Operant Conditioning

Law of Effect

Thorndike’s principle

Operant Chamber

contains a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain food or water reinforcers

Reinforcement

Any event that increases the frequency of a preceding response

Shaping

Procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer toward a desired behavior

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting a pleasurable stimulus

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing an aversive stimulus

Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcers

An event that is innately reinforcing often by satisfying a biological need, like hunger

Reinforcement schedules

A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforcing a desired response every time it occurs. Learning can occur rapidly, but so can extinction

Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement

Reinforcing a response only part of the time. This results in slower acquisition but much greater resistance to extinction

Fixed-Ratio Schedules

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

Variable-Ratio Schedules 

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed-Interval Schedules

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

Variable-Interval Schedules

A reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervaals

Punisher

Decreases the frequency of the behavior it follows

Positive Punishment

An event that decreases a behavior by administering a negative stimulus

Negative Punishment

An event that decreases a behavior by removing a rewarding stimulus

Variable-Interval

What schedule: Constantly checking phone until finally getting a long-awaited messages

Fixed-Interval

What schedule: Getting a paycheck every Friday

Variable-Ratio

What schedule: Gambling and Fishing

Fixed-Ratio

What schedule: Buy 10 coffees, get 1 Free