operant conditioning - main features

Question 1

what is operant conditioning ?

Answer 1

learning that occurs when behaviour is followed by an event, and the nature of this event increases or decreases the probability of the behaviour being repeated.

Question 2

what is reinforcement ?

Answer 2

it is an even that follows a desired behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated

Question 3

what is positive reinforcement ?

Answer 3

occurs when something nice is introduced to the individual following a behaviour, increasing the probability of that behaviour being repeated

Question 4

what is negative reinforcement ?

Answer 4

occurs when something unpleasant is removed from the individual following a behaviour, increasing the probability of that behaviour being repeated

Question 5

what is punishment ?

Answer 5

takes place when an event follows a behaviour and this decreases the probability of that behaviour being repeated

Question 6

what is primary reinforcement ?

Answer 6

takes place when the thing that acts as a reinforcer has biological significance, such as food.

Question 7

what is secondary reinforcement ?

Answer 7

takes place when the thing that acts as a reinforcer has become associated with something of biological significance, such as money which is associated with being able to buy food

Question 8

what is positive punishment ?

Answer 8

occurs when something unpleasant is introduced to the individual following a behaviour, decreasing the probability of that behaviour being repeated.

Question 9

what is negative punishment ?

Answer 9

occurs when something nice is removed from an individual following a behaviour, decreasing the probability of that behaviour being repeated

Question 10

(evaluation) what is a strength of this theory ?

Answer 10

• supported by many studies - both humans and animals
• skinner (1948) conducted many laboratory experiments demonstrating operant conditioning in animals (skinner boxes)
• chase et al. (2015) (a modern brain study) revealed brain systems (neural correlates) that relate to reinforcement in humans.
• means there is a firm evidence base supporting the existence of operant conditioning in both human and animal learning

Question 11

(evaluation) what is a weakness to this theory ?

Answer 11

• can only explain how existing behaviours are strengthened or weakened, not where behaviour originated.
• although it can explain a much wider range that classical conditioning, including complex behaviours, it cannot explain where these behaviours originate from - making operant conditioning an incomplete explanation for the learning of behaviours.

Question 12

(evaluation) what is an application of this study ?

Answer 12

• education and childcare
• systems of reinforcement are used in schools and nurseries
• e.g. giving a child a gold star for good work encourages them to repeat that good work - parents often use star charts or food treats to reinforce desirable behaviour
• shows operant conditioning is of use in the real worlds as well as being of theoretical interest.

Question 13

what was chase et al. (2015) and what did it reveal ?

Answer 13

it was a modern brain study that revealed brain systems (neural correlates) that relate to reinforcement in humans