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Psych 282 > topic 5 > Flashcards

topic 5 Flashcards

1
Q

Q: What is punishment in behavioral psychology?

A

A: Punishment occurs when a behavior is followed by an immediate consequence that results in the weakening of the behavior, making it less likely to occur in the future.

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2
Q

Q: What are the two main effects of consequences on behavior?

A

A:

  1. Reinforcement increases behavior.
  2. Punishment decreases behavior.
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3
Q

Q: What is positive punishment?

A

A: Positive punishment involves adding something aversive after a behavior occurs to decrease the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future.

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4
Q

Q: What is negative punishment?

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A: Negative punishment involves removing something appetitive (desirable) after a behavior occurs to decrease the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future.

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5
Q

Q: Define punishment and punisher in behavioral psychology.

A

A:

Punishment: The procedure of providing consequences for a behavior that decreases its probability in the future.

Punisher: Any event or stimulus that follows an operant response and decreases its future probability.

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6
Q

Q: What is the difference between a positive punisher and a negative punisher?

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A:

Positive punisher: A stimulus that is presented after a behavior to decrease its future occurrence.

Negative punisher: A stimulus that is removed after a behavior to decrease its future occurrence.

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7
Q

Q: What are two key considerations when using punishment?

A
  1. Punishers are defined by their effect on behavior—if a stimulus does not decrease behavior, it is not a punisher.
  2. People and animals tend to escape or avoid punishers whenever given the opportunity.
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8
Q

Q: What is the Premack Principle?

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A: The Premack Principle states that a high-probability behavior can reinforce a low-probability behavior, making the low-probability behavior more likely to occur.

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9
Q

Q: How does the Premack Principle increase the likelihood of a low-probability behavior?

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A: If a low-probability behavior must be completed before a high-probability behavior can occur, the low-probability behavior becomes more likely over time.

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10
Q

Q: Give an example of the Premack Principle in action.

A

A: If someone must play the piano (low-probability behavior) before drinking coffee (high-probability behavior), they will be more likely to play the piano in the future.

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11
Q

Q: Can a low-probability behavior reinforce a high-probability behavior?

A

A: No, low-probability behaviors do not reinforce high-probability behaviors.

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12
Q

Q: What is the Premack Principle for Punishment?

A

A: It states that a low-probability behavior can punish a high-probability behavior, making the high-probability behavior less likely to occur.

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13
Q

Q: How does a low-probability behavior punish a high-probability behavior?

A

A: If the low-probability behavior must be completed after the high-probability behavior, the high-probability behavior becomes less likely over time.

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14
Q

Q: Give an example of the Premack Principle for Punishment.

A

A: If drinking coffee (high-probability behavior) is followed by playing piano (low-probability behavior), the person may be less likely to drink coffee in the future.

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15
Q

Q: Can a high-probability behavior punish a low-probability behavior?

A

A: No, high-probability behaviors do not punish low-probability behaviors.

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16
Q

Q: What is contingency in relation to punishment?

A

A: Contingency refers to the degree of correlation between a behavior and its consequence. A punisher follows the behavior consistently, leading to stronger learning.

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17
Q

Q: How does high contingency affect punishment?

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A: High contingency creates a strong predictive association between the behavior and the punisher, leading to strong learning and behavior reduction.

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18
Q

Q: How does low contingency affect punishment?

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A: Low contingency results in a weak or inconsistent association between the behavior and the punisher, leading to weaker/slower learning.

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19
Q

Q: In an experiment with rats, what were the effects of contingent vs. non-contingent punishment?

A

A:

Control Group: No shocks, continued pressing the lever.

NC Shock Group: Non-contingent shocks, had a moderate effect.

Punishment Group: Contingent shocks, led to the greatest suppression of lever pressing.

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20
Q

Q: What is contiguity in punishment?

A

A: Contiguity refers to the nearness of events in time (temporal contiguity) or space (spatial contiguity) between behavior and punishment.

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21
Q

Q: How does temporal contiguity impact learning?

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A: If a punisher is delivered immediately after the behavior, learning occurs faster. Delayed punishment weakens learning.

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22
Q

Q: What happens if the delay between behavior and punishment increases?

A

A: The larger the delay, the weaker the learning effect, making punishment less effective.

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23
Q

Q: What does the punishment suppression ratio graph suggest?

A

A:

0” delay (immediate punishment) = strongest suppression of behavior.

