Psych 1X03 Instrumental Conditioning

instrumental conditioning

learning a contingency between a behaviour and its consequence

Thorndyke's Law of Effect

A response followed by a satisfying effect is strengthened and likely to occur again in that situation, while a response followed by an unsatisfying effect is weakened and less likely to occur again in that situation.

reinforcer

any stimulus that is presented post response that impacts the frequency that the response is performed

reward

presenting of a positive reinforcer

punishment

presenting of a negative reinforcer

escape

removing negative reinforcer

omission

removing positive reinforcer

why is punishment a less effective strategy for parents to use?

punishment can cause an authority figure to become a trigger for fear through classical conditioning

autoshaping

learning without direction

shaping

used for behaviours that are too complex to autoshape

successive approximation

small approximations that build to desired response, reinforced through reward

how is each behavior reinforced in chaining?

Each behavior is reinforced with the opportunity to perform the next in the sequence.

in chaining, which step is reinforced last?

the first step in the sequence is reinforced last.

in chaining, which step is reinforced first?

the last step in the sequence is reinforced first.

what is shaping reinforced for?

improvement

what is chaining reinforced for?

correct order

S+

indicates that contingency is valid

SD/S-delta

indicates contingency is invalid

generalization gradient

discriminative stimulus can be generalized

continuous reinforcement

action always illicits the response

partial reinforcement

reinforcement follows ratio/interval schedule

interval

based on time elapsed since reinforcer was given

ratio

based on number of responses

what are the four basic schedules of reinforcement?

fixed-interval, fixed-ratio, variable-interval, variable-ratio

ratio strain

ratio is too high for reinforcement to seem worth it

what does a fixed ratio graph look like?

staircase/steps

what does a fixed interval graph look like?

scallop pattern

what does a variable ratio graph look like?

linear

what does a variable interval graph look like?

linear

is learning maintained more on a partial or continuous schedule?

partial

is learning maintained more on a variable or fixed schedule?

variable

primary reinforcer

reinforcer w/ intrinsic value i.e. food or water

secondary reinforcer

reinforcer that can be exchanged for primary reinforcer i.e. money or grades

operant chamber

"Skinner Box" - an animal can perform an action to get a reward, i.e. pull a lever to get a reinforcer

cumulative recorder

records response rate

when does the ability to tolerate delay of gratification start?

childhood

how can inability to tolerate delay of gratification in childhood showcase in adulthood?

substance abuse and addiction

contrast effects

changes in the value of a reward leads to shifts in response rate (i.e. giving a group of kids 5 pieces of candy would lead to a higher response rate than just 1)

negative contrast

being used to a high reward will result in an extremely slow response rate when presented with a smaller reward

positive contrast

being used to a low reward will result in an extremely high response rate when presented with a larger reward

overjustification effect

a newly introduced reward for a previously unrewarded task can alter an individual's perception of that task

post-reinforcement pause

after reinforcement is given the organism stops responding for a period of time before continuing

what reinforcement schedule is phone checking an example of?

variable interval

what are mirror neurons?

a cell that responds in the same way when performing an action as it does when the animal possessing that cell observes someone else performing the action or even when imagining performing the action

How do superstitions develop?

The behaviour completed right before receiving an outcome are connected, forming a superstition, even with no explicit relationship