Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely if followed by a punisher.

Law of Effect

The principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

Operant Chamber (Skinner Box)

A device created by B.F. Skinner for studying behavior where an animal can manipulate a bar or key to obtain a reward.

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a behavior that follows.

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting rewarding stimuli

• Getting good grades encourages you to study, getting complimented on your looks encourages you to dress a certain way

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversive stimuli

• Putting on a coat to stop feeling cold, cleaning your room to get rid of the mess/smell

• NOT THE SAME AS PUNISHMENT

Primary Reinforcers

Innately rewarding stimuli that satisfy a biological need, such as food or water.

Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcers

Stimuli that gain their reinforcing power through association with primary reinforcers, like money.

Continuous Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule where the desired behavior is reinforced every time.

Partial Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule where the desired behavior is reinforced only some of the time.

Token Economy

A system in which learners earn tokens for engaging in targeted behaviors, which can be exchanged for rewards.

Shaping

The process of guiding behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a behavior after a specific number of actions have been completed.

Fixed Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a behavior after a specific amount of time has passed.

Variable Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a behavior after an unpredictable number of actions have been completed.

Variable Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a behavior after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

Punishment

Any event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows.

Positive Punishment

The administration of an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior

• Traffic tickets, given extra chores

Negative Punishment

The removal of a pleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior

• Fines (losing money), losing car/phone privileges, getting grounded (losing freedom)

Discriminative Stimuli

Stimuli that elicit responses after association with reinforcement.

Escape Learning

A type of negative reinforcement where a behavior that removes an unpleasant stimulus is increased

• Faking sick to leave a social gathering, sneaking out the back of the restaurant to get away from a bad date

Avoidance Learning

A type of negative reinforcement where a behavior that prevents an unpleasant stimulus is increased

Claiming your parents won’t allow you to attend the social gathering, ghosting people you are not interested in

Learned Helplessness

The feeling of hopelessness and passive resignation an organism learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events.

Classical Conditioning

Learning associations between events we do not control.

Basic Idea of Operant Conditioning

Learning associations between our behavior and its consequences.

Response in Classical Conditioning

Involuntary and automatic.

Response in Operant Conditioning

Voluntary and operates on the environment.

Acquisition in Classical Conditioning

Associating events where a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

Acquisition in Operant Conditioning

Associating a response with a consequence, either a reinforcer or punisher.

Extinction in Classical Conditioning

Conditioned response decreases when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented alone.

Extinction in Operant Conditioning

Responding decreases when reinforcement stops.

Generalization in Classical Conditioning

The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Generalization in Operant Conditioning

Responses learned in one situation occurring in other, similar situations.

Discrimination in Classical Conditioning

Learning to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.

Discrimination in Operant Conditioning

Learning that some responses will be reinforced, but not others.