Psych exam 2 (learning- operant)

Operant conditioning

Behavior is modified by consequences that follow a VOLUNTARY act (action that was intentional)

-What happens AFTER a VOLUNTARY behavior

What is B.F. Skinner's core perspective on behavior and mental processes?

-Behavior is modified by consequences (organisms tend to repeat responses that are followed by favorable consequences)

-Mental processes/internal thoughts don't matter; behavior is all that matters

-All behaviors can be shaped via reinforcement or punishment

Thorndike’s law of effect

-Behavior with favorable consequences (repeated)

-Behavior with unfavorable consequences (disappears)

Operant behavior

Skinner’s term for learned, consequence - shaped behavior

Reinforcement (principle of operant conditioning)

Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior being rep

-Food, money, attention, etc

-Differs from one individual to the next

-Some reinforcers may not work all the time

(behavior increases)*… positive and negative

Punishment (principle of operant conditioning)

Anything that decreases the likelihood of a behavior

-Pain, loss of something good, etc

-Also differs from person to person, time to time

(behavior decreases)*… positive and negative

Reinforcer

An event that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated

Primary reinforcer

Inherently reinforcing because it satisfies a basic biological need

EX: food, water, access to sex, access to other members of species, etc

-Naturally reinforcing EX: Takin meds to stop pain, water when thirsty, food when hungry

Secondary reinforcer

Stimulus that becomes reinforcing because it satisfies learned needs

EX: Study hard and get a good grade… you are then likely to continue studying hard because you felt good abt accomplishment

EX: Mention being overwhelmed with HW and roomate does dishes… likely mention HW next time you want to avoid dishes

Positive VS negative

Positive- Something added

Negative- Something taken away

Positive reinforcement

Response is STRENGTHENED because it is followed by a rewarding stimulus

EX: Rat in a skinner box presses the lever and is encouraged to do so again because action is reinforced with food dispensed

-Something is GIVEN to INCREASE behavior

Negative reinforcement

A response is STRENGTHENED because it is followed by the removal of an unpleasant stimulus

-Removing an unpleasant stimulus after a response

EX: Rat in skinner box will continue to press lever as that action stops the shock

EX: putting seat belt on so the noise doesn’t annoy you

-Something is TAKEN AWAY to INCREASE behavior

Positive punishment

Response is WEAKENED because it is followed by an unfavorable stimulus

EX: Rat in skinner box will discontinue lever pressing behavior if shocked directly after the action

EX: Assigning a child extra household responsibilities after they break a rule

-Something is GIVEN to DECREASE behavior

Negative punishment

Response is WEAKENED because it is followed by the removal of a pleasant stimulus

EX: Rat in skinner box will stop lever pressing behavior if food is taken away after each action

EX: A teenager stays out past curfew, so parents take away their freedom to go out for the weekend

-Something is TAKEN AWAY to DECREASE behavior

Shaping

Successive approximations of the desired behavior…gradually rewarding small steps that get closer and closer to a final target behavior

-Initially, reinforce anything that looks like the desired behavior

-Over time, reinforce behaviors that are closer and closer to desired behavior

EX: Teaching dog new trick… progress = treat until they eventually know how to do it and wait to give treat towards end up trick

Extinction in operant conditioning

Gradual weakening and disappearance of a response when it is no longer followed by reinforcement

EX: Rat in skinner box would press lever, but no food appears… eventually rat would stop pressing lever because there are no reinforcing consequences

Continuous reinforcement

Reward given every time behavior occurs

EX: Every time you put money in vending machine you get a snack

EX: Every time rat presses lever it gets food

Intermittent reinforcement (4 types)

Behavior is only reinforced part of the time

4 TYPES:

-Fixed ratio

-Variable ratio

-Fixed interval

-Variable interval

Consistency (fixed and variable)

Fixed- reinforcement occurs after SET # of responses/hours

Variable- Reinforcement occurs after a VARIED # of responses/hours

Basis (ratio and interval)

Ratio- Based on RESPONSES (# of times)

Interval- Based on TiME (# of hours passed)

Fixed ratio reinforcement

Reinforcement is given after certain # of responses

EX: rat gets food after pressing lever 10 times

EX: after buying 9 coffees, the 10th is free

Variable ratio reinforcement

Reinforcement given after a variable # of responses

EX: On average, rat is given food after 10 lever presses…. could be 1st press or 12th press, etc

EX: slot machines are set up to give pay out after every so many plays

*Can’t be predictable … it is random

Fixed interval reinforcement

Reinforcement is given after certain amount of time

EX: rat gets food for pressing lever every 2 minutes… response in between are not reinforced

Variable interval reinforcement

A reinforcer is given after a varied amount of time

EX: on average, rat gets food pellet for pressing lever every 2 mins… could be after 1 min or 10 mins

EX: Your boss checks on your progress every so often, but doesn’t tell you when she’ll visit

*Can’t be predicted… is random

Observational learning

-Learning by observing others

-Learning by imitating models

-Learning without direct experience

EX: You don’t have to go to jail to know you don’t want to go to jai

Prosocial influence

-Organizations use behavior modeling to teach kids

-Positive behaviors and messages can be modeled to children

Antisocial influence

-Modeling can be antisocial

EX: Abusive parents model aggression to their children and perpetuate a cycle of violence

EX: The media can model violence as acceptable or even cool rather than harmful

Mirror neurons

-Neurons in the frontal lobe that fire when performing certain actions or observing others perform those actions

-Enable imitations and empathy

-Underlie humans social nature

Albert Bandura

-His classic Bobo Doll experiment

-Explored observational learning in children

-Social cognitive theory

EX: He would have a parent hit the doll then tell the kid to play with it and the kid would hit it as well… then in a different scenario the parent was nice to the doll and when it was the kids turn, the kid was also nice