Reinforcement and behavioural modification in operant conditioning Flashcards
Describe the advantage of the reinforcement and behaviour modification theory
- Reinforcement schedules are supported by many studies conducted on both humans and animals
- Hundreds of laboratory and field experiments have compared the effects of different partial reinforcement schedules on animal and human learning
- The results consistently showed the properties of partial reinforcement schedules
- Latham and Dossett found that mountain beaver trappers responded better to variable ration pay in which they received $4 marble than a fixed ratio pay in which they received $1 per animal
- This means that there is a firm evidence base supporting the properties of partial reinforcement in both human and non-human animal learning
Describe continuous reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement is when each behaviour gets the consequence
Describe when the reinforcement interval is fixed
- A fixed-interval schedule means that regarding the time of the reward or punishment, there is a fixed time.
- This results in more behaviours as the time for the reward increases
Describe the application of the reinforcement and behavioural modification theory
- Behavioral modification can be used as forms of treatment for treating inappropriate behaviour
- Behaviour modification systems have been used to treat a range of mental health problems such as schizophrenia, autism and ASD
- Lovaas therapy involves intensive reinforcement including shaping, in order to normalise some aspects of behaviour in children with ASD
- This shows that behaviour modification is of practical benefit to clients
Describe the disadvantage of the reinforcement and behavioural modification theory
- Understanding the properties of reinforcement doesn’t provide a complete account of human motivation
- Humans are motivated by a range of factors
- Reinforcement properties provide a detailed account of extrinsic motivation (the effect of outside factors)
- However, our behaviour is also a result of intrinsic motives
- For example at work we can be motivated by interest and enjoyment (intrinsic) motivation and by extrinsic rewards
- This shows that reinforcement properties only provide a partial explanation for human behaviour
Define behaviour modification
The use of operant conditioning techniques to change the frequency of desired behaviours
Define shaping
Shaping is using operant conditioning in the form of rewards and punishments to form a complex behaviour that would not occur as a whole naturally so could not be reinforced itself
Describe when the reinforcement ratio is fixed
- Fixed ratio means that regarding the number of behaviors, the reward or punishment is a set number.
- This means that there will be a high number of responses up to the consequences being given, but that there might be a period of not many responses once the reward has been given
Describe when the reinforcement interval is variable
- Regarding the time of the award or punishment, there is a varying time that the punishment or reward has been received each time
- This means that behaviours are reasonably steady as it is not known when the consequences will happen
Describe the reinforcement schedule
A plan of how often and when reinforcement will be provided
Describe when the reinforcement ratio is variable
- Variable ratio means that a reward or punishment is given rather randomly with regard to the number of behaviours
- This is the most efficient as it is not known when the consequences will arrive - they could be at any time so the behaviour is continuous.
Describe how shaping occurs
Shaping is when behaviour is arrived at by:
- Rewarding moves toward the desired behaviour
- Waiting for an action that is nearer to the desired behaviour
- Waiting for the actual behaviour before offering the reinforcement
Describe partial reinforcement
The reinforcement is irregular
