Operant Conditioning (Exam 1)

Question 1

Operant conditioning

Answer 1

Refrain from making certain responses in order to obtain or avoid certain outcomes

Question 2

Law of effect

Answer 2

any behavior followed by a pleasant consequence is likely to be repeated —–> probability increased

Question 3

Discriminative Stimulus

Answer 3

in operant conditioning, a stimulus indicating that a particular response (R) may lead to a particular outcome (O)

Question 4

3-part association

Answer 4

Discriminative stimulus (S^D) —> Response (R) —–> Outcome (0)

Question 5

Discrete-trials paradigm

Answer 5

an operant conditioning paradigm in which the experiment defines the beginning and the end points of each trial (Edward Thorndike “Cat Box”)

Question 6

Free-operant paradigm

Answer 6

an operant conditioning paradigm in which the animal can operate the apparatus as it chooses in order to obtain reinforcement (or avoid punishment)

Question 7

Skinner box

Answer 7

chamber used for operant conditioning and designed so that reinforcement or punishment is delivered automatically whenever an animal makes a particular response (e.g., pressing a lever)

Question 8

Cumulative recorder

Answer 8

a device used for recording responses in operant conditioning, designed in such a way that the height of the line it draws represents the total (cumulative) number of responses made up to a given time

Question 9

Discriminative Stimuli

Answer 9

• S^D (light on) —-> R (press lever) —–> O (get food)
• S^D (light off) —-> R (press lever) —–> O (no food)

Question 10

Operant Conditioning: Responses

Answer 10

Rat may receive food if lever is pressed:

• S^D (lever in box) —–> R (press lever) —–> O (get food)
  messy room ——> tidiness ————–> allowance

Question 11

Shaping

Answer 11

an operant conditioning technique in which successive approximations to the desired responses are reinforced

Question 12

Chaining

Answer 12

Trained to preform sequence of tasks (involves reward for preformed action)

Question 13

Reinforces

Answer 13

a consequence of behavior that leads to an increased likelihood of that behavior in the future

Question 14

Punisher

Answer 14

a consequence of behavior that leads to decreased likelihood of that behavior in the future

Question 15

Reinforcement

Answer 15

the process of providing outcomes (reinforcers) that lead to increased probability of a particular behavior occurring in the future

Question 16

Punishment

Answer 16

the process of providing outcomes (punishers) that lead to decreased probability of a particular behavior occurring in the furture

Question 17

Primary reinforcers

Answer 17

a reinforcer, such as food, water, or sleep, that is of biological value to an organism

* Reinforcers are not created equal*

Question 18

Drive reduction theory

Answer 18

theory, proposed by Clark Hull, that all learning reflects the innate, biological need to obtain primary reinforcers

Question 19

Negative contrast

Answer 19

phenomenon in which the reinforcing value of one reward is reduced because a better reward is expected

Question 20

Secondary reinforcer

Answer 20

value but has been paired with (or predicts the arrival of a primary reinforcer) not a biological value.

Examples: Safety —-> money OR Social value/capital —-> social media likes

Question 21

Token economy

Answer 21

an environment (such as a prison or school room) in which tokens function the same way as money does in the outside world

Rewarding and reinforcing good habits

Question 22

Punishment that leads to more behavior

Answer 22

Punishment of (R) decreases the probability that (R) will occur, but does not predict what response will occur instead of (R)

Question 23

Discriminative stimuli for punishment can encourage cheating

Answer 23

Absence of the discriminative stimuli does not mean the absence of punishment

Question 24

Concurrent reinforcement can undermine the punishment

Answer 24

The effects of punishment can be counteracted if reinforcements occur with punishment

Question 25

Initial intensity matters

Answer 25

punishment had to be strong from the outset to be effective

Question 26

Differential reinforcement of alternate behaviors (DRA)

Answer 26

Method used to decrease the frequency of unwanted behaviors by instead reinforcing preferred alternative behaviors

Question 27

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 27

type of operant conditioning in which the response causes a reinforcement to be “added” to the environment; over time the response becomes less frequent

S^D (dinnertime) —–> R (set the table) —–> O (Praise)

Question 28

Positive Punishment

Answer 28

type of operant conditioning in which the response causes an undesirable element to be “added” to the environment; over time the response becomes less frequent

S^D (tastant on thumb)—–> R (thumb sucking) —–> O (bitter taste)

Question 29

Negative reinforcement

Answer 29

type of operant conditioning in which the response causes an undesirable element to be subtracted from the environment; overtime, the response become more frequent
S^D (headache) ——> R (take aspirin) ——> O (no more headache

Question 30

Negative punishment

Answer 30

type of operant conditioning in which the response causes a desirable element to be “subtracted from” the environment; over time, the response becomes less frequent

S^D (playing at the birthday party) —–> R (bad behavior) —–> O (loss of playtime)

