Personality Chapter 9&10

How does skinner define personality

consistent behavior patterns that have been strengthened through operant conditioning

leads to a conditioned response

conditioned stimulus

this results in an unconditioned response

unconditioned stimulus

after learning. Result after a conditioned stimulus is used

conditioned response

(Before learning) Results from unconditioned stimulus

unconditioned response

learning the behavior–response relations

Acquisition

way to create new behavior.

Shaping

behavior weakens when reinforcement is removed

Extinction

burst of activity following a delay after extinction

Will extinguish faster if no reinforcement

Spontaneous recovery

signals which situation is present

Discriminate Stimulus

food, water, oxygen, elimination, sleep, sex

Primary reinforce

biologically neutral at first

•Become associated with primary reinforcers

•Most human behavior controlled by secondary reinforcers

•Kind words, glances, money, medals, awards, recognition, gifts, attention

•Generalize reinforce – linked to several primary reinforcers (money)

Secondary reinforce

link together many secondary reinforcers which lead to a primary reinforcer

•Primary reinforcer holds the chain together

•Explains most complex behavior

Chaining

First response after a time interval

Fixed interval

make a set number of responses to be reinforced

fixed ratio

varies time interval for reinforcement

variable interval

varies number of responses between reinforcement

variable ratio

Hw does skinner explain superstitious behavior

Believe a behavior was responsible for producing the reinforcer, when if fact it does not

increase rate of response when presented. Related to survival (food, water, etc)

Primary Positive reinforcement

behavior increases to remove something it does not want. potentially harmful (shock, noise, bright light)

Primary negative reinforcement

behavior increases to remove something it does not want. Learn relationship to primary (warning lights)

secondary negative reinforcement

increase rate of response when presented. Learn relationship to primary (money)

secondary positive reinforcement

engage in behavior to keep aversive events from occurring. •Open an umbrella, etc

Avoidance

remove a positive reinforcer or present a negative reinforcer

•Not as effective as positive reinforcement in controlling behavior

•Punished behaviors often reappear after a while

Punishment

According to skinner what is our biggest problem?

Behavior more easily influenced by small, immediate, and definite reinforcers than by large, distant, and uncertain reinforcers. This makes it hard to change behavior

make the future more immediate

•Encourage desirable behavior, discourage undesirable behavior

At end of contract behavior will be changed

contingency contradicting

Changing reinforcement contingencies that currently reinforce undesired behavior

behavioral therapy

Get tokens when act appropriately, can be exchanged for another item

•Token is a secondary reinforcer

•Common in institutions (money is national token system)

•Treats symptoms, does not treat underlying causes

token economy

What was skinner’s book “Walden two” about

Utopian culture designed in accordance with principles of operant conditioning

Why do some people find the ideas in the book Walden two frightening

The characters speak of a rejection of free will

What was his book “Beyond Freedom and Dignity” about

Developing technology for behavior and solving world behavior problems

Do you think the premise of the book “Beyond Freedom and Dignity is reasonable”

I think it is a little unreasonable since it wants to radically change human behavior. Throughout history we see how radical change never works in society.

strong stimulus that makes us act, its elimination or reduction is reinforcing

•Internal – thirst, hunger

•External – noise, extreme temperature

•Primary – related to survival

•Thirst, hunger, pain, sex, elimination

•Secondary – related to culture

•Fear, success, attractiveness

Motivational part of personality

drive

stimulus that indicates the appropriate direction of activity.

•Where, when and which response

cue

behaviors to reduce/eliminate drives

•Overt – directly reduce drive

•Internal – thinking, planning, reasoning that will eventually work

•Learning – rearranging response probabilities as conditions change

response

association between a stimulus (S) and response (R)

habit

What is a habit family hierarchy?

every cue elicits several responses at one that vary in terms of probability

response that is most successful at reducing the drive

dominate response

required for learning to occur

•Dominant response does not work

•Must use trial and error or another method to solve the problem

learning dilemma

newborns based on genetics

•Hungry – restless, cry, kick, scream

With experience they can change positions

initial hierarchy of reponses

revised arrangement after learning

resultant hierarchy of response

•2 positive goals that are equally attractive

•Usually attain both, one after the other

approach-approach

•Attracted and repelled by the same goal

•Gradient of Approach – drives you toward goal

•Gradient of Avoidance – drives you away from goal

•Vacillate where two gradients cross

approach-avoidance

•Must choose between two negative goals

•Vacillation and indecision

Escape (physically or psychological)

avoidance-avoidance

•2 goals, each with plusses and minuses

•Is the most common type people experience

double approach-avoidance

What is the basic idea of the frustration-aggression hypothesis

Aggression always a consequence of frustration

What are the three things the determine the amount of aggression that occurs after frustration

Drive level, completeness of frustration, Culmination effect of minor frustration

Dollard and Miller thought there were four critical training situations during childhood. For reach stage listed below indicate the critical event that occurs during that stage

Feeding Situation

Cleanliness Training

Early Sex Training

Anger-Anxiety Conflicts

shapes adult personality, toilet training, learn to fear sex, how do children deal with frustration