Operant Conditioning and Its Key Concepts

Operant Conditioning

Learning through consequences of voluntary actions.

B.F. Skinner

Key figure in operant conditioning, inspired by Thorndike's Law of Effect.

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by favorable outcomes are likely to be repeated; those followed by unfavorable outcomes are less likely to occur.

Punishment

Decreases the likelihood of behavior.

Example of Punishment

Reprimanding a child for misbehaving.

Reinforcement

Increases the likelihood of behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus.

Example of Positive Reinforcement

Giving a treat for good behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an aversive stimulus.

Example of Negative Reinforcement

Turning off an alarm by waking up.

Shaping

Gradually teaches complex behaviors by reinforcing successive approximations.

Example of Shaping

Training a rat to press a lever in a Skinner box by reinforcing movements closer to the lever.

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforce every behavior occurrence; leads to quick learning but rapid extinction.

Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement

Reinforce behavior only part of the time.

Fixed-Ratio (FR)

Reinforce after a set number of responses.

Example of Fixed-Ratio

Food pellet every 5 lever presses.

Variable-Ratio (VR)

Reinforce after an unpredictable number of responses.

Example of Variable-Ratio

Slot machines.

Fixed-Interval (FI)

Reinforce after a fixed time interval.

Example of Fixed-Interval

Weekly paycheck.

Variable-Interval (VI)

Reinforce after an unpredictable time interval.

Example of Variable-Interval

Checking for email notifications.

Overjustification Effect

Extrinsic rewards for previously intrinsically motivated behaviors decrease intrinsic motivation.

Example of Overjustification Effect

Paying someone for a hobby they previously did for enjoyment can reduce their interest.

Extrinsic Motivation

Driven by external rewards (e.g., money, grades).

Intrinsic Motivation

Driven by personal satisfaction or interest.

Classical Conditioning

focuses on associations between stimuli and involuntary responses.