7.4 - The Work of Skinner

continuous reinforcement schedule

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

shaping

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

law of effect

Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, while behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

punishment

event that decreases the behavior it follows

conditioned reinforcer / secondary reinforcer

stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer

positive reinforcement

increasing behaviors by presenting a pleasurable stimulus

positive reinforcer

stimulus that strengthens a response when presented after it

variable-interval schedule

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

discriminative stimulus

stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement

reinforcement schedule

pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

partial / intermittent reinforcement schedule

reinforcing a response only part of the time, which results in a slower acquisition of a response but a much greater resistance to extinction than continuous reinforcement

negative reinforcement

increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing an aversive stimulus

negative reinforcer

stimulus that strengthens a response when removed after it

reinforcement

event that strengthens the behavior it follows

fixed-interval schedule

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

operant chamber / Skinner box

chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, as well as attached devices that record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking

fixed-ratio schedule

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses

primary reinforcer

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

variable-ratio schedule

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

the reinforcement schedules are…

fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval

response rates are higher when reinforcement is linked to…, but responding is more consistent when reinforcement is…

the number of responses (ratio); unpredictable (variable)