Preview p.8 What reinforcers are at work in your life? i.e. What rewards increase the likelihood that you will continue with desirable behavior.. At home? In school? With friends? If possible, identify schedules of reinforcement

Learning pp.325-336 Notebook p. 9

Objective 10: What are the two major differences between classical and operant conditioning? Operant conditioning: the type of learning that occurs when a behavior is strengthened if followed by a reward and diminished if followed by punishment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk

Objective 10: What are the two major differences between classical and operant conditioning? Associations between stimuli Respondent behavior- behavior in response to stimulus Learning associations between uncontrolled events Stimulus  Response Operant Associations with consequences Operant behavior- behavior produces stimulus (reward/punishment) Learning associations between behavior and resulting events Response  Stimulus

Objective 11: What is Thorndike’s Law of Effect? Law of Effect: behaviors that result in rewards are strengthened, while behaviors that did not result in rewards are weakened

Thorndike’s Law of Effect

Objective 11: How does the law of effect explain Skinner’s research? Operant Chamber (Skinner box): recorded responses of animals seeking reward in the form of food. Behavior of pressing a lever was reinforced, or strengthened, by an impending reward

Do Now Find your new seat Open Notebook to P.9

Objective 12: What is shaping? Shaping (via successive approximations): creating a new behavior based on a sequence of rewarding behaviors that come closer and closer to the ultimate behavioral goal Ex. Boys in the hallway

Objective 12: How can shaping explain what animals and babies can discriminate? If we can shape them to respond to one stimulus and not another, then they can perceive the difference Name an example, besides those listed in the text, of unintentionally shaped behavior?

Objective 13: What is a reinforcer? Reinforcer: a stimulus (event) that, when made contingent on behavior, increases the strength of the exhibited behavior Reinforcers vary with circumstances Any consequence that strengthens behavior whether it be positive or negative

Objective 13: What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement? Positive Reinforcement Strengthens a response by adding a desirable stimulus Food for hungry animals Attention, approval, and money are positive reinforcement for most people Grades for students Negative Reinforcement Strengthens a response by removing an aversive (undesirable) stimulus Aspirin for a headache Studying to reduce anxiety Taking an addictive substance to avoid withdrawal

Objective 13: What are some examples of primary reinforcers, conditioned reinforcers, immediate reinforcers, and delayed reinforcers? Primary reinforcer: any reinforcing stimuli that satisies a biological need (food, water, sex, warmth, etc.) Secondary (conditioned) reinforcer: any previously neutral stimulus that has gained reinforcement value after being associated with another reinforcer (money, grades, etc.)

Objective 14: What are the strengths and weaknesses of continuous and partial reinforcement? Continuous Reinforcement: response is reinforced every time it occurs Strength: learning occurs rapidly Weakness: extinction occurs rapidly Partial (intermittent) Reinforcement: responses are sometimes reinforced, sometimes not Strength: greater resistance to extinction Weakness: initial learning is slower

Objective 14: What are the four schedules of reinforcment? Ratio Interval Fixed Reinforcement is provided after a set number of the correct responses are performed. Ex. Gum ball machines Reinforcement is provided for the first desired response after a set amount of time has elapsed. Ex. Pay check Variable Reinforcement is provided after a varying number of correct behaviors. Ex. Slot machines Reinforcement is provided after the first desired response after varying amount of time has elapsed. Ex. Checking for Facebook notifications

Objective 15: What is punishment? Punishment: any event that decreases the behavior that if follows

(diminishes behavior) (strengthens behavior) Objective 15: What are the differences between positive/negative punishment/reinforcement? Punishment (diminishes behavior) Reinforcement (strengthens behavior) Positive (+) Adding an aversive (undesirable) stimulus in order to decrease behavior. Ex. Detention for talking in class Adding a desirable stimulus in order to increase behavior. Ex. You get $20 for every “A” you get on your report card Negative (-) Taking away a desirable stimulus in order to decrease behavior. Ex. Parents take away car privilege if you stay our past curfew. Taking away an aversive (undesirable) stimulus in order to increase behavior. Ex. Every time you get a headache, you take an aspirin

Objective 15: What are some of the drawbacks of punishment as a behavior-control technique? Spanked children are at increased risk for aggression, depression, and low self-esteem Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness by demonstrating that aggression is a way to cope with problems Fear may be associated with undesirable behavior, person administering punishment, or situation it occurs Punishment only tells you what not to do Learn how to avoid punishment

Operant Conditioning Activity

Operant Conditioning Activity How do individuals in the real world employ operant conditioning? How could/should instructors and students use operant conditioning in the classroom? Have you trained your pets? Have your parents trained you? Have you, in return, trained your parents?

Operant Conditioning Activity Have you trained your pets? Have your parents trained you? Have you, in return, trained your parents?

Objective 16: How does latent learning demonstrate that cognitive processing is an important part of learning? Latent learning: learning that becomes apparent only when there is an incentive to demonstrate it. Ex. Making your own lunch if Mom or Dad is feeling sick

Objective 16: How does the effect of external rewards demonstrate cognitive processing? Unnecessary rewards carry hidden costs. External rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation- the desire to perform a behavior for its own sake Ex. learning for the sake of having an education Extrinsic motivation: the desire to behave in certain ways to receive external rewards or avoid punishment

Objective 17: How do biological predispositions limit what can be achieved through operant conditioning? Reinforcement works with natural behaviors Learn associations that are naturally adaptive “instinctive drift”

Process p.8 List three examples of operant conditioning that you have experienced in your own life. If possible, identify whether it was: Positive or negative Reinforcement or punishment Identify the schedules of each example if possible Which operant conditioning technique do you find most effective? Why?