2” delay = moderate suppression.

30” delay = weakest suppression (least effective punishment).

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24
Q

Q: What is intensity in relation to punishment?

A

A: Intensity refers to the magnitude or severity of a punisher. More intense punishers produce stronger learning.

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25
Q: How does punishment intensity affect behavior reduction?
A: Research (Azrin & Holz, 1966) shows that the greater the intensity of the punishing stimulus, the greater the reduction in punished responses.
26
Q: How does increasing shock voltage affect behavior suppression?
A: Low voltage (e.g., 35V, 50V) = weaker suppression. High voltage (e.g., 120V, 220V) = stronger suppression. More intense punishers lead to greater behavioral suppression.
27
Q: Why is the introductory intensity of punishment important?
A: If punishment is used, it must be intense enough from the start to effectively suppress the behavior.
28
Q: What are the risks of using punishers that are too weak?
A: Behavior does not get suppressed. More instances of punishment become necessary. Over time, greater intensities are required to achieve the same effect.
29
Q: How does reinforcement affect punishment?
A: The effectiveness of the reinforcer maintaining a behavior influences the effectiveness of a punisher.
30
Q: How can behavior be suppressed without punishment?
A: Providing an alternative way to obtain reinforcement decreases behavior more effectively than just punishment.
31
Q: What happens when an alternative reinforced response is available?
A: Behavior decreases more rapidly Punishment may not be necessary
32
Q: What are establishing operations in punishment?
A: Conditions that make a punisher more effective. Example: Being deprived of dessert when really hungry increases punishment effectiveness.
33
Q: What are abolishing operations in punishment?
A: Conditions that make a punisher less effective. Example: Being deprived of dessert after already eating something sweet reduces punishment effectiveness.
34
Q: What are aversive contingencies?
A: Situations where a stimulus following a behavior influences whether the behavior increases or decreases.
35
Q: What is positive punishment?
A: Adding an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior. Example: Getting a speeding ticket to reduce reckless driving.
36
Q: What is negative punishment?
A: Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior. Example: Losing phone privileges for misbehaving.
37
Q: What is negative reinforcement?
A: Removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior. Example: Fastening a seatbelt to stop the car alarm.
38
Q: What is overcorrection?
A: A consequence where an individual must engage in effortful behavior related to their problem behavior.
39
Q: What is positive practice in overcorrection?
A: The individual must repeatedly perform the correct behavior for a period of time. Example: Writing a word correctly multiple times after making a spelling mistake.
40
Q: What is restitution in overcorrection?
A: The individual must fix the environment they disrupted due to their problem behavior. Example: A child who throws toys must pick them up and organize them neatly.
41
Q: What are the four types of positive punishment practices?
A: 1. Overcorrection 2. Contingent exercise 3. Guided compliance 4. Physical restraint
42
Q: What is overcorrection in positive punishment?
A: Requiring an individual to engage in effortful behavior related to their problem behavior, such as positive practice (repeating correct behavior) or restitution (fixing the disruption).
43
Q: What is contingent exercise?
A: A form of punishment where an individual must perform a physical activity unrelated to the misbehavior. Example: A student who talks too much in class may be required to do push-ups.
44
Q: What is guided compliance?
A: Physically guiding an individual through a task after noncompliance. Example: If a child refuses to pick up toys, an adult may gently guide their hands to do so.
45
Q: What is physical restraint in positive punishment?
A: Restricting an individual's movement to prevent further misbehavior. Example: Holding a child’s hands to stop them from hitting.
46
Q: What is Contingent Exercise?
A: A form of positive punishment where an individual must engage in an effortful behavior for a specified period due to a problem behavior.
47
Q: How is contingent exercise different from overcorrection?
A: The effortful behavior required is unrelated to the problem behavior.
48
Q: What is Guided Compliance?
A: A technique where an individual is physically guided to comply with a request after engaging in problem behavior.
49
Q: What effects does guided compliance have?
A: Positively punishes non-compliance Negatively reinforces compliance Easily incorporates positive reinforcement of compliance
50
Q: What is Physical Restraint?
A: A punishment method where the body part involved in the problem behavior is held immobile for a specified time.
51
Q: What is Response Blocking?
A: A technique where physical intervention prevents the behavior from being completed.
52
Q: What are the benefits of response blocking?
A: Prevents problems generated by the behavior Prevents reinforcement of the behavior
53
Q: What is negative punishment?
