unit 3 quiz (operant conditioning-partial reinforcement)

operant conditioning

learning to associate behavior with its consequences (reinforcements or punishments)

law of effect

if the consequences of behavior are pleasant (reinforced), the behavior will be strengthened. if the consequences are unpleasant (punished) the behavior will be weakened

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer towards the desired goal. successive approximations of the desired behavior (behavior that is more and more similar to the goal) are reinforced

reinforcement

anything that makes a behavior more likely to occur

positive

adding

negative

taking away

positive reinforcement

addition of something pleasant (ex. food)

negative reinforcement

removal of something unpleasant (ex. stopping an electrical shock)

primary reinforcer

those innately satisfying rewards, satisfies a biological need (ex. food, relief from shock)

secondary reinforcer

something that one learns is reinforcing because it is associated with a primary reinforcer (ex. money can be used to buy food)

punishment

anything that makes behavior less likely to occur

positive punishment

(oftentimes just called punishment)- the addition of something unpleasant (ex. having to do pushups)

negative punishment

the removal of something pleasant (having your phone taken away)

reinforcement discrimination

reinforcing behavior in the presence of one stimulus but not others (ex. skinner taught pigeons to peck buttons in response to mozarts music but not modern music)

reinforcement generalization

a behavior that was reinforced in the presence of one stimulus is demonstrated in the presence of other, similar stimuli (ex skinner taught pigeons to peck buttons when shown pictures of flowers, including new pictures)

superstitious behaviors

occurs when consequences reinforce unrelated behaviors

learned helplessness

animals that have no way to stop a punishment will learn that they cannot stop the punishment and will stop trying

instinctive drift

animals will revert back to biologically predisposed behaviors after learning behaviors such as those displayed at the circus

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing desired behavior every time it occurs (with this schedule, extinction occurs quickly)

partial reinforcement

reinforcing response only part of the time (acquisition is slower; greater resistance to extinction than continuous reinforcement)