Operant Conditioning Chapter 6

Definition Learning a behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment Classical conditioning involves respondent behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus. Operant conditioning involves operant behavior, a behavior that operates on the environment producing rewarding or punishing stimuli

Operant Conditioning

Law of Effect Edward L. Thorndike behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Early Operant Conditioning Thorndike’s Box used on cats Scratch at bars Push at ceiling Dig at floor Situation: stimuli inside of puzzle box Howl Etc. Press lever First Trial in Box After Many Trials in Box

B.F. Skinner Operant chamber or Skinner box comes with a bar or key that an animal manipulates to obtain a food or water reinforcer It is connected to devices that record the animal’s responses. Using Thorndike's law of effect as a starting point Skinner developed the Operant chamber or the Skinner box to study operant conditioning.

B.F. Skinner Shaping: Reinforcing small steps toward more complex behavior Discriminative Stimulus: signals availability of reinforcement or punishment (light, sound, parent)

Skinner Box

Extending Skinner’s Understanding Cognition and Operant Conditioning Intrinsic Motivation Internal behavior for its own sake Extrinsic Motivation External The desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishments

Extending Skinner’s Understanding Biological Predispositions Biological constraints predispose organisms to learn associations that are naturally adaptive

Skinner’s Legacy Applications of Operant Conditioning At school Grades, college, graduation In sports Winning, skill development, belonging At home Love, money, belonging For self-improvement

Discussion What are the similarities between classical and operant conditioning? What are the differences between classical and operant conditioning?

Operant vs. Classical Conditioning

Processes in Operant Conditioning Acquisition: Initial stages of learning through reinforcement Extinction: The gradual weakening and disappearance of a response tendency because the response is no longer followed by a reinforcer Generalization: When responding increases in the presence of new stimuli that resembles the original discriminative stimulus Discrimination: When responding does not increase in the presence of a new stimulus that resembles the original discriminative stimulus

Reinforcement: consequences that strengthen responses Positive Reinforcement: A response is strengthened because it is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus Negative Reinforcement: A response is strengthened because it is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus (buzzer for seat belt) Conditioned Reinforcement Primary Reinforcers: Inherently reinforcing satisfy biological needs (food, water, shelter) Secondary Reinforcers: Acquire reinforcing qualities by being associated with primary reinforcers (money, stickers, praise)

Exchanging reinforcers Tokens Systems Given tokens for good behavior or compliance with those in charge Exchanged for Primary reinforcers

Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous: Reinforce every time fastest, but quickest to extinction) ATM Grades for completing assignments

Fixed Ratio (FR) Fixed Ratio: Reinforcer is given after a fixed number of non-reinforced responses reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses faster you respond the more rewards you get Very high rate of responding Commission Pay Getting a bonus for every 5 cars sold.

Fixed Interval (FI) Fixed Interval: Reinforcer is given for the first response that occurs after a fixed time interval has elapsed reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed response occurs more frequently as the anticipated time for reward draws near Paycheck every Friday

Variable Ratio (VR) Variable Ratio: Reinforcer after a variable number of non-reinforced responses very hard to extinguish because of unpredictability like gambling, fishing Bingo

Variable Interval (VI) Variable Interval: Reinforcer is given for the first response after a variable time interval has elapsed reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals produces slow steady responding Pop quiz

Schedules of Reinforcement

Punishment Punishment can result in unwanted fears. Although there may be some justification for occasional punishment (Larzelaere & Baumrind, 2002), it usually leads to negative effects. Punishment can result in unwanted fears. Conveys no information to the organism. Justifies pain to others. Unwanted behaviors reappear in its absence. Aggression towards the agent. One unwanted behavior appears in place of another.

Punishment