Operant Conditioning

Avoidance Behaviour

Behaviour that occurs before the aversive stimulus is presented and thereby prevents its delivery

Contrived reinforcers

Reinforcers that have been deliberatelty arranged to modify a behaviour, they are not a typical consequence of the behaviour in that setting. Also called artificial reinforcers 

Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus in the presence of which responses are reinforced and in the absence of which they are not reinforced; that is, a stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement 

Discriminative stimulus for extinction 

A stimulus that signals the absence of reinforcement.

discriminative stimulus for punishment (SDp).

A stimulus that signals that a response will be punished.

escape behavior.

A behavior that results in the termination of an aversive stimulus.

extinction.

The weakening of a behavior through the nonreinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior.

extrinsic reinforcement.

The reinforcement provided by a consequence that is external to, or additional to, the behavior. Engaging in the behavior does not itself function as a reinforcer for the behavior.

generalized reinforcer

A type of secondary reinforcer that has been associated with several other reinforcers. Also called a generalized secondary reinforcer.

intrinsic reinforcement.

Reinforcement provided by the mere act of performing the behavior; engaging in the behavior is itself a reinforcer.

law of effect.

As originally stated by Thorndike, the proposition that behaviors that lead to a satisfying state of affairs are strengthened, or “stamped in,” while behaviors that lead to an unsatisfying or annoying state of affairs are weakened, or “stamped out.”

natural reinforcers.

Reinforcers that are naturally provided for a certain behavior; they are a typical consequence of the behavior within that setting.

negative punishment.

The removal of a stimulus (one that is usually considered pleasant or rewarding) following a response, which then leads to a decrease in the future strength of that response.

negative reinforcement.

The removal of a stimulus (one that is usually

considered unpleasant or aversive) following a response, which then

leads to an increase in the future strength of that response.

operant behavior.

A class of emitted responses that result in certain consequences; these consequences, in turn, affect the future frequency (or probability or strength) of those responses.

operant conditioning.

A type of learning in which the future frequency (or probability or strength) of a behaviour is affected by its consequences.

positive punishment.

The presentation of a stimulus (one that is usually considered unpleasant or aversive) following a response, which then leads to a decrease in the future strength of that response.

positive reinforcement.

The presentation of a stimulus (one that is usually considered pleasant or rewarding) following a response, which then leads to an increase in the future strength of that response.

primary reinforcer.

An event that is innately reinforcing. No learning is required for it to function as a reinforcer. Also called an unconditioned reinforcer.

punisher

An event that (1) follows a behavior and (2) decreases the future probability of that behavior.

reinforcer.

An event that (1) follows a behavior and (2) increases the future probability of that behavior.

secondary reinforcer.

An event that is reinforcing because it has been

associated with some other reinforcer. It becomes a reinforcer as a

function of learning. Also called a conditioned reinforcer.

shaping.

The gradual creation of new behavior through reinforcement of successively closer approximations to that behavior.

three-term contingency.

The relationship between a discriminative stimulus, an operant response, and a consequence (reinforcer or punisher).