Unit 4 Flashcards
Organisms learn through the consequences of their actions
The Law of Effect (E.L. Thorndike)
Developed scientific method for study of behavior (EAB)
B.F. Skinner
Inventions of B.F. Skinner
Operant Chamber/ Skinner box Cumulative Recorder Teaching Machine Programmed Instruction Air Crib
Bx that has an effect on the environment and is primarily under the control of its consequences; controlled by a combination of antecedents and consequences
Operant Behavior
Effects on the environment
Consequences
Consequences have an effect on….
the future probability of the bx under similar conditions
Effects of consequences on bx
Celerative effects:
- accelerating/ strengthening effects
- decelerating/ weakening effects
Types of Operant Contingencies
R-S Contingency
S-R-S Contingency
Two General Types of Consequences
Reinforcement
Punishment
Two Types of Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Two Types of Punishment
Positive punishment
Negative punishment
Two Other Types of Consequences
only make sense if there is a history of a specific consequence
Extinction (from reinforcement)
Recovery (from punishment)
An environmental change that follows a response that follows a response and increase or maintains the FUTURE frequency of that behavior
Reinforcement
Critical Attributes of Reinforcement
- Environmental change must occur after the response
- Change must occur immediately after the response
- Change must be contingent on the response
- Defined by its effects on the bx (increase or maintain)
- Automaticity of reinforcement
Automaticity of reinforcement
Reinforcement works without any need for verbal mediation
Reinforcement as a Process
Increase in responding resulting from the contingent presentation or termination of a stimulus as consequence for a response
Reinforcement as an Operation
Arrangement of consequence contingent on a response which results in the strengthening of the response
Reinforce as a Process
Strengthening responding through contingent delivery of a consequence
Reinforce as a Operation
To present or withdraw a stimulus contingent on a response
Premack Principle
If the opportunity to engage in a “preferred” or “high probability” bx is made contingent on engaging in a “less-preferred” behavior, the future duration or frequency of the bx will increase