Mr. Koch Psychology Andover High School Operant Conditioning Mr. Koch Psychology Andover High School
Operant Conditioning Strengthening of a stimulus-response by following the response with a reinforcement Antecedent: call to action Behavior: response – correct or incorrect Consequence: reinforcement or punishment (or ignored) Conscious behavior Behavior controlled by consequences Measurable and scientific Law of Effect (Thorndike) Principle that behaviors followed by: Favorable consequences → more likely Unfavorable consequences → less likely
Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Increases the frequency of a behavior by adding something desirable reward Ex: food, praise, money, awards Negative Reinforcement Increases behavior by removing something unpleasant (discomfort, fear, social disapproval, etc) “reverse reward” Ex: don’t have to do the dishes all week if you get an A
Operant Conditioning Shaping Reinforcing a series of behaviors which progressively become more specific and similar to desired response (guide with successive approximations toward desired goal)
Operant Conditioning Primary Reinforcers Secondary Reinforcers Associated with needs Not learned Ex: food, clothing, shelter Secondary Reinforcers Associated with something that satisfies a need Is learned Ex: $$$, grades, tokens
Operant Conditioning Punishment (Positive/Negative) Important: Consequence that decreases the rate of a behavior Important: What is reinforcing to one is NOT necessarily to another Ex: Suspension after skipping school = more days off vs. fear of suspension Increases attendance for some, not for others Ex: Student forced to stay after school = punishment for some vs. now getting teacher’s full attention (positive)
Punishment B.F. Skinner’s views on Punishment: Tells us what NOT to do… doesn’t tell us what to do Teaches us avoidance May cause undesirable side effects: Fear Aggression If punishment is unpredictable and unavoidable, we develop sense that events are beyond our control Leads to: Depression Helplessness
Punishment INSTEAD: Emphasize reinforcement Catch us doing something right and affirm it
Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement Reinforcing desired response every time it occurs + acquire quickly - extinct quickly Partial (intermittent) Reinforcement Reinforcing part of the time - acquire slower + extinct slower
Operant Conditioning (Schedules of Reinforcement) Fixed Interval based on time Reinforced after a set time period Ex: bell ringing after class Ex: quizzes every Friday Variable Interval Based on time Reinforced randomly at different times Resistant to extinction Ex: pop quizzes
Operant Conditioning (Schedules of Reinforcement) Fixed Ratio Based on responses (behaviors) After set # of correct responses Easy to extinguish behavior Ex: piecework in factories, dog treat every 3rd time trick is performed Variable Ratio Reinforce behavior after random number of correct responses Very resistant to extinction (can be addictive) Ex: Gambling, fishing