Chapter 10 Psychology (Operant Conditioning)

Operant conditioning

Learning based on the consequences of respondin

.B.F Skinner

Behaviorist that developed the theory of operant conditioning by training pigeons and rats

Edward Thorndike

A pioneer in operant conditioning who discovered concepts in instrumental learning such as the law of effect. He is known for his work with cats in puzzle boxes

.Law of effect

Thorndike's rule is that a behavior is more likely to recur if reinforced

.Shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer approximations of the desired behavior

Natural reinforcement

-doesn't need to be learned to be reinforced (food)

Primary reinforcement

Something that is naturally reinforcing, such as food (if you were hungry), warmth (if you were cold), and water (if you were thirsty)

.Secondary reinforcement

Something that you have learned to value, like money

.Positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response

.Negative reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock, to encourage the behavior.

Omission training

Seeks to decrease the frequency of behavior by withholding the reward until the desired behavior is demonstrated.

.Schedule of reinforcement

A timetable for when and how often reinforcement for a particular behavior occurs

Continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Partial reinforcement schedule

reinforcing a response only part of the time

Fixed ratio schedule

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable ratio schedule

a schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed interval schedule

in operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

.Variable interval schedule

a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Punishment

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

Behavior modification

the use of operant conditioning techniques to bring about desired changes in behavior

Token economy

type of behavior modification in which desired behavior is rewarded with tokens

Learned helplessness

the tendency to fail to act to escape from a situation because of a history of repeated failures in the past