Module 5 - Operant Conditioning and Cognitive Learning

Operant Conditioning

It is also called instrumental conditioning, is a kind of learning in which an animal or human performs some behavior, and the following consequence (reward or punishment) increases or decreases the chance that an animal or human will again perform that same behavior.

Cognitive Learning

It involves unobservable mental processes and unobservable rewards that you may give yourself.

Law of Effect

This states that behaviors followed by positive consequences are strengthened, while behaviors followed by negative consequences are weakened. 

E.L. Thorndike

He is the scientist behind the Law of Effect. 

Operant Response

It is a response that can be modified by its consequences and is a meaningful unit of ongoing behavior that can be easily measured.

Operant Conditioning

This focuses on how consequences (rewards or punishments) affect behaviors.

Shaping

It is a procedure in which an experimenter successively reinforces behaviors that lead up to or approximate the desired behavior.

Superstitious Behavior

It is a behavior that increases in frequency because its occurrence is accidentally paired with the delivery of a reinforcer.

Reinforcement

It is a consequence that occurs after a behavior and increases the chance that the behavior will occur again.

Punishment

It is a consequence that occurs after a behavior and decreases the chance that the behavior will occur again.

Pica

It is a behavioral disorder, often seen in individuals with mental retardation, that involves eating inedible objects or unhealthy substances. This can result in serious physical problems, including lead poisoning, intestinal blockage, and parasites.

Positive Reinforcement

It refers to the presentation of a stimulus that increases the probability that a behavior will occur again.

Positive Reinforcer

It is a stimulus that increases the likelihood that a response will occur again.

Negative Reinforcement

It refers to an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus whose removal increases the likelihood that the preceding response will occur again.

Primary Reinforcers

It is a stimulus, such as food, water, or sex, that is innately satisfying and requires no learning on the part of the subject to become pleasurable.

Secondary Reinforcer

It is any stimulus that has acquired its reinforcing power through experience; secondary reinforcers are learned, such as by being paired with primary reinforcers or other secondary reinforcers.

Positive Punishment

It is any stimulus that has acquired its reinforcing power through experience; secondary reinforcers are learned, such as by being paired with primary reinforcers or other secondary reinforcers.

Noncompliance

It refers to a child refusing to follow directions, carry out a request, or obey a command given by a parent or caregiver.

Time-out

It removes reinforcing stimuli after an undesirable response. This removal decreases the chances that the undesired response will recur. Time-out is an example

Negative Punishment

It refers to removing a reinforcing stimulus (a child’s allowance) after a response. This removal decreases the chances that the response will recur.

Schedule of Reinforcement

This refers to a program or rule that determines how and when the occurrence of a response will be followed by a reinforcer.

Cumulative Record

It is a continuous written record that shows an animal’s or a human’s individual responses and reinforcements.

Continuous Reinforcement

This means that every occurrence of the operant response results in delivery of the reinforcer.

Partial Reinforcement

This refers to a situation in which responding is reinforced only some of the time.

Fixed-ratio Schedule

This means that a reinforcer occurs only after a fixed number of responses are made by the subject.

Fixed-interval schedule

This means that a rein forcer occurs following the first response that occurs after a fixed interval of time.

Variable-ratio Schedule

This means that a rein forcer is delivered after an average number of correct responses has occurred.