A: A type of punishment that involves removing a desirable stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring.
54
Q: What are two common types of negative punishment?
A: Time-out and response cost.
55
Q: What is a time-out in behavioral psychology?
A: The removal of access to a positive reinforcer following a problem behavior to decrease its occurrence.
56
Q: How does time-out function as negative punishment?
A: It removes access to a reinforcing stimulus, making the problem behavior less likely to happen again.
57
Q: What is an example of time-out?
A: A child acting out in class to get attention is made to sit in the hallway alone, losing the desired attention.
58
Q: What are the two types of time-out?
A: Exclusionary: The individual is completely removed from the environment. Nonexclusionary: The individual remains in the setting but is prevented from participating.
59
Q: What is response cost?
A: A type of negative punishment where a specific amount of a reinforcer is removed after an undesired behavior.
60
Q: What is an example of response cost?
A: A swear jar—every time someone swears, they lose a set amount of money.
61
Q: How can conditioned reinforcers help with response cost?
A: They provide an immediate consequence when there is a delay in delivering the actual punisher.
62
What is Negative Reinforcement?
A process where behavior increases because it removes or prevents an aversive stimulus. Includes escape learning, avoidance learning, and learned helplessness.
63
What is Escape Learning?
When an individual changes their environment from an aversive situation to a non-aversive one. Example: Moving away from an electric shock in an experiment. Conditioning is easier when the response is similar to reflexive behavior.
64
What is Avoidance Learning?
When an individual prevents the occurrence of an aversive stimulus. Requires a reliable stimulus (antecedent) to warn of upcoming aversive events. Escape learning is learned faster than avoidance learning.
65
What is Learned Helplessness?
When an individual repeatedly faces an inescapable aversive situation and stops trying to escape. Leads to a belief that they cannot influence their situation. Model for depression and anxiety.
66
How to Overcome Learned Helplessness?
Treatment: Create a situation where avoidance failure is impossible. Prevention: Pre-exposure to escape and avoidance contingencies to block learned helplessness.
67
How can punishment be reinforcing for the person administering it?
When someone uses punishment to reduce an undesired behavior, they experience negative reinforcement. The removal of the aversive behavior strengthens their likelihood of using punishment again in the future. Additionally, the individual being punished may imitate or model the behavior of the punisher.
68
What are common reactions to punishment that involve avoidance and escape?
1. Individuals may engage in avoidance behaviors such as lying, hiding, or learning how to engage in the behavior without getting caught to escape punishment. 2. The person being punished may start avoiding the punisher entirely. 3. Aggression can also be a response, where the individual lashes out when being punished.
69
Question: Why is punishment alone not an effective long-term solution for behavior correction?
Answer: Punishment only decreases undesired behavior but does not teach acceptable alternatives. Acceptable behaviors still need reinforcement to be learned and maintained. If no alternative behavior is reinforced, the individual may exhibit malaise or apathy, leading them to disengage entirely.
70
Question: What are key considerations before resorting to punishment?
1. Use functional interventions first (e.g., positive reinforcement strategies). 2. Combine differential reinforcement with punishment to encourage alternative behaviors. 3. Understand the function of the behavior before implementing punishment. 4. Choose the aversive stimulus carefully to avoid unnecessary harm. 5. Collect data to make evidence-based treatment decisions. 6. Address ethical considerations before implementing punishment.
71
Question: What are key principles for making punishment effective?
1. Do not delay punishment—it must be immediate for the individual to associate it with their behavior. 2. Use consistent contingency and intensity—it should be strong enough to stop the behavior but not excessive. 3. Explain the punishment, especially if it is delayed, so the individual understands why it is happening. 4. Negative punishment is preferable (e.g., removing privileges instead of inflicting harm). 5. Provide alternatives for reinforcement, ensuring that positive behaviors are encouraged alongside punishment.
72
What ethical factors should be considered before using punishment?
1. Informed consent—Individuals should be aware of potential punishments. 2. Alternative treatments should be explored first. 3. Recipient safety must be ensured to prevent harm. 4. Assess problem severity to determine if punishment is necessary. 5. Follow implementation guidelines to ensure ethical application. 6. Ensure proper training and supervision for those administering punishment. 7. Seek peer review to validate ethical and effective use of punishment strategies.

Psych 282 (7 decks)

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