Operant Conditioning

What is the ABC model in operant conditioning?

The ABC model proposes that behaviors are based on Antecedents (a stimulus or cue), which cause an organism to perform a particular behavior, leading to Consequences.

How can voluntary behaviors be learned according to operant conditioning?

Voluntary behaviors can be learned through understanding the consequences of our actions.

What is positive reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement rewards desired behavior by adding something pleasant, such as giving money.

What is negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement rewards desired behavior by removing something unpleasant, such as taking Panadol to relieve pain.

What is primary reinforcement?

Primary reinforcement involves a reward that is an innate basic need, such as food.

What is secondary reinforcement?

Secondary reinforcement involves a reward that satisfies a basic need indirectly, such as a promotion at work.

What is positive punishment?

Positive punishment involves punishing undesirable behavior by introducing something unpleasant, such as detention.

What is negative punishment?

Negative punishment involves punishing undesirable behavior by removing something pleasant, such as taking away electronic devices.

What did Skinner's box demonstrate about positive reinforcement?

It showed that a rat learns to associate pressing a lever with receiving a food pellet, making it more likely to repeat the behavior.

What did Skinner's box demonstrate about negative reinforcement?

It showed that a rat learns to associate pressing a lever with the removal of an electric shock, making it more likely to repeat the behavior.

What is a fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule?

A reinforcer is given after a specified number of behaviors, such as paying a child every seventh time they do laundry.

What is a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule?

A reinforcer is given after an unpredictable number of behaviors, such as gambling machines paying out on average every 50th go.

What is a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule?

The time between reinforcers is kept constant, such as paying a child at the end of a time interval if they have done laundry during that time.

What is a variable-interval reinforcement schedule?

The time between reinforcers varies around a mean length of time, such as audience applause occurring unpredictably.

What is behavior modification?

Behavior modification is the use of operant conditioning techniques to change the frequency of desired behaviors, often in a therapeutic setting.

What is shaping in operant conditioning?

Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior, such as reinforcing a child's babbling, then sounds, then words to help them acquire language.