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
Reinforcer
Stimulus that when presented following a response increases or maintains the future frequency of that response
Variable Attributes of Reinforcement
Unconditioned to Conditioned
Positive or negative
Automatic or socially mediated
There are a variety of schedules of reinforcement
Occurs in nature but may also be programmed
Unconditioned Reinforcer
Stimulus that is reinforcing without prior learning and is due to phylogenic provenance; AKA primary reinforcers
Conditioned Reinforcer
Stimulus that initially has no innate reinforcing properties but acquires reinforcing properties through pairing with unconditioned reinforcers or powerful conditioned reinforcers; ontogenic provenance
Generalized conditioned reinforcers
Conditioned reinforcer that has been paired with a variety of other reinforcers and which is effective for a wide range of behaviors; less susceptible to deprivation and satiation effects
Positive reinforcement
Environmental change in which a stimulus is added or magnified following a response that increases or maintains future frequency of that response
Negative reinforcement
Environmental change in which a stimulus is subtracted/ attenuated following a response, and which increases or maintains the future frequency of that behavior.
NOTE: there must be an irritant or aversive antecedent condition whose removal would be reinforcing.
Escape Behavior
Bx that terminates an aversive stimulus; thus it is maintained by negative reinforcement
Avoidance
Response usually terminates a “warning” stimulus; a warning stimulus is a conditioned aversive stimulus whose presence is correlated with the upcoming onset of an unconditioned aversive stimulus
Unsignaled Avoidance
There is no clear warring stimulus, but a response can still delay or prevent the occurrence of the aversive event; the aversive stimulus often occurs at regular intervals
Automatic Reinforcement
The response itself directly produces the reinforcing consequences and is not mediated by another person
Socially Mediated Reinforcement
Consequence is mediated by another person; may occur inadvertently or may be planned
Schedule of Reinforcement
Specifies criteria for reinforcement in terms of number of responses required and/or when the response occurs
Planned/ Programmed Reinforcement
A person explicitly arranged the contingency
Unplanned Reinforcement
Contingency was not explicitly arranged
Variables Affecting Reinforcer Effectiveness
Deprivation and Satiation Species-specific biological preparedness Response effort (response energy) Competing reinforcers Environmental context
Response Effort
The amount of effort involved for each of two or more responses is often a determining factor regarding reinforcer effectiveness for each response
Competing Reinforcers
Different reinforcers that are available at the same time for the same bx and/or for competing bx
Operant Extinction
Process by which a previously reinforced bx is weakened by withholding reinforcement
Critical Attributes of Extinction
- Bx have been previously reinforced
- Reinforcement withheld each and every time the bx occurs
- The bx has to be weakened
Variable Attributes of Extinction
- Organism may exhibit extinction burst following extinction
- Organism may exhibit variation in topography and emotional responses following extinction
- Extinction may involve withholding a stimulus or not withdrawing the aversive stimulus
Extinction Burst
When a previously reinforced bx is no longer reinforced, there is immediate and temporary increase in frequency, duration, and intensity before it decreases
Operant Spontaneous Recovery
Sudden and temporary reappearance of bx following extinction; after an operant bx no longer occurs as a result of extinction, the bx may reoccur at a later time in the same circumstances in which it was previously reinforced
Resurgence AKA Regression
Reappearance of a previously extinguished bx during the extinction of a more recently reinforced bx
Punishment
Environmental change which follows a response and which decreases the future frequency of that bx; defined by its effect on the specific bx it follows
Unconditioned Punisher
Stimulus that is usually punishing without any prior learning; effect due to phylogenic provenance
Conditioned Punisher
Stimulus that has initially no innate punishing properties but acquires punishing properties through pairing with unconditioned punishers or powerful conditioned punishers; effect due to ontogenic provenance
Positive Punishment
Environmental change in which a stimulus is added or magnified following a response that decreases the future frequency of that response
Negative Punishment
Environmental change in which a stimulus is subtracted or attenuated following a response which decreases the future frequency of that bx
Time Out from Positive Reinforcement
Procedure based on the principle of negative punishment; a response starts a timer and while the time is running, the organism cannot access reinforcers
Recovery from Punishment
Process by which a previously punished bx is strengthened by withholding punishment and the frequency of the bx increases in the future, usually to rates similar to baseline level