Question 31

Reinforcement Schedule

Answer 31

schedule that determines how often reinforcement is delivered in an operant conditoning paradigm

Question 32

Continuous reinforcement schedule

Answer 32

reinforcement schedule in which every instance of the response is followed by the reinforcers

Question 33

Partial reinforcement schedule (or intermittent)

Answer 33

a reinforcer schedule in which only some instances of the response is followed by the reinforcer

Question 34

Fixed-ratio (RF) schedule

Answer 34

a specific number of responses must occur before a reinforcer is delivered; thus FR3 means the reinforcer arrives after every 3rd response

Question 35

Post-reinforcement pause

Answer 35

in operant conditioning, a brief pause in responding that follows delivery go the reinforcer

Question 36

Fixed-interval (F1) schedule

Answer 36

reinforcement schedule in which the first response after a fixed amount of time is reinforced; thus FI-1 min means that reinforcement follows the first response made after 1 minute interval since that last reinforcement

Question 37

Variable-ration (VR) schedule

Answer 37

A reinforcement schedule in which a specific number of responses, on average, must occur before the reinforcer is delivered; thus, VR5 means that, on average, every fifth response is delivered.

Question 38

Variable-interval (VI) schedule

Answer 38

a reinforcement schedule in the first response after a fixed amount of time, on average, is reinforced; thus VI-1 min that reinforcement follows the first response made after 1 minute interval, on average, since the last reinforcement.

Question 39

Matching law of choice & behavior

Answer 39

principle that an organism, given a choice between two or multiple responses, will make each response at a rate proportional to how often that response is reinforced relative to the other choices.

Question 40

Behavioral economics

Answer 40

study of how organisms allocate their time and resource among possible options.

Question 41

Bliss points

Answer 41

in behavioral economics, the allocation of resources that maximize subjective value or satisfaction.

Question 42

Delayed discounting

Answer 42

Progressive reduction or discounting of the subjective value of a reward the longer it is delayed.

Question 43

Self-control

Answer 43

an organism’s willingness to go for a small immediate reward in favor of a large future reward

Question 44

Altruism

Answer 44

in behavioral economics, an action or behavior that provides benefit to another at the expense of some cost to the actor.
Volunteering, feeding the poor; benefits of survival of population; Also next of kin; component of operant conditioning, seeking rewards

Question 45

Reciprocal altruism

Answer 45

in behavioral economics, the principle that one organism may donate time or resources to help another in the expectation that the other will return the favor later.

S^D (friends need a favor) —–> R (preform favor now)——-> O (receive future benefits)

Question 46

Dorsal Striatum stimulus

Answer 46

Response (S^D——>R) Learning

Question 47

Basal ganglia

Answer 47

brain region that lies at the base of the forebrain and includes the dorsal straitum

Question 48

Dorsal Striatum

Answer 48

region of the basal ganglia that is important for stimulus-response learning (behavioral response)

Question 49

Orbitofrontal cortex

Answer 49

brain region that is important for learning to predict the outcomes of particular reponses

Question 50

Ventral Tegmental Area

Answer 50

brain region the contains dopamine-producing neurons protecting to the frontal cortex and other brain areas

Question 51

Hedonic value

Answer 51

in operant conditoning is the subjective “goodness” or value of the reinforcer

Question 52

Motivational value

Answer 52

in operant conditioning, the degree to which an organism is willing to work to obtain access to a stimulation

Question 53

Hedonic facial expression “YUM”

Answer 53

Tongue profusion (pleasant sweet taste)

Question 54

Aversive facial expression “UGH”

Answer 54

Gapping (unpleasant bitter taste)

Question 55

Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc)

Answer 55

part of the basal ganglia that contains dopamine-producing neurons projecting to the striatum

Question 56

Incentive salience hypothesis

Answer 56

hypothesis that dopamine helps provide organisms with the motivation to work for reinforcment

Question 57

Endogenous Opioids: How the brain signals “Liking”

Answer 57

• Morphine makes sweet taste sweeter
• Morphine makes bitter food taste less bitter
• Babies suckle even harder for sweet water

Question 58

How do “wanting” and “liking” interact?

Answer 58

Dopamine signals “wanting” and Endogenous opioids signal “liking”

Explanation:

1. Endogenous opioids could signal “liking”—-> impacting VTA’s ability to signal information about “wanting”
2. Different subpopulations of dopamine neurons exist; which convey salience (wanting) and valence (liking) separately.

Question 59

Insular cortex (insula)

Answer 59

brain region that is involved in conscious awareness of bodily and emotional states and that may play a role in signaling the aversive value of the sitmuli

Question 60

Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC)

Answer 60

brain region that may play a role in the motivational value of pain

Question 61

Addiction

Answer 61

high-seeking (positive reinforcement) and avoidance of withdrawal (negative reinforcement)

Question 62

Behavioral addiction

Answer 62

medication used to manage alcohol or opioid use disorder by blocking the receptors which cause hedonic reactions