Week 9: Escape Avoidance and Punishment

Question 1

Escape Behaviour

Answer 1

Performance of behaviour that terminates the aversive stimulus.

Question 2

Avoidance Behaviour

Answer 2

Performance of behaviour prevents aversive stimulus from occurring.

Question 3

Shuttle Avoidance Procedure

Answer 3

An animal has to shuttle back and forth in a box to avoid an aversive stimulus.

Question 4

Two-Process Theory

Answer 4

Classical conditioning of fear response to CS, followed by operant conditioning in which moving from the CS is negatively reinforced by a reduction in fear.

Question 5

Criticisms and Responses of Two-Process Theory

Answer 5

Avoidance behaviour doesn’t extinguish - anxiety conservation hypothesis (not enough exposure to be extinguished)
No evidence of fear, 2nd process can’t occur - No evidence they are 100% fearless.

Question 6

What is the difference between experimental avoidance in animals vs phobic avoidance in humans?

Answer 6

Experimental avoidance in animals conditions less readily than phobic avoidance in humans.
The phobic individual learns to make avoidance response early in the chain of events to minimize effort of avoiding.

Question 7

OCD

Answer 7

Persistent thoughts, impulses, images (obsessions), and repetitive, stereotyped actions (compulsions) are carried out in response to the obsessions.
Explained by two process theory.

Question 8

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

Answer 8

A method of treating OCD that involves prolonged exposure to the anxiety-arousing events while not engaging in compulsive behaviour that decreases the anxiety.

Question 9

Time-Out

Answer 9

The loss of access to positive reinforcers for a brief period of time following a problem behaviour.

Question 10

Response Cost

Answer 10

Removal of a specific reinforcer following a problem behaviour.

Question 11

Intrinsic Punishment

Answer 11

Punishment that is an inherent aspect of the behaviour being punished. The activity itself is punishing.

Question 12

Extrinsic Punishment

Answer 12

Punishment that is not an inherent aspect of behaviour being punished, but follows the behaviour.

Question 13

Primary (Unconditioned) Punishers

Answer 13

An event that is innately punishing. Ex: shock.

Question 14

Secondary (Conditioned) Punishers

Answer 14

An event that has become punishing because it has in the past been associated with some other punisher. Ex: tone: shock.

Question 15

Generalized (Generalized Secondary) Punishers

Answer 15

An event that has become punishing because it has in the past been associated with many other punishers.

Question 16

Problems with the use of Punishment

Answer 16

1. Doesn’t reinforce adaptive behaviour.
2. Generalized suppression of other behaviour.
3. Punisher becomes SD for punishment.
4. Punished may avoid punisher.
5. Strong emotional response.
6. Aggressive reaction.
7. Models poor teaching techniques.
8. Could be negatively reinforcing the act of punishing.

Question 17

Benefits of Punishment

Answer 17

1. Quickly suppresses behaviour.
2. Can result in an improvement of mood.
3. Can increase attention to environment.

Question 18

Requirements for Punishment

Answer 18

1. Immediate - not delayed.
2. Follows each occurrence at outset.
3. Intense enough to stop behaviour.
4. Neg > Positive.
5. Explanation
6. Combine with positive reinforcement.

Question 19

Conditioned Suppression Theory

Answer 19

Assumes that punishment does not weaken a behaviour, but produces an emotional response that interferes with the occurrence of the behaviour.

Question 20

Avoidance Theory of Punishment

Answer 20

Punishment involves a type of avoidance conditioning in which the avoidance response consists of any behaviour other than the behaviour being punished.

Question 21

The Premack Approach to Punishment

Answer 21

A LPB can be used to punish a HPB.

Question 22

Learned Helplessness

Answer 22

A decrement in learning ability that results from repeated exposure to uncontrollable aversive events.
Depression.
Predictable, but uncontrollable.

Question 23

Masserman’s Experimental Neurosis

Answer 23

Unpredictable aversive stimuli lead to neurotic-like symptoms.
PTSD.
Infrequent, and unpredictable.