Operant Conditioning

A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment.

Classical v. Operant They both use acquisition, discrimination, SR, generalization and extinction. Classical Conditioning is automatic (respondent behavior). Dogs automatically salivate over meat, then bell- no thinking involved. Operant Conditioning involves behavior where one can influence their environment with behaviors which have consequences (operant behavior).

Is the organism learning associations between events that it doesn’t control? Is the organism learning associations between its behavior and resulting events? Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning

Edward Thorndike Law of Effect: rewarded behavior is likely to recur.

B.F. Skinner

Shaping A procedure in Operant Conditioning in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer towards a goal.

Operant Conditioning Chamber Conditioning

Reinforcer Any event that STRENGTHENS the behavior it follows. Two Types of Reinforcement: Positive and Negative

Positive Reinforcement Strengthens a response by presenting a stimulus after a response.

Negative Reinforcement Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus.

Skinner’s Experiments Types of Reinforcers Reinforcer –Positive reinforcementPositive reinforcement –Negative reinforcementNegative reinforcement

Types of Reinforcers

Primary Reinforcer An innately reinforcing stimulus

Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcer A stimulus that gains it reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer.

Immediate v. Delayed Reinforcers

Reinforcement Schedules

Continuous Reinforcement Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs. Quick Acquisition Quick Extinction

Partial Reinforcement Reinforcing a response only part of the time. The acquisition process is slower. Greater resistance to extinction.

Fixed-ratio Schedules A schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses. Example: I give cookie monster a cookie every FIVE times he sings “C is for cookie”.

Variable-ratio Schedule A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses. Example: I give Homer a donut at random times when he says “DOH!!!”

Fixed-interval Schedule A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed. Example: I give Bart a Butterfinger every ten minutes after he moons someone.

Variable-interval Schedule A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals. Pop Quizzes

Skinner’s Experiments Reinforcement Schedules

Punishment An event that DECREASES the behavior that it follows. Does punishment work?

Skinner’s Experiments Punishment Punishment –Positive punishment –Negative punishment

Skinner’s Experiments Punishment Negatives of using punishment –Punished behavior is suppressed not forgotten –Punishment teaches discrimination –Punishment can teach fear –Physical punishment may increase aggression

Contrasting Classical and Operant Conditioning

Biological Constraints on Conditioning

Biological Constraints on Conditioning Limits on Classical Conditioning John Garcia –Conditioned Taste Aversion –Biologically primed associations Natural Selection and Learning –Genetic predisposition

Biological Constraints on Conditioning Limits on Classical Conditioning

Biological Constraints on Conditioning Limits on Operant Conditioning Naturally adapting behaviors Instinctive drift

Cognition’s Influence on Conditioning Cognitive Processes and Classical Conditioning Predictability of an event –Expectancy Stimulus associations

Cognition’s Influence on Conditioning Cognitive Processes and Operant Conditioning Latent learning – learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrateLatent learning –Cognitive map – mental representation of the layout of one’s environmentCognitive map

Cognition’s Influence on Conditioning Cognitive Processes and Operant Conditioning Insig ht – sudden realization of a problem’s solutionInsig ht Intrinsic motivation - a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sakeIntrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation – a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid punishmentExtrinsic motivation

Influences on Conditioning

Learning and Personal Control Cope – alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methodsCope Problem-focused coping – attempting to alleviate stress directly – by changing stressorProblem-focused coping Emotion-focused coping – attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring stressors and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reactionEmotion-focused coping

Learning and Personal Control Learned Helplessness Learned helplessness (Martin Seligman) – the hopelessness and passive resignation learned when unable to avoid repeated aversive eventsLearned helplessness

Learning and Personal Control Learned Helplessness: Internal Versus External Locus of Control External locus of control – the perception that chance or outside forces determine or fateExternal locus of control Internal locus of control – the perception that you control your own fateInternal locus of control

Learning and Personal Control Learned Helplessness: Depleting and Strengthening Self-Control Self-control – ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewardsSelf-control

Mirrors and Imitation in the Brain Observational learning – learning by observing othersObservational learning –Social learning –Modeling – the process of observing and imitating a specific behaviorModeling –Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment

Mirrors and Imitation in the Brain

Mirror neurons – frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing soMirror neurons May cause empathy and imitation

Mirrors and Imitation in the Brain Cognitive imitation

Applications of Observational Learning Prosocial versus Antisocial Effects Prosocial effects – positive, constructive, helpful behaviorProsocial effects “Do as I say”

Applications of Observational Learning Prosocial versus Antisocial Effects Antisocial effects Violence doubled after intro of TV Between TV violence increased 75% 74% unpunished, 58% didn’t show victims pain, 50% justified violence, 50% perps attractive