Learning Exam #2

  • Classical vs. Instrumental Conditioning

  • Classical conditioning:

    • Learning associations between stimuli

      • Example: A bell meant food was coming

  • Instrumental conditioning:

    • Learning associations between stimuli, response,and outcome, leads to goal-directed behavior 

Example: Brush teeth, no cavities

E.L. Thorndike (1874–1949)

  • Used puzzle box:

    • Food-restricted cats

    • Goal: escape and food

    • Measured latency to escape 

  • Cats learned association between stimulus and response:

    • Association affected by outcome

    • Rope in box (S) + pulling rope ® —> escape (O)

Law of effect:

  • Response to a stimulus followed by a satisfying event strengthened S-R relationship

  • Pull rope—> food and escape —> less time to escape

  • Response to a stimulus followed by an annoying event —> weakened S-R relationship

    • Ex: Pull rope in the box—> shock —< longer time to escape 

  1. Discrete-Trial Approach

    1. Response is performed once 

    2. behavior of subject terminates the trial

    3. timing of trial determined g the experimenter 

Two Maze types:

  • Straight alley

  • T-maze

Behavior Measured:

  • Running speed

  • Latency to move from start box (S)

  • Choice behavior: T-Maze only

  1. Free-Operant Approach 

    1. Subject is “free” to respond at any time

    2. May be repeated many times

    3. Timing responses determined by subject 

Free-Operant Approaches: Skinner Box

  • Skinner box measures operant response rate:

    • Example: # of lever presses for food

  • Operant response: Behavior that “operates” on the environment

Advantages of free-operant? 

Magazine Training

How to produce a target response 

  • Step 1: Magazine Training: Classical Conditioning

    • Sound of the “magazine: (aka, food dispenser) is a CS+, followed by a food US that orients organism

  • Examples?

  • Step 2: Shaping

    • Instrumental Conditioning

    • Rewarding successive approximations to target behavior by:

      • Reinforcing closer actions to correct response

      • Not reinforcing early non-target responses

    • Correct step[s are preserved

      • Ex: the Rat still tears up to push the bar 

SHAPING

  • Shaping familiar responses:

    • Must be a variable response

    • Slowly step-up criteria

    • Can bring about SUPER or miniature responses

      • Deich, Allan, & Ziegler (1988): Training beak openings in pigeons 

Terminology:

  • A response may produce 1 of 2 outcomes:

    • Appetitive stimulus:

      • A pleasant outcome (getting paid, food, sunshine)

    • Aversive stimulus:

      • Negative outcome (yelling, shock, cold)

  • Contingency: something likely to occur because of something else 

    • Positive contingency: response turns on/ causes an outcome 

      • A rat can press the lever to gate food

    • Negative contingency: response turns off/ inhibits an outcome

      • A rat can turn off a loud by pressing the lever

Appetitive Stimulus              Aversive Stimulus 

Positive Reinforcement 

Punishment (Positive Punishment)

Omission Training (Negative Punishment)

Negative Reinforcement (Escape or Avoidance) 

Positive Contingency —Response causes outcome

Negative Contingency—Response inhibits outcome 

Positive Reinforcement: 

  • Positive contingency between response and appetite stimulus (response turns on a good thing)

  • Outcome: Increased responding

  • Examples:

    • Dog training

    • Good grades

    • Paid by doing a job

  • WHAT ELSE?

Punishment: 

  • Positive contingency between response and aversive stimulus (response turns on a bad thing)

  • Outcome: DECREASED RESPONDING

  • Examples:

    • Tickets for speeding

Omission Training:

  • Negative contingency between a response and an appetitive stimulus (response removed an appetite stimulus)

  • Outcome: Decreased responding

  • Examples:

    • Swearing leads to loss of TV

    • Autoshaping reversal 

Negative reinforcement:

  • Negative contingency between response and aversive stimulus (response turns off or avoids a bad thing)

  • Outcome: Increased responding 

  • Types: 

    • Escape: aversive stimulus present at the time of behavior, stopped by response

    • Avoidance: aversive stimulus scheduled to happen but it is prevented from happening by response 

    • Examples:

      • Putting on sunscreen

Barton, Bull, & Rep (1986):

Differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO)

  • Subjects: students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Behaviors:

    • Hand flapping-decrease

    • Other behaviors-increase

  • Reinforcers: Yummy snacks

  • What types of instrumental conditioning are used 

  • What’s the response?

    • Drinking a Four Loko

  • What is the contingency?

    • Positive contingency 

  • Is the outcome reinforcing or inhibiting?

    • Reinforcing

  • What procedure is used?

    • POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

  • What is the response?

    • Running And hiding

  • What is the contingency?

    • Negative contingency

    Is the outcome reinforcing or inhibiting?

    • Reinforcing

  • What procedure is used?

    • Negative reinforcement (ESCAPE)