Operant Conditioning

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to operant conditioning from the lecture notes for PSYC 101.

Operant Learning

Learning through consequences where behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Reinforcement

A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a stimulus to increase behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing a stimulus to increase behavior.

Punishment

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Positive Punishment

Adding a stimulus to decrease behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing a stimulus to decrease behavior.

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by favorable outcomes are more likely to occur in the future.

Extinction

The process through which a behavior that was previously reinforced is weakened.

Schedules of Reinforcement

Rules that determine how and when reinforcement is delivered.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

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

Variable Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses.

Fixed Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that delivers reinforcement after a specified amount of time.

Variable Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable amount of time.

Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement following a specific behavior.

Antecedent

What occurs before the behavior.

Consequence

What occurs as a result of the behavior.

Shaping

The process of reinforcing successive approximations to a desired behavior.

Extinction Burst

An increase in the frequency of the behavior when reinforcement is initially removed.

Primary Reinforcers

Innately satisfying reinforcers; they fulfill a biological need.

Conditioned Reinforcers

Stimuli that reinforce behaviors through learned associations.