WK 5 Learning 3 Flashcards
Operant Conditioning (Instrumental Learning)
occurs from possible consequences of our actions
it is learning through reinforcement and punishment
Thorndike- Law of Effect
probability of action being repeated is strengthened when it is followed by a pleasant or satisfying consequence (learning occurs by trial and error)
Skinner- “radical behaviourism”
- reinforcement increases likelihood of response
- punishment decreases probability of response
Difference to classical conditioning
c- response is pulled out / o- response is voluntary
c-reward independent / o- reward is consequential
c- response depends on autonomic nervous system / o-response depends on skeletal muscles
Reinforcement contingencies (conditions that must be met)
- reinforcement must be meaningful
- reinforcement must follow the behaviour
2 types of contingent relationships between a response and a consequence
- positive contingency: response causes PRESENTATION of stimulus
- negative contingency: response causes REMOVAL of stimulus
Different types of stimulus events
- Pleasant (appetitive) aka reinforcement
- Unpleasant (aversive) aka punishment
- Neutral
2 types of effects on behaviour
- reinforcement: causes response to increase in frequency
- punishment: causes response to decrease in frequency
4 types of behaviour-consequence relationships
- positive reinforcement
- positive punishment
- negative reinforcement
- positive punishment
Discriminative stimuli
in c- elicits autonomic response
in o- informs when to emit a voluntary response
Stimulus generalisation
produce behaviour to similar stimulus
Stimulus discrimination
doesnt produce same response as original stimulus
Shaping
reinforcement is delivered for successive approximations of desired response
Variables affecting operant conditioning
- reinforcer magnitude (reward has to be of value)
- delay of reward
Frequency of reinforcement
reinforcement contingencies:
- timing
- schedules
Timing of reinforcement
- continuous (problems= habituation or satiation)
- intermittent reinforcement (periodic administration)
Schedules of reinforcement
- Ratio schedules (number of responses made)
- Fixed ratio
- Variable ratio
- Interval schedules (amount of time between reinforcements)
- Fixed interval
- Variable interval
Types of reinforcements
- Primary: biological value e.g. sex, food, water
- Secondary: acquire reinforcing power through learned association w/ primary reinforcer e.g. money and grades
The Premack Principle (Grandmas rule)
using desired behaviour to reinforce less desirable behaviour
Main issue of punishment
Learned helplessness: no perceived relationship between individuals behaviour and punishment
Application of operant conditioning is called
behavioural therapy
Observational learning aka social learning (diff from operant conditioning)
learning from watching others
the social phenomena observational results from is:
-social facilitation:
ones behaviour prompts other behaviour that is already in their their repertiore (yawning)
-local or stimulus enhancement:
behaviour of one person directs attention of other to an object (staring at sky)
-true imitation:
imitation of another behaviour to achieve a specific goal (behaviour never done before)
Observational learning process
- attention
- retention
- reproduction
- motivation
Social learning theory
- children can learn by reinforcement
- children can learn without immediate performance of behaviour
- achieved formation of a symbolic representation
- have to see someone else do it (model)
Key features of model for social learning theory
-appropriateness:
aggressive male models more likely to be imitated than aggressive female models
-similarity:
more likely to imitate someone you see similar to yourself
