1. OPERANT CONDITIONING

2. KEY TERMS
Reinforcement: Increasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting or removing a stimulus following that behavior
Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting or removing a stimulus following that behavior

3. B. F. Skinner’s Pigeon Project
During WWII Psychologist B.F. Skinner proposed training pigeons to guide missiles to targets. The pigeons would be given food pellets for pecking at targets on a screen. Once they had learned to peck at the targets, the pigeons would be placed in missiles. Pecking at similar targets on the screen in the missile would adjust the missile’s flight path to hit a real target. However, the pigeon equipment was bulky, and plans for building the missile were abandoned.

4. Reinforcement increases the future likelihood of a behavior
For this B.F. Skinner created the “Skinner Box”- treatments can be introduced and removed with results carefully observed.

5. REINFORCEMENT
Positive Reinforcement: Increasing the likelihood of behavior by following it with a desirable event or state
e.g. press lever = get food
A on test = parents give $50
Work 8 hour day = get paid
Negative Reinforcement: Increasing the likelihood of a behavior by following it with the removal of an undesirable event or state
e.g. press lever = shock ends
Take aspirin = headache gone

7. PUNISHMENT
Positive Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting an aversive stimulus following the behavior
e.g. climb pole to birdfeeder = shock (squ
Swear = soap or vinegar
Negative Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by removing stimulus following the behavior
e.g. break rules = no cell phone for a week
Bad grades/Behavior - - No Open Campus

8. GIVE REMOVE Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Increases
Behavior
Giving Stickers for Grades
Earning $ for work
Getting candy for good behavior.
Taking an Aspirin for a headache
Putting on a seatbelt to turn off sound.
Buying candy for a child so they will stop crying.
Positive Punishment Negative Punishment
Spanking
Verbally lecturing a child
Assigning extra chores to a child.
Grounding a child
Putting child in time-out
Taking away privileges
Decreases
Behavior

10. What kind of reinforcement?
Negative Reinforcemt: Giving Child Attention—Remove crying –just put them in bed.

11. SUMMARY Reinforcement increases frequency of a behavior
Positive reinforcement = by adding something nice
Negative reinforcement = by taking something nasty away
DO NOT confuse Negative Reinforcement with Punishment!!!!!!
Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behavior
Punishment decreases the frequency of a behavior

12. Lauren and her Mom
Lauren’s mother praises her every time she cleans her bedroom. Soon, Lauren is cleaning her room more and more.
Positive Reinforcement getting praise to increase cleaning behavior

13. Mark Misbehaving
Mark has been working at the grocery store for a couple of years now. But he begins to slack off by showing up late and leaving early. He was one of three people who were going to be considered for a promotion. However, his boss is not pleased with his behavior and tells him he is on hold for the promotion.
Negative Punishment– behavior bad.. Take away chances of getting a promotion

14. SLEEPY ASHLEY
Ashley’s loud alarm goes off at 6am. She hits the snooze button, and the alarm ceases. Ashley hits the snooze button again and again and again.
Negative Reinforcement – Increasing behaviour of hittihg the snooze button by getting rid of anoying alarm sound.

15. Lisa's Big Mouth
Lisa is always talking in class. The teacher has warned her a couple of times about talking, but she just continues to talk everyday. Finally the teacher has had it and assigns Lisa to copy a couple of pages out of the dictionary in addition to her regular homework.
Positive Punishment – Giving something extra – in this case homework to decrease behavior of talking too much in class.

16. Ron and the Dogs
Ron is so afraid of dogs he usually leaves his house by the back door to avoid meeting his neighbor’s puppy. Often he tries to work up the nerve to leave the front way, but his heart pounds and he feels awful. As soon as he decides to chicken out one more time, Ron feels better. Soon he is always sneaking out the back.
Negative Reinforcement Removing something ( the fear of dogs, dog barking, feeling uncomfortable) Increase behavior of going out the back door.

17. Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement
Get reinforced every time you engage in the behavior.
Fixed Interval Reinforcement
Get reinforced every n hours/minutes/seconds/
days
Variable Interval Reinforcement
Get reinforced on average every n hours/ minutes/seconds/days )
Fixed Interval Reinforcement - - paycheck every week or every two weeks
- - Getting to stay out late every Friday and Saturday if you are good during the week.
Variable Interval Reinforcement - -Getting to have a sleepover when your younger about once a month for good behavior.
- -

18. Schedules of Reinforcement
Fixed Ratio Reinforcement
Get reinforced for every n responses
Variable Ratio Reinforcement
Get reinforced for, on average, every n responses