Ex 02: flashcards for chapter 12 (operant conditioning)

fixed interval schedule (FINAL)

reward schedule in which the organism is reinforced for making the first operant response after a specific (unchanging) amount of time has passed

fixed ratio schedule (FINAL)

reward schedule in which the organism is reinforced for making the first operant response after a set number of previous responses

latent learning (FINAL)

learning without any obvious rewards. Example: learning a route home while taking a bus

Law of Effect (FINAL)

behaviors followed by reinforcement become more likely; behaviors followed by punishment become less likely

negative punishment (FINAL)

the REMOVAL of a PLEASANT stimulus after a behavior (which makes the behavior less likely).

negative reinforcement (FINAL)

the REMOVAL of an UNPLEASANT stimulus after a behavior (which makes the behavior more likely).

operant conditioning (FINAL)

instrumental conditioning, learning that a reinforcer (e.g., food) or a punisher (e.g., electric shock) happens when the organism engages in a specific behavior (see Law of Effect)

partial reinforcement effect (FINAL)

rewarding an organism only some of the time during conditioning (rather than always rewarding it) makes the learned response less susceptible to extinction.

positive punishment (FINAL)

the INTRODUCTION of an UNPLEASANT stimulus after a behavior (which makes the behavior less likely).

positive reinforcement (FINAL)

the INTRODUCTION of a PLEASANT stimulus after a behavior (which makes the behavior more likely).

response generalization

producing an operant response that resembles but is not identical to the originally reinforced response - which may or may not lead to reinforcement

shaping (FINAL)

an operant conditioning technique in which the trainer produces a very complex behavior by initially rewarding rough approximations of the desired behavior but becomes increasingly selective over time about what gets reinforced

stimulus generalization

responding to a stimulus that resembles but is not identical to an originally reinforced response

trial and error learning (definition)

trying many different responses before happening upon the response that leads to a reward (like escaping a "puzzle box" -- a trap -- if you were one of Thorndike's cats)

trial and error learning (examples)

(a) making hundreds of light bulbs that don't work before you make a design that reliably lights up, (b) trying 15 kinds of foundation & make-up before getting the exact look you desire, (c) trying many recipe ideas until you get the right ingredients for a delicious lasagna

variable interval schedule (FINAL)

a reinforcement schedule in which the organism is reinforced for making the first operant response after an average amount of time has passed (but with some variation around that window)

variable ratio schedule (FINAL)

a reinforcement schedule in which the organism is reinforced for making the first operant response after an average number of responses (but with some variation around that average)

social learning (FINAL)

AKA modeling, AKA observational learning; seeing another organism do something & then (a) doing what they did if they got reinforced or (b) NOT doing what they did if they got punished