Learning (Operant)

Operant learning

learning based on association of consequences with behavior

law of effect

if consequence of behavior is pleasant, stimulus response connection with be strengthened and behavior will increase

B.F Skinner

coined term of operant conditioning

reinforcement

consequence that makes behavior more likely

positive reinforcement

adds something pleasant

negative reinforcement

removes something unpleasant

punishment

consequence that decreases likelihood of behavior

positive punishment

add something negative

negative punishment

removes something pleasant

escape learning

allows you to terminate unpleasant stimulus

avoidance learning

allows you to completely avoid unpleasant stimulus

shaping

reinforces steps used to reach desired behavior

chaining

teaching to perform several responses successively for reward, link several behaviors for complex activities

operant conditioning version of aversive conditioning

punishment

Skinner acquisition

rat learns to press lever for food

Skinner extinction

rat unlearns bar food connection and stops pressing bar

Skinner spontaneous recover

after extinction and time, rat presses bar again

skinner generalization

rat presses other objects that look like bar

skinner discrimination

rat learns to only press specific bar

reinforcement discrimination

learns to only press specific bar

discrimination stimulus

only press bar under certain conditions

unless __, likelihood of their recurrence decreases

behaviors are reinforced

primary reinforcers

rewarding in themselves, ex. food, water

secondary reinforcement

things we have learned to value or praise

generalized reinforcer

cna be traded for anything, money

premack principle

reinforcement effectiveness is diff depending on situation and preference

continuous reinforcement

rewarding behavior each time

partial reinforcement effect

behavior more resistant to extinction if not reinforced continuously

2 factors of reinforcement schedules

when and pattern of reinforcement

fixed ratio reinforcement schedule (FR)

reinforcement after set number of responses

variable ratio schedule

reinforcement after number of bar presses, it varied

FR-5 meaning

reward after 5th press every time

VR-5 meaning

sometimes rewarded after 3rd sometimes 5th, but average of 5

fixed interval schedule (FI)

certain amount of time before rewarded for bar presses

variable interval schedule (VI)

varied time after press

FI-3 meaning

rewarded after 3 minutes after bar press

VI-3 meaning

sometimes 5, sometimes 1, but average of 3 minutes

what reinforcement schedule is most resistant to extinction

variable schedules

restaurant gives free meal after 10 purchases

fixed ratio ex

going for lunch at restraint that opens at 12

fixed interval ex

variable ratio ex

slot machines

variable interval ex

checking for mail when letter carriers schedule is unpredictable

instinctive drift

even with operant conditioning, some animals refuse to perform certain behaviors against natural inclinations