Q

AP PSYCH 4.3 Operant Conditioning

Procedure

  • Behavior is shaped over time through a series of reinforcements or punishments
  • The results of the learners behavior motivate it to exhibit more or less of that behavior
  • This is the way most people think of training dogs: you give them a treat when they do the trick right
    • This positively reinforces the behavior, so they are more likely to do it again

Motivators

Positive Reinforcer

  • Presenting something the learner perceives as ā€˜goodā€™
  • Behavior is strengthened or frequency increases
  • EX: Giving food, a good grade, a pay raise

Negative Reinforcer

  • Taking away something the learner perceives as ā€˜badā€™
  • Behavior is strengthened or frequency increases
  • EX: Taking away restrictions, removing a threat

Positive Punishment

  • Presenting something the learner perceives as ā€˜badā€™
  • Behavior is weakened or frequency decreases
  • EX: Pain (in animal trials, often a shock), adding restrictions

Negative Punishment

  • Taking away something the learner perceives as ā€˜goodā€™
  • Behavior is weakened or frequency decreases
  • EX: Taking away sustenance, taking away privileges/freedoms

B.F. Skinner

  • Elaborated on Thorndikeā€™s Law of Effect
  • Explored different ways to change behavior
    • Schedules of reinforcement
  • Developed technology to measure behavior
    • Skinner box/operant chamber

Types of Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation

  • Desire to perform a behavior for its own sake
  • Commonly the most potent form of motivation because there is no pressure beyond oneā€™s own enthusiasm for the behavior

Extrinsic Motivation

  • Desire to perform a behavior for future rewards to avoid threat of punishment
  • Often less potent, especially when the behavior feels like an obligation
  • Can still be very motivating if itā€™s biologically relevant, like earning food or safety

Schedules of Reinforcement

Fixed Ratio

  • The behavior is reinforced after a consistent amount of responses
  • EX: A treat is presented every time a pigeon presses a button three times
    • A worker is paid for every 5 products they assemble on an assembly line

Variable Ratio

  • The behavior is reinforced after a random amount of responses
  • EX: A treat is presented after a pigeon presses a button, but the amount of button presses necessary changes after each treat
    • A fisher casts his hook all day, and fish may or may not bite randomly with each cast

Fixed Interval

  • The behavior is reinforced after a consistent amount of time has passed
    • No amount of behavior from the learner will change when the reinforcement comes
  • EX: A pigeon presses a button a couple times, and after five minutes, a treat is presented
    • You get an email from a news website every morning at 7 A.M.

Variable Interval

  • The behavior is reinforced after a random amount of times has passed
  • EX: A pigeon presses a button a couple times, and after some period of time, different from the last period, a treat is presented
    • Pop quizzes are presented at random times throughout the school year