Learning - Chpt. 6 - Aversive Stimulation

Aversive stimuli

Events that organisms avoid or escape from.

Escape vs Avoidance

Escape refers to responding that removes an aversive stimulus, while avoidance refers to responding that prevents or postpones an aversive stimulus.

Primary/unconditioned aversive stimuli

Stimuli that organisms are phylogenetically prepared to escape or avoid; no learning required.

Secondary/conditioned aversive stimuli

Stimuli that require learning to function as aversive; neutral stimuli associated with aversive stimuli.

Positive punishment

Behavior directly produces aversive stimulation.

Negative punishment

Behavior leads to the removal of an appetitive stimulus.

Punishment effectiveness

The degree to which punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future.

5 ways to increase punishment effectiveness

1. Abrupt & sufficiently intense, 2. Consistent, 3. Immediate, 4. Motivation reduced, 5. Non-punished alternatives available.

Avoidance

Responding prevents or postpones an aversive stimulus.

Escape

Responding removes an aversive stimulus that is already present.

Punishment

Operant contingencies that decrease the likelihood that behavior will occur in the future.

Punisher

The thing doing the punishing.

Positive Punishment examples

Spanking, reprimands/scolding, contingent shock.

Negative Punishment examples

Time-out from reinforcement, fines, possible incarceration.

Effects of Punishment on SR+ Schedule Effects

FI - Overall response rates decrease, FR - Pauses are longer, VI - Rate decreases but is still constant, VR - Sporadic pauses occur.

VI SR+ Schedules Baseline of Choice for Studying Punishment

Constant rate of responding with no pausing; changes in response rate generally do not affect SR+ rate.

Intensity of Punishment

Behavior adapts to weak levels of punishment; start with a large enough intensity.

Consistency in Punishment

As consistency increases, SP+ effectiveness increases.

Motivation to Respond

Punishment is more effective when positive reinforcement for the response is reduced in effectiveness.

Availability of Alternative Responses

Punishing with SR+ for other behavior is most effective when alternatives are available.