Operant Learning

E.L. Thorndike’s “Puzzle Boxes”

• Placed a CAT in a confined area, which it tried to squeeze through the bars to get out

• The cat would paw around haphazardly until it unlatched the cage and ate the treats outside the door

• As more trials wore on, the cats learned to FREE THEMSELVES more quickly

• Is this accidental success or has learning taken place?

Latency Measure of Learning (1st Law)

Trying to measure where the learning TOOK PLACE

• If the amount of time IN the box is
  LESS = learning has taken place

The Law of Satisfying Effect (2nd Law)

• You STOP doing the actions that DON’T give you the reward

• You DO the actions that GIVE you the reward

The Law of Practice and Exercise (3rd Law)

You do this action QUICKLY/SMOOTHLY

B.F. Skinner
(Skinner Box)

Box with CONTROLLED VARIABLES and a switch that could dispense the stimuli

• Put a pigeon in a cage, as it TURNED, he threw food into the cage

• Got the pigeon to turn in a FULL CIRCLE

Skinner Box Findings

1. The SUBJECT will hit upon the correct response

2. You have to INCREASE the motivation

3. Removing an ADVERSIVE stimulus

4. Guide the LEARNER through the correct behavior

5. Modeling: DEMONSTRATE behavior that is watered between idols and pretty people

Instructional Set

The instructions must be CLEAR, and given at one time

Primary Reinforcer

One that is UNLEARNED WITHOUT an association of other reinforcers

• Biological in nature, necessary for the survival of the organism

• Produces COMFORT, ends DISCOMFORT

• Fulfills an immediate physical need

EX: Food, water, sex, termination of pain

Secondary Reinforcer

One whose VALUE has to be LEARNED through OTHER reinforcers

• EX: A child needs a QUARTER (other reinforcer) to get GUM

Schedule of Reinforcement

The program for choosing WHICH response to reinforce

Fixed Interval Schedule

The reinforcement for the correct response after the passage of a CERTAIN/FIXED amount of time
EX: Pigeon receives pellet after 5 minutes have elapsed

Variable Interval Schedule

The reinforcement for the correct response VARIES after varying lengths of time

EX: Pigeon receives pellet at RANDOM intervals of elapsed time

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Certain NUMBER of responses MUST occur before the reinforcement is present

• Have to have a HIGH response rate
  
  EX: Pigeon must peck at key 3 times in succession to get a pellet

Variable Ratio Schedule

The NUMBER of responses NECESSARY to gain a reinforcement is NOT CONSTANT
EX: Pigeon receives pellet RANDOMLY after giving response VARYING AMOUNTS OF TIME (pecking)

Positive Reinforcement

The ADDITION of a pleasant stimulus to INCREASE desired behavior

Negative Reinforcement

The REMOVAL of an UNpleasant stimulus to INCREASE desired behaivor

Positive Punishment

The ADDITION of an UNpleasant stimulus to DECREASE desired behavior

Negative Punishment

The REMOVAL of a pleasant stimulus to DECREASE desired behavior

Stimulus Generalization

The stimulus CHANGES, but the response REMAINS THE SAME

Response Generalization

The response CHANGES, but the stimulus REMAINS THE SAME

Discrimination

REWARD the correct response, EXTINGUISH the incorrect response

Extinction

WITHHOLDING reinforcement

• This does NOT usually produce a DECREASE in the response, but at first an INCREASE

• Then a subsequent DECREASE in response

Factors of Extinction

1. The STRENGTH of original learning
   

2. The GREATER the variety of situations EXPERIENCED during the learning, the HARDER it is to extinguish–because each BIT of behavior must be eliminated
   

3. Simple behavior is EASIER to extinguish than complex behavior
   

4. Partial reinforcement is HARDER to extinguish than continuous reinforcement because partial is HIGHLY RESISTANT to extinction process

Transfer of Learning

Learning to learn

Positive Transfer of Learning

When the learning of ONE task makes another task EASIER to learn

• The basis of leaning in school; taking INTRO classes to take HARDER classes

Negative Transfer of Learning

Negative: When the learning of ONE task makes another task HARDER to learn

• EX: Trying to learn mandarin while you kind of know cantonese

Shaping

The method of Successive Approximations

Teaching a Child to Write Their Name

1. Teach them how to hold a pencil

2. Teach them how to form letters

3. Teach them the letters in their name

4. Teach them the order of the letters in their name

Must reward EACH BIT of BEHAVIOR to reach the next step

E.L. Thorndike’s Law of Effect

Actions/behaviors followed by good outcomes are STRENGTHENED, while those followed by bad outcomes are WEAKENED