Operant Conditioning and Reinforcement

These flashcards cover key concepts related to operant conditioning and reinforcement, including types of reinforcers, schedules of reinforcement, and the effects of punishment.

Positive Reinforcement

Strengthening a behavior by presenting a typically pleasurable stimulus immediately after the behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Strengthening a behavior by reducing or removing something negative or aversive.

Primary Reinforcers

Unlearned reinforcers that are innately satisfying, such as food when hungry.

Conditioned Reinforcers

Also called secondary reinforcers, they gain power through learned associations with primary reinforcers.

Immediate Reinforcers

Reinforcers that are given immediately after a behavior, leading to quicker learning.

Delayed Reinforcers

Reinforcers that follow a behavior after a time delay, such as a paycheck received after work.

Continuous Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule in which a response is reinforced every time it occurs.

Partial Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule in which responses are sometimes reinforced and sometimes not.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A partial reinforcement schedule that reinforces behavior after a set number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

A partial reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcers after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed-Interval Schedule

A partial reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after a fixed time period.

Variable-Interval Schedule

A partial reinforcement schedule that reinforces the first response after varying time intervals.

Positive Punishment

Administering an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g., giving a traffic ticket).

Negative Punishment

Withdrawing a rewarding stimulus to decrease a behavior (e.g., taking away driving privileges).

Taste Aversion

A learned avoidance of a particular food that has been associated with illness.

Instinctive Drift

The tendency for animals to revert to natural behaviors after being conditioned.

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of a maze or environment developed through exploration.

Latent Learning

Learning that remains hidden until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.

Law of Effect

The principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, while behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences such as reinforcers and punishers.