1. Operant Conditioning
The Main Features of Operant Conditioning: Types of Reinforcement and Punishment

2. In pairs discuss how you would…
Teach a dog how to sit?
Teach a child to stop hitting his baby sister?

3. What is it?
Operant conditioning forms an association between a behaviour and a consequence.
A type of learning in which future behaviour is determined by the consequences of past
behaviour.

4. How is it Different from Classical Conditioning?
Considers voluntary behaviour rather than involuntary behaviour.
When individuals start and stop a
behaviour.
2. Consequences come after the results rather whereas in Classical conditioning the association comes before the response.

5. Thorndike’s Puzzle Boxes
Put hungry cats into a ‘puzzle box’, food outside box outside of reach
Cat had to get out of box to get food.
Trial and Error: solution is hit upon through trial and error
The more times a cat was put in the box, the faster it got out (fewer trials)
After 7 trials would go straight for lever and get out immediately.
Lever pushing now learnt, not random

6. Thorndike’s Law of effect
a behavior that is followed by ‘satisfying’ consequences is strengthened (more likely to occur) and a behavior that is followed by ‘annoying’ consequences is weakened (less likely to occur)
Law of effect: If the effect of learning is good then the behavior will be repeated.

7. The famous psychologists (p166)
Read pages 166 and 167. Draw and label a Skinner box and then describe how the procedure and the findings.

8. Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement
Punishment

9. Your Task Using Page 216 define the following terms: Skinner’s Box
Principle’s of Operant Conditioning: ABC Model of Operant Conditioning

10. Reinforcements
Behaviours are learnt by reinforcements. A reinforcement is used to strengthen a desired behaviour, they can either be positive or negative.
Positive reinforcements (such as a reward) involves the presenting a pleasant stimulus.
Negative reinforcements involves taking an unpleasant stimulus away. These are things which are good when it stops.

11. Punishment Punishment : Positive punishment :
Anything which has the effect of decreasing the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated by using consequences.
Anything which has the effect of decreasing the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated by using consequences that are unpleasant.
Positive punishment :
A child is naughty at a party and the parent scolds them.
Negative punishment :
Anything which has the effect of decreasing the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated by taking something pleasant away.
A child is naughty at a party and the takes away the child’s favourite toy with they return home.

12. Write each scenario using a positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement or a punishment.
By schools to increase good behaviour.
Schools to stop students from being late.
By the government to decrease crime.
If you are feeling really keen try and complete all three for each example.

13. Exam Questions: A01 Define: (1 mark each) Operant Conditioning
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Punishment
Positive Punishment
Negative Punishment
2. Outline the principles of operant conditioning. (3)

14. Exam Questions: A02
Becca’s parents would like to teach her to be responsible around the hour. Using operant condition, describe how Becca could be taught to be responsible. ( 4 marks)

15. Operant Conditioning
Properties of Reinforcement: primary and secondary reinforcement and schedules of reinforcement.

16. Let’s Build our Brain Power: Q & A time
Operant Conditioning
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Punishment
Positive Punishment
Negative Punishment
ABC Model of Operant Conditioning
Thorndike
Skinner

17. In Operant Conditioning there are two types of reinforces: Primary and secondary reinforces
Primary Reinforcers are naturally occurring, they satisfy a basic need.
Secondary Reinforcers are associated with the primary reinforcers
Primary reinforcers
Secondary reinforcers
Food when hungry
money

18. Problem! Jill receives a toy every time she cleans her room.

19. Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement: when the behaviour is reinforced every single time it is completed. Partial Reinforcement: when the behaviour is rewarded at various times rather than after every single time the behaviour is exhibited.

20. Schedules of Reinforcement

21. Ratio
Number of times

22. Fixed-Ratio Schedules
The response is reinforced only after a specified number of responses.
Every 5th question a teacher asks a reward is given for a correct answer.

23. Variable-Ratio
Occur when a response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses.
Poker machines - expected payout, but don’t know when

24. Interval
After time has elapsed

25. Fixed-Interval schedule
The first response is rewarded only after a specified amount of time has elapsed
On the 30th day of every month a reward is given for having a clean room.

26. Variable-Interval Schedule
Occur when a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.
Once a month a reward is given for having a clean room, that day is unknown and changes every month.

27. Real world application
Using the Key Words from today’s lesson describe how operant conditioning can be used in prison to promote good behaviour. Now read page 218 how close was your description?

28. Behaviour Modification
H/W: Token Economy Complete the document called: Token Economy. Use the document Token Economy text to complete the table. You have two h/w’s to complete.

29. Behaviour Modification: Shaping and Token Economy
Operant Conditioning
Behaviour Modification: Shaping and Token Economy

30. Operant Conditioning can be used to shape behaviour
The complete desired behaviour may not be exhibited immediately but non the less that behaviour must be reinforced.
Shaping is:
Rewarding moves towards the desired behaviour.
The waiting for an action that is nearer to the desired behaviour.
Finally, waiting for the actual behaviour before offering reinforcement.
Example: Skinner
Language Acquisition
Token Economy TEP

31. Shaping and Language: Read Below and try an put the events into the correct order.
These are reinforced not only by praise and attention but other positive reinforcers as a child who can say ‘bicci’ is more likely to get one.
Initially babies make noises - called babbling – and these are positively reinforced by people around them by praise and attention.
According to Skinner (1957) children acquire language through operant conditioning.
This increases the likelihood that the infant will babble. Reinforces will be then more likely to occur if the babbling sounds like words, so the infant is selectively rewarded for speech like sounds.
Sounds that are not appropriate are ignored and not reinforced and therefore not repeated.
Some aspects cannot be accounted for through operant conditioning. Children make persistent mistakes such as the word ‘runned’ for which they have not been reinforced. This suggests they are using rules to guide speech.
The selective reinforcing of word like sounds continues, this is called shaping until the child produces actual words.

32. Real world application: TEP
Children in a school Teenagers in secondary school Young offender just released from prison