Unit 4: Operant Conditioning

Question 1

What is continuous reinforcement?

Answer 1

A schedule of reinforcement in which every response is reinforced

Question 2

What is the D-B-C of operant conditioning?

Answer 2

Discriminative stimulus - behaviour - consequence

Question 3

What is the discriminative stimulus?

Answer 3

Skinner’s term for the pre-condition that indicates that a behaviour will be reinforced

Question 4

What is effective punishment?

Answer 4

Punishment administered in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of the behaviour

Question 5

What is extinction?

Answer 5

Extinction is when a response no longer occurs. In operant conditioning, the response will be extinguished after being shown several times without reinforcement.

Question 6

What is a fixed-interval schedule?

Answer 6

A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a set time, no matter how many responses have been shown.

Question 7

What is a fixed-ratio schedule?

Answer 7

A schedule of partial reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses, no matter how much time has passed.

Question 8

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 8

The removal, reduction or prevention of an unpleasant stimulus in response to a behaviour, increasing the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated

Question 9

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 9

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behaviour is controlled by its consequences

Question 10

What is partial reinforcement?

Answer 10

Any schedule of reinforcement in which not every response is reinforced

Question 11

What are positive reinforcers?

Answer 11

A consequence that strengthens a behavioural response by providing a pleasant or satisfying outcome

Question 12

What is a punisher?

Answer 12

Any event that reduces that likelihood of a particular response occurring over time

Question 13

What is a reinforcer?

Answer 13

Any event that strengthens the likelihood of a particular response occurring over time

Question 14

What is response cost?

Answer 14

A form of punishment that occurs when something desirable is removed (for example taking away a phone if homework is not done)

Question 15

What is a schedule of reinforcement?

Answer 15

The frequency and manner in which a response is reinforced or punished

Question 16

What is shaping?

Answer 16

A procedure in which a reinforcer is given for each response that is closer and closer and eventually leads to the desired response

Question 17

What are the side effects of punishment?

Answer 17

There is a tendency of the person being punished to show aggression, resent the punisher or withdraw completely

Question 18

What is a Skinner box?

Answer 18

An enclosed chamber with a device to deliver reinforcers and a mechanism which an animal can manipulate in order to escape

Question 19

What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 19

The reappearance of an extinguished response after a rest period

Question 20

What is stimulus discrimination?

Answer 20

When an organism responds to the conditioned stimulus but not to any stimulus which is similar to the conditioned stimulus

Question 21

What is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 21

When an organism responds to a stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus

Question 22

What is a token economy?

Answer 22

A form of behaviour modification in which tokens are earned for performing target behaviours and these tokens can be exchanged later for some reward

Question 23

What is a variable interval schedule?

Answer 23

Responses are reinforced after intervals of time that vary around a set mean, irrespective of the number of responses

Question 24

What is a variable ratio schedule?

Answer 24

Responses are reinforced after a number of responses that vary around a set mean, irrespective of the elapsed time.

Question 25

What are voluntary behaviours?

Answer 25

Actions that are controlled by the person or animal performing them