3.8 Operant Conditioning Part 1

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

The Law of Effect

The principle that responses followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to recur, while those followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to be repeated.

Operant Chamber

An experimental environment developed by B.F. Skinner for studying operant conditioning.

Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement or punishment.

Reinforcement

Any consequence that strengthens an organism's future behavior.

Punishment

A consequence that weakens an organism's future behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

The addition of a pleasant stimulus to increase or strengthen behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

The removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase or strengthen behavior.

Positive Punishment

The addition of an unpleasant stimulus to reduce or weaken behavior.

Negative Punishment

The removal of a pleasant stimulus to reduce or weaken behavior.

Primary Reinforcers

Reinforcers that are naturally satisfying or rewarding, such as food or water.

Secondary Reinforcers

Conditioned reinforcers that acquire their value through association with primary reinforcers.

Continuous Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule where every correct response is reinforced.

Partial Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule where only some responses are reinforced.

Fixed-Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement after a fixed amount of time has passed.

Variable-Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement after varying amounts of time.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement after a set number of responses.

Shaping

The process of reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior.

Instinctive Drift

The tendency for an animal to revert to instinctive behaviors that interfere with conditioned responses.

Learned Helplessness

A condition in which an organism learns to feel helpless and passive after experiencing uncontrollable and adverse events.

Reinforcement Discrimination

The ability to differentiate between situations where reinforcement is available and where it is not.

Reinforcement Generalization

The tendency to respond similarly to different stimuli that are associated with reinforcement.