Operant Conditioning: Reinforcement, Extinction, and Punishment in Psychology

What is operant behavior strengthened by?

Reinforcement

Is a reinforcer more or less potent after a large amount has been consumed?

Less potent

What is negative reinforcement?

The occurrence of a behavior followed by the removal of a stimulus, making the behavior more likely to occur in the future.

What is positive reinforcement?

The occurrence of a behavior followed by the addition of a stimulus, making the behavior more likely to occur in the future.

What are three factors that influence the effectiveness of reinforcement?

Immediacy, Contingency, Magnitude.

What is a conditioned reinforcer?

A reinforcer that became established by being paired with another reinforcer.

What are concurrent schedules of reinforcement?

All of the schedules of reinforcement that are in effect for a person's behaviors at one time.

What is a continuous reinforcement schedule?

A schedule where the reinforcer is delivered after every response.

What is a variable ratio schedule?

A schedule where the reinforcer is delivered after an average of x responses.

What is a fixed interval schedule?

A schedule where the reinforcer is delivered for the first response after x amount of time.

What is a reinforcer?

A consequence that strengthens operant behavior.

Is a reinforcer more or less potent after a long absence?

More potent.

What is an example of negative reinforcement?

Putting medication on mosquito bites to relieve itching, making it more likely to occur in the future.

What is an example of positive reinforcement?

Getting scolded by parents after knocking down a sibling, making it more likely to occur in the future.

What types of behaviors are maintained by negative reinforcement?

Escape and avoidance behaviors.

What is the purpose of a continuous reinforcement schedule?

Used for acquisition of behavior.

What is an aversive stimulus in negative reinforcement?

The stimulus that is removed after the behavior.

What do positive and negative reinforcement both do?

They both increase behavior.

What happens during extinction?

A previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by a reinforcer, and the behavior decreases in the future.

What is an extinction burst?

A temporary increase in frequency, intensity, or duration of behavior during extinction.

What occurs during spontaneous recovery?

A previously extinguished behavior occurs again in the future.

When does extinction involve ignoring the behavior?

When attention is the reinforcer.

How does intermittent reinforcement affect extinction?

The behavior will decrease less quickly during extinction after intermittent reinforcement than continuous reinforcement.

What is the reinforcer for crying in a store?

Candy.

How can a parent use extinction for crying in a store?

Stop giving the child candy.

What happens to a behavior during extinction of a positively reinforced behavior?

The reinforcer is no longer delivered after the behavior.

What happens during extinction of a negatively reinforced behavior?

An aversive stimulus is no longer removed after the behavior.

What happens to a behavior that had stopped occurring as a result of extinction during spontaneous recovery?

The behavior resurges.

What happens immediately after the occurrence of a behavior during extinction?

A behavior is no longer reinforced.

What occurs during extinction of a positively reinforced behavior?

The positive reinforcer is no longer delivered following the behavior.

What occurs during extinction of a negatively reinforced behavior?

The aversive stimulus is no longer removed following the behavior.

What is spontaneous recovery?

When a behavior occurs again in the future even though it had stopped occurring after extinction.

What types of behaviors might occur during an extinction burst?

Emotional and aggressive, or novel behaviors.

What reinforcement schedule before extinction results in the most rapid decrease in behavior during extinction?

Continuous reinforcement.

What happens when Ms. Jones pushes the button and the door no longer opens?

This describes extinction of the behavior of pushing the button.

What is punishment?

A behavior is followed by a consequence, making the behavior less likely to occur in the future.

What is a punisher?

A consequence that follows a behavior and makes the behavior less likely to occur in the future.

What occurs in positive punishment?

A stimulus is added or delivered following the behavior.

What is an example of positive punishment?

A child sticks their finger in an electrical socket and gets shocked.

What is negative punishment?

Withholding a reinforcer when the behavior occurs.

What is a generalized conditioned punisher?

'No' is considered a generalized conditioned punisher.

What is an establishing operation?

An event or condition that makes a consequence more effective as a punisher.

What is an example of a common conditioned punisher?

'No'.

What is an example of an unconditioned punisher?

Pain, heat, overstimulation, etc.

What are examples of negative punishment?

Time-out from positive reinforcement and response cost.

What is the difference between punishment and extinction?

Punishment involves a consequence that decreases behavior, while extinction involves withholding reinforcement.

What is the effect of punishment applied on an intermittent schedule?

It is less likely to be effective.

What is the relationship between observing punishment and using punishment?

People who experience or observe punishment are more likely to use punishment themselves.

What is a conditioned punisher?

A stimulus that is paired with a punisher.

What are unconditioned punishers?

Painful stimuli or extreme levels of stimulation.

What does positive reinforcement involve?

The delivery of a reinforcer after the behavior.

What does negative reinforcement involve?

The removal of an aversive stimulus after the behavior.

What does positive punishment involve?

The delivery of an aversive stimulus after the behavior.

What does negative punishment involve?

The removal of a reinforcer after the behavior.