section 2 - fundamental knowledge: B, 3-terms-c Flashcards
response
a single instance of behavior
behavior
larger set/class of responses that share physical dimensions (hand-flapping bx), or functions (e.g. study bx)
response class
a group of behaviors that comprise an operant / have the same function responses in the same response class can look different, whereas topographical variations among members of other response classes are limited
operant
response-consequence relationship
similar behaviors that are strengthened or weakened collectively as a result of operant conditioning (I.e. behavior is paired with consequence)
repertoire
- all behaviors that an individual can do
2. a collection of knowledge & skills an individual has learned that relevant to a particular task
environment
a complex, dynamic universe of events that differs from instance to instance.
All bx occurs within an environmental context.
stimuli
- physical events that affect the behavior of an individual
- may be internal or external
- energy change affects an organism through its receptor cells
- temporal locus of stimuli: may occur prior to/during/after a behavior
- described formally (physical features), temporally, functionally
3 types of nervous systems
PIE
- proprioceptive: internal events; stimulations from joints/tendons/muscles; necessary for posture/balance/movement; e.g. feel dizzy after rollercoaster
- interoceptive: internal events; from organs; e.g. headache
- exteroceptive: 5 senses; e.g. smelling smoke
stimulus class
- a group of antecedent stimuli that has a common effect on an operant class
- members in 1 stimulus class tend to evoke / abate same bx or response class, may differ across physical dimensions
3 types of stimulus classes
FTF
- Formal: physical features; topography
- temporal: time; antecedents (stimulus changes prior to bx), consequences (after bx)
- functional: understand stimulus change through Functional Analysis of their effects on bx; the effect of the stimulus on the bx; 1 single stimulus can be multiple functions
feature stimulus class
- common topographies
- common relative relations/spatial arrangements
- INFINITE # of stimuli
- developed via stimulus generalisation
- e.g. dog
- e.g. bigger than
- e.g. on top of
arbitrary stimulus class
- evoke same response but do NOT share common stimulus feature
- do not physically look alike/share no relative relationship
- LIMITED # of stimuli
- developed via stimulus EQUIVALENCE
- e.g. 50%, half, 1/2, 0.5
- e.g. fruit
consequences
- only affect FUTURE bx
- it selects response class, but not individual responses
- it selects any behavior, the timing of R or P matters
- immediate consequences have the greatest effect
- e.g. superstitious behavior (accidentally reinforced / punished a behavior)
automaticity
- OPERANT conditioning occurs automatically
- a person does not need to know what a consequence means for it to work
automatic reinforcement
- sensory
- self-stimulatory bx
- stereotype
- R occurs independently of the social mediation others/others do not deliver the R
- naturally produced sensory consequences
- can be +ve: taste sth yum, then bake it all the time at home
or -ve: put lotion on dry skin to relieve dryness. then put lotion when skin is dry in future to escape the dryness
hand-flapping is NOT automatic reinforcement: can’t ASSUME it has automatic reinforcement function, it can be attention, escape, access to tangible.
automatic punishment
- independent of social mediation of others
+ve e.g.: wear a rubber band on wrist & smack yourself whenever you say a curse word
-ve e.g.: you give away a favorite item every time you curse, to reduce your cursing.
Reinforcement & punishment
- increase bx in future: +ve & -ve reinforcement
- decrease bx in future: +ve & - ve reinforcement
- add / increase intensity of stimulus: + ve R & P
- withdraw / decrease intensity of stimulus: - ve R & P
Reinforcement
- strengthen rate, duration, latency, magnitude, topography
- immediacy of the reinforcer is critical / temporal relation: within 60 seconds
- what happens right before reinforcement will be reinforced
- delayed consequences are not technically reinforcement, but they can influence behavior
what reinforcement does
- make antecedent stimulus condition relevant
- change what comes after bx (consequence) and what comes before bx (antecedent)
- creates stimulus control: make response more likely in the presence of SD
- SD + 2 term contingency –> 3 term contingency of the DISCRIMINATED OPERANT
- R depends on motivation: MOs alter the current value of stimulus changes as reinforcement
- MO/motivating operant: internal process/desires
ethical
possible unwanted effects of R
- effects of R can be temporal: R stops, B may stop too
- ethical concerns abt use +ve and -ve R are similar, arise from the severity of the EO that occasions the behavior
- contrived reinforcers are opposed to the natural R, switch over to natural R as soon as possible
- empirical research showed that given contrived external R, ppl’s intrinsic motivation does not decrease
- bribery occurs before Bx, R occurs after Bx
- the Code requires to minimize the use of potentially harmful Rs, or R requires excessive MOs to be effective
behavior contrast
- occurs when multiple R or P schedules are used
- a schedule change that changes the rate of responding to a stimulus in 1 R schedule and results in a modification of the responding in another schedule.
- +ve behavior contrast is a possible unwanted effect of R, P, Extinction, DRO.
- +ve behavior contrast: a B increases for a potentially more favorable R after exposed to R that has become less favorable.
- e.g. Skinner pigeon increased blue key pecking after stopping delivering food to yellow key that it didn’t like - -ve behavior contrast: a B decreases for a less favorable R after exposed to a clearly more favorable R.
- e.g. picking up ur bf’s socks 3 times a day, over time, his bx of picking up own socks decreased
Reinforcement trumps punishment
ethics warning
recommend reinforcement rather than punishment whenever possible
5 types of +ve R+
EATSS
- edible
- activity
- tangible
- social
- sensory
setting initial criteria for R+:
decrease B: lowest <= initial < average
increase B: average < initial <= highest
-ve R+ / type II R+
- a behavior is followed immediately by reduction or removal of a stimulus that increases the future frequency of the behavior in similar conditions
e. g. take aspirin and her headache stops
2 types of -ve R+
- escape
- avoidance: free-operant avoidance, discriminated avoidance
escape
- a response that STOPs an ONGOING aversive stimulus
- e.g. turn off loud music in your car; walk out of a boring lecture
avoidance: more common
- a response that PREVENTs or POSTPONEs the presentation of a stimulus
discriminated avoidance
a contingency that responding in the presence of a signal prevents the onset of stimulus from which escape is a reinforcer.
free-operant avoidance
No Warnings
- a contingency that responses at any time during the interval prior to the scheduled onset of an aversive stimulus delays the presentation of the aversive stimulus.
- the avoidance behavior is FREE to occur AT ANY TIME
ethical warning about -ve R+
sometimes creating an aversive conditions for the individual is unethical, may bring abt more challenging behaviors
unconditioned R+
UCR
primary R+
unlearned R+
- a stimulus change that increases the future frequency of Bx without prior pairing with any other form of reinforcement
- NO learning history required
- products of PHYLOGENY: all members of a species generally share the same UCR: food, water etc
conditioned R+
CR
secondary R+
Learned R+
- a previously NEUTRAL stimulus acquires the ability to FUNCTION as a R+ through S-S pairing with 1 or more unconditioned or conditioned R+
- learning history required
- products of ONTOGENY
generalized conditioned R+
GCRs
- CR that has been PAIRED with MANY UCRs and CRs
- NOT depend on a MO
- likely to be reinforcing at any time
- same R+ is given to ppl with different preferences
- less susceptible to satiation
e. g. money, social attention, praise, token systems
