psychology of learning test 3

continuous reinforcement schedule

response requirement that must be met to obtain reinforcement; each specified response is reinforced

intermittent (partial) reinforcement schedule

only some responses are reinforced

steady-state behaviors

stable pattern that emerges after considerable exposure to schedule

schedules of reinforcement

these schedules specify how often or when we must act a certain way to receive reinforcement

fixed interval schedule

fixed time; the occurence of reinforcement depends upon both the passage of time and the exhibition of the appropriate behavior

variable interval

average time

fixed ratio schedule

fixed number of responses are necessary to produce reinforcement; produce a consistent response rate

variable ratio schedule

average number of response produce reinforcement; the actual number of responses required varies over the course of training

post reinforcement pause

the pause after reinforcement; after the pause, responding resumes at the rate present before reinforcement

differential reinforcement schedules

the contingency between between behavior and reinforcement sometimes involves more than one schedule; requires a specified number of responses within a specified amount of time

Differential reinforcement of high responding schedule

the response requirement is high with a differential reinforcement of high responding; high rate of responding

Differential reinforcement of low responding

the response requirement is low with a differential reinforcement of low responding; low rate of responding

fixed duration schedule

behavior must be performed continuously for a fixed, predictable period of time

variable duration

behavior must be performed continuously for a varying, unpredictable period of time

fixed time schedule

reinforcer is delivered following fixed, predictable period of time

variable time interval

reinforcer is delivered following varying, unpredictable period of time

conjunctive schedule

requirements of two or more simple schedules must be met before a reinforcer is delivered

adjusting schedule

response requirement changes as a function of performance while responding for previous reinforcer

chained schedule

sequence of two more simple schedules, each of which has its own SD ending with terminal reinforcer

goal gradient effect

difference in response strength between early and later links, increase in strength and/or efficiency of responding as one draws near goal

drive reduction theory

event is reinforcing to the extent that it is associated with reduction in physiological drive

incentive motivation

derived from property of reinforcer vs internal drive state

premack principle

high probability behavior can be used to reinforce low-probability behavior

response deprivation hypothesis

behavior can serve as reinforcer when access to the behavior is restricted and frequency falls below preferred level of occurrence

behavioral bliss point approach

organism with free access to alternative activities will distribute its behavior in such a way as to maximize overall reinforcement

extinction

non-reinforcement of previously reinforced response; results in decrease in the strength response

procedure of extinction

non reinforcment of previously reinforced response

process of extinction

resultant decrease in response strength

extinction burst

temporary increase in frequency and intensity of responding when extinction first implemented

resurgence

reappearance during extinction of other behaviors that had once been effective in obtaining reinforcement

resistance to extinction

extent to which responding persists after extinction procedure has been implemented (can be high or low)

partial reinforcement effect

behavior maintained on intermittent/partial reinforcement schedule will extinguish more slowly than behavior maintained on continuous schedule

spontaneous recovery

reappearance of an extinguished response following a rest period after extinction

differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)

reinforcement of any behavior other than the target behavior that is being extinguishes; more effect than simple extinction, reduces unwanted side effects of extinction

functional communication training

where behavior of clear and appropriate communication is differentially reinforced

stimulus generalization

tendency for operant response to be emitted in presence of stimulus similar to S^D

generalization gradient

tendency to generalize across different stimuli

stimulus discrimination

tendency for operant response to be emitted more in the presence of one stimulus than another

discrimination training

reinforcement of responding in the presence of S^D and not another

peak shift effect

peak of generalization gradient following discrimination training will shift from S^D to a stimulus further removed from S delta during discrimination

multiple schedule

two or more independent schedules presented in sequence; each resulting in reinforcement having distinctive S^D

behavioral contrast

occurs when change in rate of reinforcement on one component of multiple schedule produces opposite change in the rate of response on another component

performance of response

a shift from large to small reward magnitude leads to a rapid decrease in responding; whereas a shift from small to a large reward magnitude causes a significant increase in responding

negative contrast effect (or depression effect)

a lower level of performance when the reward magnitude is shifted from high to low than when the reward magnitude is always low

positive contrast effect (or elation effect)

a higher level of performance when the reward magnitude is shifted from low to high than when the reward magnitude always is high

anticipatory contrast

rate of response varies inversely with an upcoming change in the rate of reinforcement

errorless discrimination training

gradual training procedure that minimizes errors and reduces adverse effects of discrimination training; S introduced early in training, soon after the animal learns to respond appropriately to S^D; S delta presented in weak form and gradually strengthened

fading

process of gradually altering the intensity of a stimulus; fewer adverse side effects; greater flexibility when what is learned has to be modified later

escape response

a behavioral response to an aversive event that is reinforced by the termination of the aversive event

ex: closing your eyes during a scary scene

*when behavior terminates aversive stimulus

avoidance response

a behavioral response that prevents an aversive event

types of avoidance

active- calling to reschedule or cancel a dentist appointment

passive- ignore the mail in reminder about your appointment

two factor theory of avoidance learning

by Mowrer, in the first stage: fear is conditioned through the classical conditioning process

in the second stage: an instrumental or operant response is acquired that terminates the feared stimulus

avoidance behavior

result of classical and operant conditioning

one-process theory

act of avoidance negatively reinforced by lower rate of aversive stimulation

avoidance learning

fundamental in development and maintenance of phobic behavior; human phobias require single, brief conditioning trial

stampf procedure

avoidance response occurs early in sequence of events; early responding greatly reduces extent to which avoidance response can be extinguished

obsessive compulsive disorder

persistent thoughts, impulses or images; repetitive actions in response to obsessions

Exposure and response prevention method of treating OCD

systematic desensitization with flooding therapy

punishment

escape and avoidance conditioning involves the strengthening of a behavior through removal of an aversive stimulus

response cost

an undesired response results in either the withdrawal of or failure to obtain reinforcement

time out

a period of time during which reinforcement is unavailable

positive punishment

presentation of event following a response; leads to decrease in future strength of that response

negative punishment

removal of event following a response; leads to decrease in the strength of that response

intrinsic punishment

inherent aspect of behavior being punished, activity itself is punishing

extrinsic punishment

not inherent aspect of behavior being punished, simply follows the behavior

primary punisher

innately punishing event

secondary (conditioned) punisher

event that has become punishing because of association with other past punisher

generalized punisher

event that has become punishing because of associations with many other punishers in the past

effectiveness of punishment

skinner believed that punishment could only temporarily suppress behavior; but research has shown under some conditions that it can permanently suppress behavior

3 factors that influence the effectiveness of punishment

the severity of punishment, the consistency of punishment, and the delay of punishment (the longer the delay, the less effective)

the likelihood of aggression diminishes if…

the individual has been punished for aggressive responding and/or reinforced for nonaggressive responding

modeling

the acquisition of behavior as a result of observing the experiences of others

ex: children who viewed cartoons depicting aggressive behavior became more aggressive towards other children

conditioned suppression theory

punishment does not weaken behavior; produces emotional response that interferes with behavior occurrence

avoidance theory of punishment

involves type of avoidance conditioning where avoidance response is any behavior other than the behavior being punished

Premack principle of punishment

low probability behavior can be used to punish high probability behavior

learned helplessness

decrement in learning ability resulting from repeated exposure to uncontrollable aversife ecents

mausserman’s experimental neurosis

experimentally produced disorder in which exposure to unpredictable events leads to neurotic-like symptoms