EAB Exam 2

Discriminative Stimuli (SD)

A stimulus that signals reinforcement is available if a behavior occurs.

Stimulus Delta (SΔ) 

A stimulus that signals reinforcement is NOT available. 

Sdp (Discriminative Stimulus for Punishment) 

A stimulus that signals a behavior will be punished. 

Operant Chamber

A controlled environment (Skinner box) used to study behavior. 

Operant Rate

How often a behavior happens over a certain amount of time.

Latency

The time between a stimulus and the start of a response.

Premack Principle

A more preferred behavior can reinforce a less preferred behavior. (“First do this → then you get to do what you like”)

Operant Responses

Voluntary, controlled by consequences 

Reflexive Responses

Automatic, controlled by stimuli 

Elicited

Caused by a stimulus (reflex) 

Emitted

Produced voluntarily (operant) 

Three-Term Contingency

Antecedent (A): what happens before, Behavior (B): the action, Consequence (C): what happens after

Consequence

A stimulus change that follows a behavior and affects its future occurrence. 

Antecedent

A stimulus that occurs before a behavior.

Phylogenic Behavior

Innate behavior shaped by evolution (not learned). 

Positive Reinforcement (PR)

Add stimulus → behavior increases 

Negative Reinforcement (NR)

Remove stimulus → behavior increases 

Positive Punishment (PP) 

Add stimulus → behavior decreases 

Negative Punishment (NP) 

Remove stimulus → behavior decreases 

Unconditioned Reinforcer 

Naturally reinforcing (food, water) 

Unconditioned Punisher 

Naturally punishing (pain) 

Generalization 

When behavior occurs in similar situations 

Generalized Reinforcers 

Reinforcers effective in many conditions (money) 

Generalized Punisher 

Punisher effective across many situations 

Conditioned Reinforcer 

Learned reinforcer (grades, money) 

Conditioned Punisher 

Learned punisher (fines, bad grades) 

Tangible reinforcer

Physical item you can touch that increases behavior. 

Operant Extinction 

Stopping reinforcement → behavior decreases 

Extinction Burst 

Temporary increase in behavior when reinforcement stops 

Resistance to Extinction 

How persistent behavior is during extinction 

Extinction-Induced Variability 

New behaviors occur when reinforcement stops (Behavior used to be reinforced → reinforcement stops → you try different forms of the behavior to see what works)

Reinstatement 

When a behavior that had decreased during extinction comes back after the reinforcement is presented again.

Emotional Response 

Frustration or aggression during extinction 

Spontaneous Recovery 

Behavior returns after time without reinforcement 

Topography

What behavior looks like

Function

Why it happens

Function Related to Reinforcement 

Behavior is maintained by its consequences (four types: SN,SP,AN,AP)

Reinforcement is Defined Functionally 

If behavior increases → it was reinforcement 

Automatic Reinforcement 

Behavior produces its own reinforcement 

• Automatic PR (adds good feeling)  

• Automatic NR (removes discomfort)  

• Automatic Punishment (produces discomfort)  

Social Positive Reinforcement (Social PR)

Another person adds something desirable to increase behavior. 

Social Negative Reinforcement (Social NR) 

Another person removes something aversive to increase behavior. 

Social Positive Punishment (Social PP) 

Another person adds something aversive to decrease behavior. 

Social Negative Punishment (Social NP) 

Another person removes something desirable to decrease behavior. 

Steady-State Performance 

Behavior is stable over time 

Transition State Performance 

Behavior is changing from one level to another, but hasn’t become stable yet.

Continuous Reinforcement (CRF)

Reinforce every response 

Effects: Fast learning and low resistance to extinction  

When to Use: Teaching new behavior  

Intermittent Reinforcement

Reinforce some responses 

Effects: Slower learning and high resistance to extinction  

When to Use: Maintaining behavior  

Learning delete

Continuous

Fixed Ratio (FR) 

Reinforcement after set number of responses

Response pattern: pause then burst

Variable Ratio (VR)

Reinforcement after unpredictable number

Response pattern: steady high rate

Fixed Interval (FI) 

Reinforcement after fixed time 

Response pattern: scalloped pattern

Variable Interval (VI) 

Reinforcement after varying time 

Response pattern: steady moderate

Post Reinforcement Pause

Pause after reinforcement (FR) 

Limited-Hold Contingency 

Reinforcement available for limited time 

Ratio Strain 

Requirements for reinforcement increase too quickly, and as a result, the behavior decreases, stops, or becomes erratic.

Escape

Ends ongoing aversive stimulus; behavior removes something unpleasant that is already happening.

Avoidance

Prevents aversive stimulus 

Primary Aversive Stimulus 

Naturally unpleasant (pain) 

Conditioned Aversive Stimulus 

Learned unpleasant stimulus 

Important Factors of Punishment

Intensity of Punishment 
Stronger = more effective (within limits) 

Immediate Delivery 
Works better when immediate 

Problems with Punishment

Doesn’t teach new behavior, may cause fear/aggression, and behavior may return  

Better Approach 

Use reinforcement for correct behavior + minimal punishment 

Positive Practice 

Practice correct behavior repeatedly 

Restitution 

Behavioral consequence where a person is required to fix or repair the damage caused by their behavior, in order to reduce future misbehavior.

Extinction vs Negative Punishment

Extinction = stop reinforcement  

Negative punishment = remove reinforcer

Stimulus Control 

Behavior occurs more often in presence of SD because that stimulus has been reliably associated with reinforcement.

Differential Response 

Respond differently depending on stimulus 

Multiple Schedule 

Different schedules alternate with different stimuli 

Compound Schedules 

Two or more schedules combined 

Superstitious Behavior 

Behavior reinforced by accident 

Discrimination vs Generalization delete

Discrimination = tell difference 
Generalization = respond similarly 

Generalization Gradient 

More similar stimulus → the more likely you respond the same way/stronger response 

Matching-to-Sample 

Choose stimulus that matches sample 

Conditional Discrimination 

Correct response depends on another stimulus; instruction

Differential Reinforcement 

Reinforce one behavior, not others 

Response Chains 

A sequence of behaviors where each step produces a signal for the next behavior, and the final step produces reinforcement.

Matching Relation 

Behavior matches reinforcement rates (More reinforcement for an option = more responding to that option)

Relative Rate of Response 

Proportion of responses for one option; how often one behavior happens compared to another behavior

Relative Rate of Reinforcement 

Proportion of reinforcement from one option