Operant Conditioning and Complex Behavior Study Notes

Operant conditioning is a behaviorist learning approach where associations are formed between behaviors and their consequences.
It differs from classical conditioning, which looks at stimuli preceding an action where the learner is a passive agent.
In operant conditioning, the focus is on what happens after an action; pleasant consequences strengthen the connection to the behavior, while unpleasant consequences weaken it.

Edward Thorndike: Developed the Law of Effect, stating that actions followed by pleasant consequences are repeated, while those with unpleasant consequences are not.
B.F. Skinner: An American psychologist (1950s to 1970s) and "radical behaviorist." He believed mental states are entirely results of behavior determined by environment and viewed free will as an illusion.

Operant Reinforcer: Anything following a response that increases the likelihood of that response being repeated.
Punisher: Anything following a response that decreases the likelihood of that response being repeated.
The Skinner Box (Operant Conditioning Chamber): A laboratory apparatus containing a lever or button and a food dispenser used to measure the rate of response in animals.

Shaping: The process of gradually reinforcing responses to guide an organism toward a specific, desired behavior through incremental changes.
Response Chaining: Linking multiple distinct actions together in succession to achieve a single reinforcer at the end, such as completing multiple tasks to earn a good grade.
Operant Extinction: The disappearance of a behavior when the reinforcer is removed. Behavior may briefly increase in intensity (e.g., a child yelling louder for attention) before eventually stopping.

B.F. Skinner: American psychologist, worked primarily with animals in the 1950s–1970s.
Edward Thorndike: Originator of the Law of Effect.
Law of Effect: Concept that pleasant consequences strengthen associations and unpleasant ones weaken them.
Operant Conditioning: Learning through the association of consequences to behaviors.
Operant Extinction: The cessation of a behavior when its reinforcement is discontinued.
Operant Reinforcer: Stimulus that follows a response and makes it more likely to recur.
Response Chaining: Linking multiple behaviors to a single reinforcement.
Shaping: Gradual learning of responses into a target behavior.
Skinner Box (chamber): A laboratory device used to record the rate of an animal's responses in relation to food reinforcement.