Unit 4: Operant Conditioning Flashcards
What is continuous reinforcement?
A schedule of reinforcement in which every response is reinforced
What is the D-B-C of operant conditioning?
Discriminative stimulus - behaviour - consequence
What is the discriminative stimulus?
Skinner’s term for the pre-condition that indicates that a behaviour will be reinforced
What is effective punishment?
Punishment administered in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of the behaviour
What is extinction?
Extinction is when a response no longer occurs. In operant conditioning, the response will be extinguished after being shown several times without reinforcement.
What is a fixed-interval schedule?
A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a set time, no matter how many responses have been shown.
What is a fixed-ratio schedule?
A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses, no matter how much time has passed.
What is negative reinforcement?
The removal, reduction or prevention of an unpleasant stimulus in response to a behaviour, increasing the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated
What is operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behaviour is controlled by its consequences
What is partial reinforcement?
Any schedule of reinforcement in which not every response is reinforced
What are positive reinforcers?
A consequence that strengthens a behavioural response by providing a pleasant or satisfying outcome
What is a punisher?
Any event that reduces that likelihood of a particular response occurring over time
What is a reinforcer?
Any event that strengthens the likelihood of a particular response occurring over time
What is response cost?
A form of punishment that occurs when something desirable is removed (for example taking away a phone if homework is not done)
What is a schedule of reinforcement?
The frequency and manner in which a response is reinforced or punished
What is shaping?
A procedure in which a reinforcer is given for each response that is closer and closer and eventually leads to the desired response
What are the side effects of punishment?
There is a tendency of the person being punished to show aggression, resent the punisher or withdraw completely
What is a Skinner box?
An enclosed chamber with a device to deliver reinforcers and a mechanism which an animal can manipulate in order to escape
What is spontaneous recovery?
The reappearance of an extinguished response after a rest period
What is stimulus discrimination?
When an organism responds to the conditioned stimulus but not to any stimulus which is similar to the conditioned stimulus
What is stimulus generalisation?
When an organism responds to a stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus
What is a token economy?
A form of behaviour modification in which tokens are earned for performing target behaviours and these tokens can be exchanged later for some reward
What is a variable interval schedule?
Responses are reinforced after intervals of time that vary around a set mean, irrespective of the number of responses
What is a variable ratio schedule?
Responses are reinforced after a number of responses that vary around a set mean, irrespective of the elapsed time.
What are voluntary behaviours?
Actions that are controlled by the person or animal performing them
