Psychology: Operant Conditioning, Reinforcement Schedules, and Learning Flashcards | Quizlet

What is operant conditioning?

A type of associative learning where behavior is shaped by its consequences.

What does Thorndike's Law of Effect state?

A desirable outcome strengthens the connection between stimulus and response, while an undesirable outcome weakens it.

What is the basic sequence of operant conditioning?

SD → R → O (Discriminative Stimulus → Response → Outcome).

What are free-operant procedures?

Methods that allow repeated responding over time in operant conditioning research.

What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement adds something to increase behavior, while negative reinforcement removes something unpleasant to increase behavior.

What is positive punishment?

Adding something unpleasant after a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.

What is negative punishment?

Removing something desirable after a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.

What is shaping in operant conditioning?

Reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior.

What is chaining in operant conditioning?

Training a complex sequence of behaviors by teaching its component responses.

What is a primary reinforcer?

A reinforcer that does not depend on learning to have its value.

What is a secondary reinforcer?

A reinforcer that gains its value through learning and association with primary reinforcers.

What is a Fixed Ratio (FR) schedule?

Reinforcement occurs after a set number of responses.

What is a Variable Ratio (VR) schedule?

Reinforcement occurs after an unpredictable number of responses.

What is a Fixed Interval (FI) schedule?

Reinforcement becomes available after a set amount of time.

What is a Variable Interval (VI) schedule?

Reinforcement becomes available after changing or unpredictable amounts of time.

What is delay discounting?

The decrease in subjective value of a reward as the delay before receiving it increases.

Which brain area is associated with S → R learning?

Dorsal Striatum.

Which brain area is associated with R → O learning?

Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC).

What role does dopamine play in learning?

Dopamine is associated with wanting, or incentive salience.

What role do endogenous opioids play in learning?

Endogenous opioids are associated with liking, or the hedonic value of a reward.

What does S-Delta (SΔ) signify?

An SΔ signals that the response will not be reinforced in a particular context.

What is errorless discrimination training?

Training that begins with an easy distinction and gradually makes the task more difficult to reduce errors.

What does a narrow, steep generalization gradient indicate?

High discrimination and low generalization; responding changes significantly with stimulus changes.

What does a broad, flat generalization gradient indicate?

High generalization and low discrimination; responding remains similar across different stimuli.

What is negative patterning?

When individual stimuli are associated with responding, but their combination signals no response or reinforcement.