Operant Conditioning Chapter 9 Section 2

Operant Conditioning Learn to do, or not do, things based on the __________________of the behavior Behavior operates on, or manipulates, the __________________ __________________responses are acquired or conditioned

The Birth of Radical Behaviorism Edward _______________(1998) As a doctoral candidate Thorndike conducted a classic experiment called the “______________. He placed a cat in a specially designed box and allowed it to learn the correct sequence of behaviors to escape from the box and retrieve a food reward. The cat at first would randomly perform a number of behaviors.

Thorndikes’ Puzzle Box Psychology 101 On-line Thorndikes’ Puzzle Box However once the cat exhibited the correct response (loosening the bolt, pulling a sting, or hitting a button). Psychologist, born in Williamsburg, MA. He studied at Wesleyan University and Harvard, and became professor at Teachers College, Columbia (1904-40), where he worked on educational psychology and the psychology of animal learning. As a result of studying animal intelligence, he formulated his famous "law of effect", which states that a given behavior is learned by trial-and-error, and is more likely to occur if its consequences are satisfying. His works include Psychology of Learning (1914) and The Measurement of Intelligence (1926). Fig 6.8

Law of effect According to the law of effect, responses followed by satisfaction are _______ ________to reoccur in the future. Responses that produce a discomforting effect become _______ ________to occur again in that situation.

The Consequences of Behavior From Skinner’s perspective a response (“operant”) can result from _________________

The Consequences of Behavior--Reinforcement ____________ ~ Strengthens the response or makes it more likely to recur. When the dog begs for food at the table, and you give him/her a scrap, the dog will most likely keep begging for food.

The Consequences of Behavior-Punishment __________ ~ Weakens the response or makes it less likely to recur. Any Aversive (unpleasant) stimulus or event may be a punisher. If your dog begs for food from the table and you refuse, his/her is not likely to continue to beg in the future.

Reinforcement Positive reinforcement occurs when a stimulus is ___________ and an __________ in behavior is likely Negative reinforcement occurs when a stimulus is ___________ and an __________in behavior is likely. Remember: Reinforcement __________________ behavior

Punishment Positive punishment occurs when a stimulus is _______________ and behavior is _______________ Negative punishment occurs when a stimulus is _______________ and behavior is _______________ Remember: Punishment _________behavior

Putting It All Together Psychology 101 On-line Positive Reinforcement Negative Present Remove Increase Behavior Decrease Punishment Putting It All Together Extinction The weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response; in operant conditioning, it occurs when a response is no longer followed by a reinforcer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxdtMVww2q0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Principles of Operant Conditioning Early in his career Skinner (1938) used the Skinner Box to demonstrate the principles of operant conditioning. A rat that had previous learned to eat from the food-releasing device was placed in the box Because there was no food present in the box, the rat began to engage in typical rat-like behaviors. (sniffing, random touching, scurrying etc.) Once he hit the lever that released food, he continued to display that behavior.

Principles of Operant Conditioning Discrimination Generalization Extinction Importance of _________— Learning which behaviors are appropriate in which contexts. EX: Responding to a student using profanity with no teacher around produces a reinforcer. Responding to same comment with a teacher present would not produced a reinforcer.

The Skinner Box Psychology 101 On-line Learning 09/15/99 Quite by accident, sooner or later the rat would press a lever in the box and cause the dispenser to release a pellet of food. After several accidental repetitions of the lever pressing behavior, the rat learns to press the lever consistently based upon the immediate reinforcement (food pellets) which are associated with that behavior. By the end of the experiment the rat did little else other that pressing the level and eating. Figure 6-9 from Davis, S.F., & Palladino, J.J. (1997). Psychology, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ©1999 Prentice Hall 14

Schedules of reinforcement ______________ are very important ____________ Reinforcement Reinforcement Schedule in which a particular response is always reinforced after every occurrence of the target behavior. ____________Reinforcement Target behaviors are only reinforced sometimes. Which do you think lasts longer and is more stable? Why?

Schedules of Reinforcement Psychology 101 On-line Learning 09/15/99 Schedules of Reinforcement ©1999 Prentice Hall 16

Schedules of Reinforcement Learning Psychology 101 On-line 09/15/99 Schedules of Reinforcement Fixed and Variable Ratio Rely on ______________ Fixed and Variable Interval Ratio schedules produce _______ response rates than Interval schedules Figure 5.12 from: Kassin, S. (1998). Psychology, second edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Source: ©1999 Prentice Hall 16

Schedules of Reinforcement Fig 6.9

Reinforcement Schedules and Extinction Learning Psychology 101 On-line 09/15/99 Reinforcement Schedules and Extinction Figure 6-14 from Davis, S.F., & Palladino, J.J. (1997). Psychology, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Extinction will occur if reinforcement is ________ ©1999 Prentice Hall 15

Schedule Examples Ratio Interval Paid for every 10 pizzas Ejected from a basketball game after five fouls Cramming for an exam Picking up check Playing at a slot machine Sales commissions Pop quiz in class Teacher checks work periodically when you are working in groups Fixed schedules Variable schedules

Shaping Shaping Successive Approximations An operant conditioning procedure in which successive approximations of a desired response are ________________. Successive Approximations Behaviors that are ordered in terms of __________ similarity or closeness to the desired response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2v3Q0osmoE&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Biological Limits on Learning All principles of operant and classical conditioning are limited by an animal's ___________disposition and ___________characteristics. A fish cannot be trained to climb a ladder. http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/animal-behavior-enterprises-creates-the-field-of-applied-animal-psychology

Reinforcement versus Punishment _________________ is more effective in promoting learning. Issues with Punishment: Punishment signals unacceptable behavior, but does not specify the ______________behavior. People often administer punishment inappropriately or mindlessly. The recipient of punishment often responds with ________________________________. Person learns to avoid the __________________.

When Punishment Fails The effectiveness of punishment is often ____________depending heavily on the presence of the punishing person or circumstances. Most misbehavior is hard to punish ______________________ An action intended to punish may instead be reinforcing if it brings ________________.