Reinforcement

Question 1

What is Reinforcement?

Answer 1

Process whereby a behavior is strengthened by its immediate consequence that reliably follows its occurrence

Question 2

Positive vs Negative Reinforcement

Answer 2

• Positive reinforcement: the addition or increase in intensity of a desirable stimulus (reinforcer) that strengthens a behavior
• Negative reinforcement: the removal or reduction in intensity of an aversive stimulus that strengthens the behavior

Question 3

What is an operant?

Answer 3

A behavior that acts on the environment to produce a consequence and is in turn controlled by, or repeated in the future, as a result of that consequence

Question 4

What is a reinforcer?

Answer 4

A consequence that results in the strengthening of an operant behavior

Question 5

What is Social Reinforcement?

Answer 5

A reinforcing consequence that occurs through the actions of another person

Question 6

What is Automatic Reinforcement?

Answer 6

The reinforcing consequence occurs through direct contact with the physical environment

Question 7

What is a Stimulus?

Answer 7

An object or event that can be detected by one of the five senses

Question 8

What is Premack Principle?

Answer 8

Involves the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior (preferred) as a consequence of engagement in a low-probability behavior (less preferred)

Question 9

What is Premack Principle?

Answer 9

Involves the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior (preferred) as a consequence of engagement in a low-probability behavior (less preferred)

Question 10

Escape vs Avoidance

Answer 10

• Escape: the occurrence of a behavior results in the termination of an aversive stimulus that was already present when the behavior occurred
• Avoidance: the occurrence of the behavior prevents the aversive stimulus from occurring
• Both are negatively reinforced

Question 11

Escape vs Avoidance

Answer 11

• Escape: the occurrence of a behavior results in the termination of an aversive stimulus that was already present when the behavior occurred
• Avoidance: the occurrence of the behavior prevents the aversive stimulus from occurring
• Both are negatively reinforced

Question 12

Unconditioned/Primary Reinforcers

Answer 12

• Function as reinforcers the first time they are presented, no prior experience needed
• Have biological importance
• Susceptible to Satiation and Deprivation

Question 13

Conditioned/Secondary Reinforcers

Answer 13

• Once a neutral stimulus but became a reinforcer by being paired with an unconditioned reinforcer or already established conditioned reinforcer
• Remains effective only if occasionally paired with other reinforcer
• Do not satiate as quickly

Question 14

Generalized Conditioned Reinforcer

Answer 14

Conditioned reinforcer that is paired with a wide variety of other reinforcers

Question 15

Token Economy

Answer 15

A person is awarded a token after performing a desirable behavior that can be exchanged for other reinforcers (backup reinforcers)

Question 16

Primary Reinforcers vs Reflexive Responses

Answer 16

Primary Reinforcers
- operant conditioning
- motivating
- born to respond to, but can be achieved in different ways; no universal response
- satiation & deprivation

Reflexive
- classical conditioning
- not motivating
- universal response

Question 17

What is most effective R-S Contiguity gap?

Answer 17

Roughly 0-5 seconds

Question 18

What are the factors influencing the effectiveness of reinforcement?

Answer 18

1. Immediacy: consequence immediately after response
2. Contingency: response must occur before consequence
3. Motivating Operations: establishing & abolishing
4. Individual Differences
5. Magnitude: intensity of consequence

Question 19

Motivation Operations (MOs)

Answer 19

-Establishing: makes reinforcers more potent and behavior more likely to occur (evocative effect)
-Abolishing: makes reinforcers less potent and behavior like likely to occur (abative effect)

Question 20

Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 20

• specifies which responses will be reinforced
• continuous reinforcement schedule (CFR): every response is reinforced; FR1
• intermittent reinforcement schedule: occasionally reinforced
• acquisition of bx with CFR
• maintenance of bx with intermittent

Question 21

Intermittent Schedules

Answer 21

• Fixed Ratio: reinforcement after certain number of responses
• Variable Ratio: after average of x responses
• Fixed Interval: reinforcement for first response after certain number of time
• Variable Interval: first response after average of x time

Question 22

Other intermittent schedules

Answer 22

• Fixed Time: reinforcement after certain time regardless of bx
• Variable Time: in intervals that vary around average regardless of bx
• Fixed Duration: bx must be continuously performed for set amount of time
• Variable Duration: continuous performance of bx around average time
• Pacing schedule: responses not too fast or slow

Question 23

Concurrent Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 23

Different schedules of reinforcement that are in effect for a person’s behaviors at one time

Question 24

Concurrent operants

Answer 24

Different responses that are available to a person at the same time

Question 25

How to thin a schedule

Answer 25

1. Acquire new behavior with CRF/FR1
2. Maintain behavior with intermittent FR schedule, e.g. FR5 to FR8 to FR12 etc
3. Move to VR
   -If it thins too quickly, leads to extinction
   -Teach new behavior with frequent bx
   -As ratio is stretch, post-reinforcement pause increases

Question 26

Schedule effects

Answer 26

• Variable: steady rates of bx, no post-reinforcement pause
• Ratio: high rates of response

Question 27

Complex schedules

Answer 27

• Chained
• Multiple
• Concurrent

Question 28

What determines how fact and operant behavior is learned?

Answer 28

1. How difficult the behavior is to perform
2. Individual’s skills
3. Strength of Reinforcement

Question 29

What is Sensitization?

Answer 29

Increasing intensity or likelihood of a response to a certain stimulus

Question 30

What is Habituation?

Answer 30

Reducing the intensity or probability of a response to a certain stimulus

Question 31

What is a response class?

Answer 31

Group of behaviors that have the same function or result in similar consequences