Reading Notes 6

Question 1

What is shaping?

Answer 1

The method o/ reinforcing successive approximations to a terminal response

Question 2

What does terminal response mean?

Answer 2

Loosely speaking, the form of behavior that meets our specified criterion (goal)

Question 3

What is the essential ingredient for selection?

Answer 3

Variability

Question 4

What are one of the side effects of EXT?

Answer 4

Variability
- When reinforcers are withheld, we try something different

Question 5

Shaping permits us to start with a _______ requirement that we can “build” (shape) into a very (very) large requirement.

Answer 5

Small

Question 6

Shaping is an __________________ parallel to phylogenic selection.

Answer 6

Ontogenic
- AKA- How our behavior is selected in our lifetime mirrors how our characteristics were selected in our evolutionary history

Question 7

How can shaping occur naturally or artificially?

Answer 7

Naturally- there are no people in the environment who will determine when reinforcers are presented and withheld

Artificially- people in the environment determine when reinforcers are presented and withheld

Question 8

Give an example of shaping occurring NATURALLY?

Answer 8

Terminal response- arriving to class on time
- You may leave home with the goal of making it to your first class of the day, on time.

• Given “typical” traffic conditions, it may take you 20 min to get to campus.
• One day you give yourself 15 min, and you’re late.
• The next day you give yourself 30 min, and you’re super early.
• You can adjust the time you allow, until you identify the “critical value.”

Question 9

Give an example of shaping occurring ARTIFICIALLY?

Answer 9

Terminal response- shake hands/paw
- In clicker training, a “click” is established as a conditioned reinforcer
- Initially, each “click” is followed by a treat (food)

Question 10

What is operant class?

Answer 10

A group of responses that vary in topography but produce a common environmental consequence

Question 11

What is differential reinforcement?

Answer 11

Process by which some responses that fall within a specific class are reinforced, and others are not

Question 12

What is a descriptive operant?

Answer 12

The behavior that’s reinforced
- What the experimenter defines as the “rules” for earning reinforcers.

Question 13

What is a functional operant?

Answer 13

The behavior generated by delivery of reinforcers
- What the org. actually does

Question 14

What is induction?

Answer 14

Type o/ functional operant

Question 15

What does DRL stand for?

Answer 15

Differential
Reinforcement o/
Low rates

Question 16

In a DRL, when is a response reinforced?

Answer 16

Response can only be reinforced ONLY if some minimum amt. o/ time has passed since the last response
- Can be useful when the goal is to REDUCE RATE O/ BEHAVIOR w/o eliminating it

Question 17

Give an example of DRL

Answer 17

Eating too quickly (taking a bite of mashed potatoes every 5 s) can be dangerous. We want eating to occur, just not so quickly.

Question 18

What does DRH stand for?

Answer 18

Differential
Reinforcement o/
High rates

Question 19

In a DRH, when is a response reinforced?

Answer 19

If at least N responses were emitted during the last t seconds
- Can be very useful when the goal is to IMPROVE SPEED & ACCURACY

Question 20

Give an example of DRH

Answer 20

Typing

Question 21

In DRL & DRH, what must occur first in order to receive a reinforcer?

Answer 21

Target response

Question 22

What does DRO stand for?

Answer 22

Differential
Reinforcement o/
Other behavior

Question 23

What is DRO useful for?

Answer 23

When we don’t want to use punishment but do want to ELIMINATE A RESPONSE (completely)