Operant Conditioning (O.C.) Flashcards
Define Operant Conditioning and give an example
its all about voluntary behaviour, that we can learn behaviours through punishment and rewards
Example:
pushing a lever to get food as a reward
not pushing the lever so gets shocked
Define a Reinforcer and provide an example
its any method that will make the human/animal repeat
the desired response
Example: money (in society)
what are different types of reinforcers
- Primary Reinforcer
- Secondary Reinforcer
- Positive Reinforcer
- Negative Reinforcer
Define Primary Reinforcer and give an example
where a stimulus is biologically important to an organism
Example: food, water, sleep, shelter, social interaction
Define Secondary Reinforcer and give an example
a situation where the stimulus reinforces the behaviour after it has been associated with the primary reinforcer
Example: money, good grades, stars, stickers
*another way to think it: is like that they are the suppliers for the primary reinforcer
Define Positive Reinforcer and give an example
adding something pleasant (P) to increase the likelihood of a behaviour (B)
Example: good grade (B) = Money (P), doing chores (B) = cookie (P)
Define Negative Reinforcer and give an example
increase the desired behaviour (B) but taking something unpleasant (UP) away
Example: doing your hwk (UP) = can play games(B)
do the dishes (B) = stopped getting nagged at (UP)
Define punishment and give an example
a consequence that follows an operant response that decrease the likelihood of that response from occurring in the future
Example: getting hit when doing something naughty etc
What are the different types of punishment?
- Positive punishment
- Negative punishment
Define positive punishment and give an example
add an unpleasant response (UR) to decrease the behaviour (B)
Example: doing something sus (B) = gets called out for it (UR) so wont do it again
touching something sharp (B) = feels pain (UR) so wont do it again
Define negative punishment and give an example
decreasing the desire behaviour (B) but now removing something pleasant (P)
Example: getting shit grades (B) = gets wifi shut off (P)
losing money from bail money (P) = committing something illegal (B)
What are the different types of schedules of reinforcement and give a brief explanation of what the type is
2 types of continuous schedules (desired behaviour is reinforced every single time it occurs)
- fixed ratio
- fixed interval
2 types of variable schedules (a behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable amount of time/ after an unpredictable amount of behaviours)
- variable ratio
- variable interval
Define Continuous reinforcement and give and example
An animal/human is positively reinforced every time a specific behaviour occurs
Example: every time a lever is pressed a pellet is delivered and then food delivery is shut off.
Response rate = Slow
Extinction rate = fast
Define Fixed Ratio reinforcement and give and example
Behaviour is reinforced only after the behaviour occurs a certain number of times (can be every 5th, 10th etc)
Example: when a child receive a star every 5 words spelled correctly
Response rate = Fast
Extinction rate = Medium
Define Fixed Interval reinforcement and give and example
One reinforcement is given after a fixed time interval providing at least one correct response has been made
Example: being paid by the hour/ every 15 min a pellet is delivered (if lever is pulled once within that time) then turns off
Response rate = Medium
Extinction rate = Medium
