusions Thorndike drew from his experiment.

Answer 3

• Showed that an animal learns a response through favourable consequences
• This increases the probability of that behaviour repeating

Question 4

How does operant conditioning compare to classical conditioning in the responses that are learnt?

Answer 4

Classical = The responses already occur naturally to an animal, it's only the stimuli that can be manipulated to elicits these responses
Operant = New behaviours are created in animals in response to a consequence

Question 5

Define ‘positive reinforcement’.

Answer 5

Something positive which is received when the desired behaviour is performed.

Question 6

Give and example of positive reinforcement.

Answer 6

Giving a dog a treat when they act well behaved or perform a trick.

Question 7

What is ‘primary’ positive reinforcement?

Answer 7

One that satisfies a basic need such as getting food.

Question 8

What is ‘secondary’ positive reinforcement?

Answer 8

One that enables you to access a primary reinforcement such as getting money.

Question 9

Define ‘negative reinforcement’.

Answer 9

Something negative is avoided after the desired behaviour is performed which increases the probability of the desirable behaviour being performed and repeated.

Question 10

Give and example of negative reinforcement.

Answer 10

Doing homework to avoid detention.

Question 11

Define ‘punishment’.

Answer 11

Causing some kind of physical or mental distress by giving a negative consequence and so decreasing the probability of the undesirable behaviour being repeated.

Question 12

Define ‘positive’ punishment.

Answer 12

Receiving something negative as punishment.

Question 13

Give an example of positive punishment.

Answer 13

Getting hit by a ruler at school for being naughty.

Question 14

Define ‘negative’ punishment.

Answer 14

Getting something taken away or being deprived of something as punishment.

Question 15

Give an example of negative punishment.

Answer 15

Going to be without tea for being naughty.

Question 16

Give an example of primary punishment.

Answer 16

Being deprived of food.

Question 17

Give an example of secondary punishment.

Answer 17

Being deprived of pocket money.

Question 18

Define ‘shaping’ in terms of ‘successive approximations’.

Answer 18

Learning a new skill through different stages, being rewarded each time.

Question 19

Give an example of shaping in terms of successive approximations.

Answer 19

Learning how to use a knife and fork by using stages such as going from being fed, to a spoon, to a knife and fork.

Question 20

Define ‘chaining’.

Answer 20

Combining individual activities to receive a reward at the end rather than after each activity.

Question 21

Give an example of chaining.

Answer 21

Tidying all of a room and receiving the reward at the end rather than after each item of clothing is picked up.

Question 22

Define ‘uncontrollable reinforcers’.

Answer 22

When the behaviour has no real effect on the reward but the reward follows so that they appear to be linked.

Question 23

Give an example of how this can lead to superstition.

Answer 23

Being cautious on Friday 13th and getting through the day without anything bad happening so that behaviour is repeated.

Question 24

List the 3 principles of operant conditioning.

Answer 24

1) Generalisation
2) Discrimination
3) Extinction

Question 25

Define ‘generalisation’ in terms of operant conditioning.

Answer 25

The the behaviour is generalised to similar things to the reinforced behaviour.

Question 26

Define ‘discrimination’ in terms of operant conditioning.

Answer 26

Distinguishing between responses that may be similar to the reinforced behaviour.

Question 27

Define ‘extinction’ in terms of operant conditioning.

Answer 27

When the behaviour that was previously reinforced no longer produces reinforcing consequences and the behaviour stops.

Question 28

List the 5 schedules of reinforcement.

Answer 28

1) Continuous
2) Fixed ratio
3) Variable ratio
4) Fixed interval
5) Variable interval

Question 29

Define a ‘continuous’ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 29

Where the desired behaviour is reinforced every time it occurs.

Question 30

Give an example of continuous schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 30

Getting a raise at work after every successful project.

Question 31

State the response rate and extinction rate of continuous schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 31

Response rate = Slow

Extinction rate = Fast

Question 32

Define a ‘fixed ratio’ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 32

When every 5th, 10th, or any such regular desired behaviour is reinforced.

Question 33

Give an example of a fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 33

A mom asking her child to clean their room 5 times before they are punished.

Question 34

State the response rate and extinction rate of fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 34

Response rate = Fast

Extinction rate = Medium

Question 35

Define a ‘variable ratio’ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 35

Where the number of necessary desired behaviours are constantly altered.

Question 36

Give an example of a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 36

When at a casino a slot machine it provides different winnings each time.

Question 37

State the response rate and extinction rate of variable ratio schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 37

Response rate = Fast

Extinction rate = Slow

Question 38

Define a ‘fixed interval’ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 38

Reinforcement made once every fixed number of minutes so long as there has been at least one desirable behaviour performed during that time.

Question 39

Give an example of a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 39

Receiving a treat after every hour of revision.

Question 40

State the response rate and extinction rate of fixed interval schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 40

Response rate = Medium

Extinction rate = Medium

Question 41

Define a ‘variable interval’ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 41

Reinforcement is made at different time periods.

Question 42

Give an example of a variable interval schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 42

Self-employed people getting paid at different times in the month after completing different length tasks.

Question 43

State the response rate and extinction rate of variable interval schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 43

Response rate = Fast

Extinction rate = Slow

Question 44

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 ‘evidence’ points.

Answer 44

P - Thorndike’s research supports
E - He showed that with trial and error, cats learnt to get out of the cage due to positive reinforcement
E - Therefore showing how behaviour can be learnt through reinforcement
P - Skinner’s research supports
E - He showed that rats learnt when to press a lever to receive a treat with the use of positive reinforcement
E - Therefore showing how behaviour can be learnt through reinforcement

Question 45

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate a high and low ‘how’ point.

Answer 45

P - High reliability
E - Standardised procedures, such as Skinner sounding a buzzer
E - Can be replicated to test for consitency
P - Low generalisability
E - Much research uses animals
E - Humans are more complex and have qualitative differences to animals brains and so can’t generalise

Question 46

Are there any applications (provide 2)?

Answer 46

P - Yes
E - Can be used to train guide dogs to support humans through the process of positive reinforcement when they elicit a desirable behaviour
E - Therefore the concept can be used to form treatments and help a range of people
P - Yes
E - Can be used in a token economy program by giving secondary reinforcers in response to desirable behaviours
E - Therefore helping people in psychiatric hospitals such as bulimics

Question 47

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate a ‘contrasting theory’ point.

Answer 47

P - Social learning theory disagrees
E - It suggests that humans learn through observation
E - Therefore observed behaviour may be imitated if desirable consequences follow, without the need for trial and error