Reinforcement Part 2 - University of South Florida Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering key definitions and concepts related to reinforcement, motivating operations, and schedules of reinforcement from the lecture notes.

What is reinforcement?

A process in which a behavior (response) is strengthened by the immediate consequence that reliably follows it.

What is a 'response' in the context of reinforcement?

One instance of a behavior.

When is a behavior strengthened by a stimulus being added?

Positive Reinforcement (SR+).

When is a behavior strengthened by a stimulus being removed?

Negative Reinforcement (SR-).

What are the four main factors that influence reinforcement?

Immediacy, Contingency, Individual Differences, and Magnitude.

Why is immediacy crucial for reinforcement to be most effective?

It ensures that the reinforcement occurs immediately after a response, as longer delays weaken the contiguity between a response and its consequence.

What is 'contingency' in the context of reinforcement?

The consistency with which a response is followed by an immediate consequence (if-then), meaning the reinforcer occurs only if the behavior occurs.

What are the three components of the three-term contingency?

Antecedent (SD / SA), Behavior (Operant), and Consequence (SR).

Why are 'individual differences' important in identifying effective reinforcers?

Reinforcing consequences are specific to the individual organism and what reinforces one person may not reinforce another.

How does 'magnitude' affect the effectiveness of reinforcement?

A positive reinforcer with greater magnitude will strengthen behavior more effectively, and the termination of a more intense aversive stimulus will be more effective.

What are Motivating Operations (MOs)?

Antecedent events that alter the momentary effectiveness of a reinforcer and make a particular consequence more or less reinforcing at some times than at other times.

What are the two types of Motivating Operations?

Establishing Operations (EOs) and Abolishing Operations (AOs).

What is an Establishing Operation (EO)?

An MO that makes a reinforcer more potent by establishing its effectiveness.

What is an Abolishing Operation (AO)?

An MO that makes a reinforcer less potent by abolishing its effectiveness.

In the context of MOs, what is deprivation?

An EO in which an organism has gone without a particular reinforcer for some time, making that reinforcer more potent.

In the context of MOs, what is satiation?

An AO in which an organism has consumed a large amount of a reinforcer, making that reinforcer less potent.

What are the two effects of Motivating Operations?

Reinforcer Value Altering Effect and Behavior Altering Effect.

How does an EO influence the probability of behavior?

An EO increases the probability of behavior that has contacted the reinforcer in the past (evocative effect).

How does an AO influence the probability of behavior?

An AO decreases the probability of behavior that has contacted the reinforcer in the past (abative effect).

Are Motivating Operations consequence events?

False, Motivating Operations are antecedent events.

Does deprivation describe an Establishing Operation (EO)?

True.

If Bret has not had water in 12 hours, what type of Motivating Operation (MO) is water deprivation?

An Establishing Operation (EO), as it establishes water as a reinforcer and increases the probability of water-seeking behavior.

If Carie has a horrible headache and takes Ibuprofen, what type of Motivating Operation (MO) is Carie's headache?

An Establishing Operation (EO), establishing taking Ibuprofen as a reinforcer (likely for relief).

Is Carie's scenario (taking Ibuprofen for a headache) an example of positive reinforcement?

False, it is an example of negative reinforcement because the aversive stimulus (headache) is removed.

Does the absence of Carie's headache have an abative effect on behavior that resulted in Ibuprofen consumption?

True.

Keeping a rat at 80% of its free-fed weight creates a state of , an _.

Deprivation; establishing operation.

Providing non-contingent 'free' attention for behavior typically reinforced by attention creates a state of , an .

Satiation; abolishing operation.

In the scenario 'Haven’t had a banana since yesterday,' what is the Establishing Operation (EO)?

Haven’t had a banana since yesterday (deprivation).

What is a schedule of reinforcement?

It specifies whether every response is reinforced or whether only some responses are reinforced.

What is a continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF)?

A schedule in which each occurrence of the response is reinforced.

What is an intermittent reinforcement schedule (INT)?

A schedule in which each occurrence of the response is not reinforced.

What are ratio schedules of reinforcement based on?

Response-based criteria.

What are interval schedules of reinforcement based on?

Time-based criteria.

In a fixed ratio (FR) schedule, how is the reinforcer delivered?

A specific or fixed number of responses must occur before the reinforcer is delivered.

What is the typical response pattern produced by a fixed ratio (FR) schedule?

High rates of responding, noted by a brief pause in responding after reinforcer delivery (post-reinforcement pause).

In a variable ratio (VR) schedule, how is the reinforcer delivered?

The number of responses required for reinforcement varies each time, around an average number.

What type of response pattern does a variable ratio (VR) schedule produce?

The highest rates of responding.

In a fixed interval (FI) schedule, how is the reinforcer delivered?

For the first response after a fixed amount of time has elapsed.

What is the typical response pattern produced by a fixed interval (FI) schedule?

Low rates of responding that increase towards the end of the interval (scallop).

In a variable interval (VI) schedule, how is the reinforcer delivered?

For the first response after an interval that varies around some average.

What type of response pattern does a variable interval (VI) schedule produce?

Low to moderate rates of steady responding.

What type of responding is associated with a post-reinforcement pause?

Fixed ratio.

Do variable interval schedules produce low to moderate steady responding?

True.

What are concurrent schedules of reinforcement?

Schedules of reinforcement that exist at the same time for two or more different behaviors.

What factors influence the choice of concurrent operants?

Schedule of reinforcement, magnitude of reinforcement, immediacy of reinforcement, and response effort.