Punishment Flashcards

1
Q

What are the variables affecting punishment?

A
  • Contingency
  • contiguity
  • intensity of the punisher
  • introductory level of punishment
  • reinforcement of punished behaviour
  • alternative sources of reinforcement
  • deprivation level
  • Qualitative features
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2
Q

What is the general rule of contingency re punishment?

A

The greater the degree of contingency between a behaviour and punishment, the faster a behaviour changes and the greater the suppression of the behaviour

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3
Q

What is the general rule of contiguity and punishment?

A

for maximum effect, punish behaviour immediately

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4
Q

Why might a delayed interval between behaviour and punishment reduce effectiveness?

A

Because there is opportunity in the interval for other behaviours to occur, therefore punishment may suppress other behaviours slightly rather than powerfully suppressing the desired behaviour

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5
Q

Why did Thorndike and Skinner’s punishment experiments not work?

A

Because the consequences (punishers) were too weak

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6
Q

What is the general rule re punishment and intensity?

A

That the greater the intensity/strength of the punishing stimulus, the greater the reduction of the punished responses

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7
Q

Why is it necessary to begin with a punisher that is intense enough to suppress the behaviour dramatically?

A

Because if the punisher is too weak, the punished behaviour will tend to persist and a far greater level of punisher may be required to suppress the behaviour

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8
Q

What must be considered re reinforcement when considering punishment?

A

That all behaviour is maintained by reinforcement so the effectiveness of a punishment procedure depends on the frequency, amount and quality of reinforcement the behaviour produces

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9
Q

What might happen if a punished behaviour continues to receive reinforcement?

A

It may persist

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10
Q

What may be important to provide when using punishment to suppress behaviour?

A

Alternative means of obtaining the reinforcers that maintained the undesirable behaviour

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11
Q

What is the general rule re deprivation’s effects on punishment?

A

The higher the level of reinforcer deprivation, the less effective a punisher is.

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12
Q

What are the two theories of punishment?

A

Two process theory and one-process theory

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13
Q

What was behaviour suppression originally believed to be caused by?

A

The disruptive effects of aversive stimuli

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14
Q

What were the two key findings that undermined this view?

A

1- the effects of punishment are not as transient as Skinner thought if the aversives are sufficiently intense.
2- punishment has a greater suppresive effect on behaviour than does aversive stimulation that is independent of behaviour. (the power of contingency)

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15
Q

What does one-process theory say about punishment and reinforcement?

A

punishment and reinforcement have essentially symmetrical effects on behaviour

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16
Q

What are the pros of punishment?

A
  • it is effective in the short run, because it is reinforcing
  • produces rapid and substantial reduction in behaviour
  • it is fast, suppression beings immediately
  • can be permanent
  • can have beneficial side-effects
17
Q

What are the cons of punishment?

A
  • escape
  • aggression
  • apathy
  • abuse
  • imitation of the punisher
18
Q

How do people escape from punishment?

A
  • fleeing
  • tuning out
  • cheating and lying
  • making excuses and showing remorse
  • suicide
19
Q

What is an effective way of exerting control over another?

A

Aggression

20
Q

When might apathy occur?

A

When escape and aggression are not possible people and when punishment is common-place

21
Q

What are the main alternatives to punishment?

A
  • Response prevention
  • extinction
  • differential reinforcement
  • non-contingent reinforcement
22
Q

What is response prevention?

A

An alternative to punishment that prevents the behaviour from occurring by changing the environment in some way

23
Q

What is extinction as an alternative to punishment?

A

The withholding of all reinforcement for a given behaviour, reducing the frequency of that behaviour

24
Q

What can make extinction difficult?

A

The extinction burst, which temporarily increases the behaviour, and that it can be slow

25
Q

When can extinction not be used?

A

When the relevant reinforcers are outside of our control

26
Q

What is differential reinforcement?

A

Use of the combination of extinction and reinforcement

27
Q

What are the different types of differential reinforcement?

A

Differential reinforcement of:

  • low rate (DRL)
  • of zero responding (DRO)
  • of incompatible behaviour (DRI)
  • of alternative behaviour (DRA)
28
Q

What is differential reinforcement of low rate?

A

DRL- when reinforcers are provided for a behaviour but only when it occurs infrequently
- the reinforcement is provided at the end of an interval

29
Q

What is the differential reinforcement of zero responding?

A

DRO- when reinforcement is contingent on NOT performing performing the behaviour for a specified period of time
- reinforcement is provided only when behaviour does not occur

30
Q

What is the differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour?

A

DRI- when behaviour that is incompatible with the unwanted behaviour is reinforced

31
Q

What is the differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour?

A

When the reinforcers that were made available for the problem behaviour are made contingent on some more desirable behaviour

32
Q

What is the rule for DRI?

A

By increasing the rate of desirable behaviour, we automatically reduce the rate of an incompatible undesirable behaviour

33
Q

What is the main advantage of differential reinforcement?

A

It focuses attention on strengthening desirable behaviours rather than suppressing undesirable ones

34
Q

What is NCR?

A

Non-contingent reinforcement, when reinforcement is delivered without regard to behaviour
– what the person used to have to work for with shitty behaviour they can now get for free

35
Q

Why might NCR work?

A

Because the non-contingent reinforcement reduces the reinforcing value of the reinforcers

36
Q

What are the types of self-control; techniques?

A
  • physical restraint
  • distancing
  • distraction
  • deprivation and satiation
  • inform others of your goals
  • monitoring behaviour
37
Q

How does the Premack principle apply to the one-process theory of punishment?

A

That low-probability behaviour punishes high-probability behaviour