OPERANT CONDITIONING

KEY TERMS Reinforcement: Increasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting or removing a stimulus following that behavior Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting or removing a stimulus following that behavior

B. F. Skinner’s Pigeon Project During WWII Psychologist B.F. Skinner proposed training pigeons to guide missiles to targets. The pigeons would be given food pellets for pecking at targets on a screen. Once they had learned to peck at the targets, the pigeons would be placed in missiles. Pecking at similar targets on the screen in the missile would adjust the missile’s flight path to hit a real target. However, the pigeon equipment was bulky, and plans for building the missile were abandoned.

Reinforcement increases the future likelihood of a behavior For this B.F. Skinner created the “Skinner Box”- treatments can be introduced and removed with results carefully observed.

REINFORCEMENT Positive Reinforcement: Increasing the likelihood of behavior by following it with a desirable event or state e.g. press lever = get food A on test = parents give $50 Work 8 hour day = get paid Negative Reinforcement: Increasing the likelihood of a behavior by following it with the removal of an undesirable event or state e.g. press lever = shock ends Take aspirin = headache gone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhI5h5JZi-U

PUNISHMENT Positive Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by presenting an aversive stimulus following the behavior e.g. climb pole to birdfeeder = shock (squ Swear = soap or vinegar Negative Punishment: Decreasing the frequency or probability of a behavior by removing stimulus following the behavior e.g. break rules = no cell phone for a week Bad grades/Behavior - - No Open Campus

GIVE REMOVE Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Increases Behavior Giving Stickers for Grades Earning $ for work Getting candy for good behavior. Taking an Aspirin for a headache Putting on a seatbelt to turn off sound. Buying candy for a child so they will stop crying. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Positive Punishment Negative Punishment Spanking Verbally lecturing a child Assigning extra chores to a child. Grounding a child Putting child in time-out Taking away privileges Decreases Behavior

What kind of reinforcement? Negative Reinforcemt: Giving Child Attention—Remove crying –just put them in bed.

SUMMARY Reinforcement increases frequency of a behavior Positive reinforcement = by adding something nice Negative reinforcement = by taking something nasty away DO NOT confuse Negative Reinforcement with Punishment!!!!!! Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behavior Punishment decreases the frequency of a behavior

Lauren and her Mom Lauren’s mother praises her every time she cleans her bedroom. Soon, Lauren is cleaning her room more and more. Positive Reinforcement getting praise to increase cleaning behavior

Mark Misbehaving Mark has been working at the grocery store for a couple of years now. But he begins to slack off by showing up late and leaving early. He was one of three people who were going to be considered for a promotion. However, his boss is not pleased with his behavior and tells him he is on hold for the promotion. Negative Punishment– behavior bad.. Take away chances of getting a promotion

SLEEPY ASHLEY Ashley’s loud alarm goes off at 6am. She hits the snooze button, and the alarm ceases. Ashley hits the snooze button again and again and again. Negative Reinforcement – Increasing behaviour of hittihg the snooze button by getting rid of anoying alarm sound.

Lisa's Big Mouth Lisa is always talking in class. The teacher has warned her a couple of times about talking, but she just continues to talk everyday. Finally the teacher has had it and assigns Lisa to copy a couple of pages out of the dictionary in addition to her regular homework. Positive Punishment – Giving something extra – in this case homework to decrease behavior of talking too much in class.

Ron and the Dogs Ron is so afraid of dogs he usually leaves his house by the back door to avoid meeting his neighbor’s puppy. Often he tries to work up the nerve to leave the front way, but his heart pounds and he feels awful. As soon as he decides to chicken out one more time, Ron feels better. Soon he is always sneaking out the back. Negative Reinforcement Removing something ( the fear of dogs, dog barking, feeling uncomfortable) Increase behavior of going out the back door.

Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement Get reinforced every time you engage in the behavior. Fixed Interval Reinforcement Get reinforced every n hours/minutes/seconds/ days Variable Interval Reinforcement Get reinforced on average every n hours/ minutes/seconds/days ) Fixed Interval Reinforcement - - paycheck every week or every two weeks - - Getting to stay out late every Friday and Saturday if you are good during the week. Variable Interval Reinforcement - -Getting to have a sleepover when your younger about once a month for good behavior. - -

Schedules of Reinforcement Fixed Ratio Reinforcement Get reinforced for every n responses Variable Ratio Reinforcement Get reinforced for, on average, every n responses