Operant conditioning More on reinforcement and beyond Certain materials in this presentation are included under The Fair Use exemption of the U.S. copyright Law and should not be reproduced without the permission of the copyright holder.

Operant Conditioning The kind of learning that applies to voluntary behavior in animals and people The kind of learning that applies to voluntary behavior in animals and people

Skinner and the Skinner Box Skinner is a behaviorist Skinner is a behaviorist He followed Thorndike He followed Thorndike –Law of Effect If an action is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated If an action is followed by a pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated –We learn how to function in life

Reinforcement “What is in it for me” To strengthen To strengthen Contributes to behavior Contributes to behavior Follows a behavior, the behavior will more likely happen again Follows a behavior, the behavior will more likely happen again

The Box

Primary Reinforcer Fulfills a basic need Fulfills a basic need –Water –Food- a candy bar – Comfort – praise Can easily be used with toddlers, young children and animals Can easily be used with toddlers, young children and animals Removing pain can be a primary reinforcement Removing pain can be a primary reinforcement

Secondary reinforcer These must first be These must first be paired with primary paired with primary reinforcers to prompt reinforcers to prompt increases in behaviors increases in behaviors –money

Positive Reinforcement Response followed by a pleasurable consequence will increase the response happening again Response followed by a pleasurable consequence will increase the response happening again

Negative Reinforcement Removal of something unpleasant Removal of something unpleasant Getting Pain to stop

Reinforcement schedules Two different types of basic reinforcement schedules: Two different types of basic reinforcement schedules: Continuous-Reinforcement follows every correct follows every correctresponse

Reinforcement schedules Partial schedules – only occasional correct responses are reinforced Partial schedules – only occasional correct responses are reinforced

Partial Reinforcement Reinforcement after some of the behavior Reinforcement after some of the behavior Very resistant to extinction Very resistant to extinction More true to real life More true to real life Completed in different patterns Completed in different patterns

The allure of intermittent reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement quickly succumb to extinction Continuous Reinforcement quickly succumb to extinction Intermittent Reinforcment are quite resistant to extinction Intermittent Reinforcment are quite resistant to extinction Lotto Lotto That unpredictable boyfriend/girlfriend That unpredictable boyfriend/girlfriend

Interval Schedule Timing of the response is more important Timing of the response is more important –An event happening once in a certain amount of time

Ratio Schedule Certain amount of responses is required for each reinforcer Certain amount of responses is required for each reinforcer

Fixed Interval Schedule Reinforcement delivered after a fixed amount of time Reinforcement delivered after a fixed amount of time Slow response Slow response Quicker responses Quicker responses right before right before reinforcement reinforcement

Variable interval Reinforcement delivered after a varying amount of time Reinforcement delivered after a varying amount of time Unpredictable Unpredictable Responses are made at Responses are made at a slow and steady rate An astronomer looking for comets An astronomer looking for comets

Fixed ratio Provide reinforcement after only a fixed number of correct responses Provide reinforcement after only a fixed number of correct responses Marked by a steady response rate Marked by a steady response rate If many responses are needed to secure reinforcement, a pause follows reinforcement If many responses are needed to secure reinforcement, a pause follows reinforcement

Variable ratio Reinforcement provided after a variable amount of responses Reinforcement provided after a variable amount of responses Marked by steady Marked by steady response rates response rates Playing slot machines, lotto, other types of gambling Playing slot machines, lotto, other types of gambling

Stimulus generalization Somewhat similar to classical conditioning Somewhat similar to classical conditioning If a certain response/behavior received reinforcement in a certain situation, you are likely to make the same response in a similar situation If a certain response/behavior received reinforcement in a certain situation, you are likely to make the same response in a similar situation

discrimination Some responses gain reinforcement, others don’t Some responses gain reinforcement, others don’t As you would expect, those that gain reinforcement will be much more likely to be repeated As you would expect, those that gain reinforcement will be much more likely to be repeated We learn to chose or discriminate between the two We learn to chose or discriminate between the two

Discriminative stimuli Any stimulus that provides an organism with a cue for making a certain response in order Any stimulus that provides an organism with a cue for making a certain response in order to obtain reinforcement to obtain reinforcement Stop signs Stop signs Warm smiles/ eye contact Warm smiles/ eye contact Or a frown Or a frown

Punishment Different than reinforcement Different than reinforcement –Positive reinforcement Adds something pleasurable Adds something pleasurable –Candy, money, privileges –Negative Reinforcement Removes something painful Removes something painful –Clean room so mom stops nagging –Give baby bottle to stop crying

Punishment Opposite of reinforcement Opposite of reinforcement –Weakens the response –Takes away Two forms Two forms –Application Spanking, yelling, anything unpleasant Spanking, yelling, anything unpleasant –Removal Something pleasant is taken away Something pleasant is taken away

Problems with Punishment Punishment gets forgotten Punishment gets forgotten Might avoid punisher Might avoid punisher May encourage lying May encourage lying Creates fear Creates fear May provide a role model of aggressive behavior May provide a role model of aggressive behavior

Shaping Small steps to ultimate goal Small steps to ultimate goal Reinforce the most simple of steps Reinforce the most simple of steps

Latent Learning Learning that occurs but is not immediately reflected in a behavior change Learning that occurs but is not immediately reflected in a behavior change

Observational learning Learning new behavior through watching the actions of a model Learning new behavior through watching the actions of a model –We might like what we see –Or not

Bandura’s contribution Albert Bandura realized that Skinner’s framework was incomplete Albert Bandura realized that Skinner’s framework was incomplete We learn from watching We learn from watching the behavior of others not just enduring the consequences consequences of our own

imitation Poor Bobo, the adult cursed and beat on him Poor Bobo, the adult cursed and beat on him –The children that watched Repeated those actions Repeated those actions Happy Bobo, the adult did not interact with Bobo Happy Bobo, the adult did not interact with Bobo –The Children that watched The kids did not interact with Bobo The kids did not interact with Bobo

Vicarious consequences If the children watched the adult being disciplined for pounding Bobo If the children watched the adult being disciplined for pounding Bobo –they didn’t rough him up They had somehow vicariously experienced the adult’s punishment and the behavior never emerged They had somehow vicariously experienced the adult’s punishment and the behavior never emerged

Vicarious reinforcement Powerball winners Powerball winners Are they hidden? Are they hidden? No, they are celebrated No, they are celebrated We share in their triumph We share in their triumph We can’t wait for our chance We can’t wait for our chance How about all those who lost big? How about all those who lost big?

Self efficacy “self esteem” “self esteem” –We have to believe that we also can perform the behavior

Self efficacy ii The belief that you yourself could perform the task successfully The belief that you yourself could perform the task successfully –A key factor in maximizing potential –If we believe, we will: 1) start the process, 1) start the process, 2) persist despite obstacles, and 2) persist despite obstacles, and 3) finish successfully 3) finish successfully

Encouraging moral behavior “Catch them when they are being good”? Moral behavior rarely occurs spontaneously Moral behavior rarely occurs spontaneously So, we teach it through ….. So, we teach it through …..

modeling We imitate those we view as: We imitate those we view as: 1) Powerful, 1) Powerful, 2) Successful, 2) Successful, 3) Similar to us, and 3) Similar to us, and 4) Warm/Kind. 4) Warm/Kind.

Modeling ii We find an individual or character who fits these criteria and then we show them displaying the desired quality We find an individual or character who fits these criteria and then we show them displaying the desired quality It might make an impression It might make an impression