Module 10 Operant & Cognitive Approaches

Thorndike’s Law of Effect l Behaviors followed by positive consequences are strengthened while behaviors followed by negative consequences are weakened

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning l An operant response is a response that can be modified by its consequences and is a meaningful unit of ongoing behavior that can be easily measured l Operant conditioning focuses on how consequences affect behavior

Why Does a Rat Press a Lever? l The rat has not been fed for some hours l The goal is to condition the rat to press the lever, which is called an operant response l Use shaping by successively reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior n Shaping: experimenter successively reinforces behaviors that lead up to the desired behavior (p-215) n In shaping, the reinforcer should immediately follow after the desired behavior

Examples of Operant Conditioning: Toilet Training l Target behavior n Goal is for Sheryl to urinate in the toilet l Preparation n Give Sheryl a large glass of apple juice l Reinforcers n Each time Sheryl performs the desired behavior, she receives an immediate reinforcer l Shaping n Each time Sheryl performs a step that leads up to using the toilet, she receives reinforcement

Operant vs. Classical Conditioning l Goal n Operant= + or – rate of response n C.C. = create new response to a neutral stimulus l Voluntary or involuntary response n Operant= must perform a voluntary response before receiving a reward n C.C.= involuntary responses to a by a stimulus l Contingent or conditioned response n Operant= contingent on the consequences n C.C.= response is conditioned

Reinforcement l Reinforcement n A consequence that occurs after a behavior and increases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again n Positive reinforcement m presentation of a stimulus that increases the probability that the behavior will occur again n Negative reinforcement m an aversive stimulus whose removal increases the likelihood that the preceding response will occur again

Punishment l Punishment n A consequence that occurs after a behavior and decreases the chance that the behavior will occur again n Positive punishment m Presenting an aversive stimulus after a response m It decreases the chances that a response will recur n Negative punishment m Removing a reinforcing stimulus after a response m It decreases the chances that a response will recur

Cognitive Learning l Cognitive learning involves mental processes such as attention & memory l Social cognitive learning n Results from watching, imitating, and modeling n Does not require the observer to perform any observable behavior or receive any observable reward

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory 4 Processes l Attention n Observer must pay attention to what the model says or does l Memory n Observer must remember the information so that it can be retrieved and used later l Imitation n Observer must be able to use the remembered information to guide his/her own actions and imitate the model’s behavior l Motivation n Observer must have some reason or incentive to imitate the model’s behavior

AHA! (Insight) Learning l Marked by the sudden and expected solution to a problem l Wolfgang Kohler l Challenged the Trial and Error learning of Thorndike (cat in a box) l ‘Sultan’ the chimp