Psych Unit 3 Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning

A type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher.

Reinforcement (positive and negative)

In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows.

Punishment (positive and negative)

An event that tends to decrease the behavior that it follows.

Law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable (or reinforcing) consequences becomes more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable (or punishing) consequences become less likely.

Primary reinforcers

An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need.

Secondary reinforcers

A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer also known as a secondary reinforcer

Discrimination

the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli (similar or not) that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.

Generalization

tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Successive approximations

a method of shaping behavior through operant conditioning, where behaviors that are increasingly closer to the desired target behavior are reinforced.

Instinctive drift

a phenomenon in psychology where an animal or person trained to perform a specific behavior gradually reverts to their innate, instinctual behaviors over time. This occurs despite repeated reinforcement of the trained behavior.

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforces the desired response each time it occurs. Learning occurs rapidly and a behavior is mastered. However, more susceptible to extinction.

Partial reinforcement

Reinforces a response only part of the time. Results in slower acquisition in the beginning, but it shows greater resistance to extinction later on.

Fixed ratio

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.

Variable ratio

in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed interval

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.

Variable interval

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at un predictable time intervals.