Skinner's Operant Analysis

operant behavior

behavior that operates on the environment

law of effect

E.L. Thorndike, principal that behavior is determined by its consequences

Experiment that Skinner is known for

Skinner’s Box; rats press lever for food

functional analysis of behavior

identifying the environmental conditions that determines if behavior does or doesn’t occur and states behavior is caused by the operation of environmental factors

Skinner believed we are ultimately conditioned by ____________; everything we do is caused by the ____________.

external events; environment

According to skinner, a behaviorist analyses the _______ in the _____________, past/current, that help produce the behavior

events, environment

Criticisms of Skinner’s theory (4)

• research was performed on lower animals

• human environment can’t be so easily manipulated as animals

• sought to manipulate people without them being aware of it

• Skinner set himself up as an arbiter of good and evil

study of personality

involved the discovery of a unique set of relationships between the behavior of an organism and its reinforcing/punishing consequences

What is concept is Pavlov known for?

classical conditioning

classical conditioning

learning by association

What concept is Skinner known for?

operant conditioning

operant conditioning

establishment of an association between behavior and its consequences

3-term contingency

refers to the 3 important components in an operant conditioning contingency

contingency

rule stating that some event will occur if and only if another event occurs

3 components of a 3-term contingency

1. environmental (situational) event in which a response (behavior) occurs. the event that precedes the behavior

2. the behavior itself

3. environmental stimuli (consequences) that follow the behavior

discrimination

responding differently in the presence of different stimuli (in some situations) and not others

stimulus control

The process in which a person’s response is determined by a particular stimulus

prompts

antecedent that helps initiate responses (examples, instructions, directions, and models)

discriminative stimulus

stimulus whose presence signals an individual to respond because they have learned previously that it’s presence leads to reinforcing consequences

stimulus generalization

process by which behaviors that is reinforced in one situation is repeated in other similar situations even if not reinforced

reinforcement

the principle that behavior will increase frequency when followed by a positive or negative reinforcer

positive reinforcement

refered to the process of increasing the frequency of behavior by the presentation of a pleasant stimuli or positive reinforcers following that behavior

2 types of positive reinforcers

1. primary (unconditioned)

2. secondary (conditioned)

primary positive reinforcer

automatically/naturally reinforcing (food, water, sex)

secondary positive reinforcer

reinforcing through their association with primary reinforcers/other conditioned reinforcers (praise, attention, money, and good grades)

negative reinforcement

refers to the increased frequency of behavior (response) by the removal of an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus follow the behavior

punishment

principle that refers to a decrease in the frequency of a response when that response is followed immediately by certain consequences (punishers)

punishers

stimuli that are inherently aversive/unpleasant

positive punishment

presentation of an aversive stimulus following behavior

2 types of positive punishments

1. primary (unconditioned)

2. secondary (conditioned)

primary positive punishment

stimuli that are inherently aversive or unpleasant (spanking, falling down, grounding)

secondary positive punishment

acquire their aversive properties by being paired with primary punishers or other conditioned prisoners (poor grades, criticism, ignored)

negative punishment

removal of a desirable or pleasant stimulus following a behavior

2 types of negative punishment

1. response-cost

2. time-out punishment

response-cost

involves a penalty of some kind (child curses, loses a toy, speed/ticket, late fees)

time-out punishment

removal of all pleasant stimuli for a period of time (no tv, computer)

2 downsides of punishment

1. may give rise to emotional responses that are incompatible with appropriate behavior

2. can create strong conflict in people when responses have inconsistent results

shaping

teaching a new behavior by reinforcing responses that approximate it and are then reinforced until eventually the goal is achieved

successive approximations

behaviors are increasingly similar to the final goal

continuous reinforcement

response is followed by a reinforcer consistently

intermittent reinforcement

The response is followed by a reinforcer occasionally or intermittetly

self-control process

how the individual acts to alter conditions that influence their behavior

Steps of the self control process (7)

1. physical restraints

2. physical aid

3. changing the stimulus conditions

4. manipulating emotional conditions

5. performing alternate responses

6. positive self-reinforcement

7. self-punishment

Skinner believes personality changes over time due to unique ________________ of reinforcement rather than the emergences of _______________

environmental schedules; maturation stages

Skinner believed there is no ___________ difference between so-called normal and abnormal individuals

qualitative

Skinner believed focus should be more on the ________________ of behavior rather than inner ones

environmental determinants

behavior modification

attempt to change behavior by the application of learning principles derived (primarily) from reinforcement principles and (less often) by punishment principles

What experiment was Watson known for?

the little Albert experiment; 11 month old conditioned to fear rates and other furry animals

Skinner v. Watson

• Skinner’s studies rejected Watson’s almost exclusive emphasis on reflexes and conditioning

• skinner denied mind/feelings play part in determining human behavior but it is our experience of reinforcements that determines our behavior

• Skinner became known for radical behaviorism

Contributions of behaviorism (3)

• most evidence based therapy

• led to development of strong self-management focus in therapy

• used to treat wide range of psychological conditions

criticisms of behaviorism (4)

• involves control and manipulation by the therapist

• treats symptoms over causes

• ignores relational factors in therapy

• does not produce client insight