Operant Conditioning

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Operant Conditioning Example: If you are reading a class textbook to get a better grade, reading is an operant behavior In operant conditioning, the consequences of behavior, such as rewards and punishments, influence the chance that our behavior will occur again

Classical vs. Operant They both use acquisition, discrimination, S-R, generalization & extinction. Classical Conditioning: automatic (respondent behavior). Ex.)Your cat is excited when it hears you shake the treat bag. Operant Conditioning: behavior where one can influence their environment with behaviors which have consequences (operant behavior). Ex.) Child working on homework, if completed can play their Xbox. If not completed, may lose play time.

Law of the Effect Behaviors with less favorable consequences will occur less frequently and behaviors followed by more favorable consequences will occur more frequently

Reinforcement and Punishment Reinforcement is designed to increase the probability that a behavior will occur again. Punishment is designed to decrease the probability that a behavior will occur again.

Operant Conditioning (OC) B.F. Skinner - behaviorist who developed the fundamental principles and techniques of operant conditioning Developed the Skinner Box to test OC

Operant Conditioning Chamber Shaping – reinforcement of behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired one /watch?v=D-RS80DVvrg

Positive Reinforcement Remember reinforcement means increasing a behavior ▫ Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean bad ▫ Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus Positive Reinforcement - Strengthens a response by presenting a positive stimulus after a response. ▫ Example: Getting candy for answering a question ▫ Example: Receiving praise for our karaoke performances can increase how often we sing. Examples?

Negative Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement: Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus. ▫ Example: Participating in class means taking the days homework assignment ▫ Example: Hitting the snooze button The concept of Negative Reinforcement is difficult to learn because of the word negative. Negative Reinforcement is often confused with Punishment. They are very different.

Is this positive or negative reinforcement?

Imagine a teenager who is nagged by his mother to take out the garbage week after week. After complaining to his friends about the nagging, he finally one day performs the task and to his amazement, the nagging stops. Next week he takes out the trash before he is asked to by his mother. Which one is this? NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

Positive or Negative Reinforcement? Taking aspirin to relieve a headache NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus. (The headache is the aversive stimulus) headache as negative reinforcer to taking medication

Primary and Secondary reinforcement Primary reinforcement: something that is naturally reinforcing: food, warmth, water… Secondary reinforcement: something you have learned is a reward because it is paired with a primary reinforcer: good grades, money

Big Bang Theory Look for times when positive and negative reinforcement are applied. Please be ready to give examples! MI

Punishment Weakens a behavior because a negative condition is introduced or experienced as a consequence of the behavior. Punishment is often mistakenly confused with negative reinforcement. Remember, reinforcement always increases the chances that a behavior will occur & Punishment always decreases the chances that a behavior will occur.

Positive Punishment Positive punishment is reducing likelihood of behavior by adding something bad Example: Student talks out of turn in the middle of class, the teacher might scold the child for interrupting her.

Negative Punishment Negative punishment - reducing likelihood of behavior by taking away something good Example: Student talks out of turn again, the teacher promptly tells the child that he will have to miss recess because of his behavior. Punishment works best when it is immediately done after behavior Does not actually offer any information about more appropriate or desired behaviors

Many psychologists note four drawbacks of physically punishing children: 1. Punished behavior is suppressed, not forgotten 2. Punishment teaches discrimination. Was the punishment effective removing cussing or just not get caught 3. Punishment can teach fear. Most European countries and most US states now ban physical punishment. 4. Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness by modeling aggression as a way to cope with problems.

Positive of Negative Punishment? Getting grounded for talking about to your parents Positive Punishment

Positive of Negative Punishment? Your phone is taken away after you out past curfew Negative Punishment

Discrimination and Extinction Discrimination – ability to distinguish between two stimuli ▫Example: fire alarm and school bell Extinction – loss of a behavior when no consequences follow it ▫Example: stop flirting with someone after they don’t respond to us

r efer to a programs or rules that determine how and when the occurrence of a response will be followed by a reinforcer Ratio refers to the number of responses that are required before the reward is given. Interval refers to the amount of time between rewards. Reinforcement Schedules

Continuous Reinforcement Reward following every correct response Best used for establishing a behavior Extinction occurs quickly Examples? Partial Reinforcement Rewards follow only some responses Initial learning is slower. Greater resistance to extension Four schedules: Fixed-interval, Variable- interval, Fixed-ratio and Variable-ratio Quick Acquisition Quick Extinction

Fixed-Ratio Schedule Reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses. Example: One reinforce for 30 responses Variable-Ratio Schedule Reinforces after an unpredictable number of responses Most effective Example: gambling, hunting

Fixed-ratio Schedules Example: I give cookie monster a cookie every FIVE times he sings “C is for cookie”.

Variable-ratio Schedule Example: I give Homer a donut at random times when he says “DOH!!!”

Fixed-Interval Schedule Reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed. Example: Weekly paycheck Variable-Interval Schedule Reinforcement that strengthens a response at unpredictable time intervals Example: Pop Quizzes

Fixed-interval Schedule Example: I give Bart a Butterfinger every ten minutes after he moons someone.

Variable-interval Schedule Boss checking your work

Reinforcement Schedules

Schedules of Reinforcement FIXED=SET VARIABLE=RANDOM RATIO=NUMBER INTERVAL=TIME ▫ALL PARTIAL REINFORCEMENT!

Reinforcement Schedules Fixed Ratio (FR), Variable Ratio (VR), Fixed Interval (FI), Variable Interval (VI) 1.Buying a lottery ticket 2.A hotel maid taking a 15 minute break after cleaning 3 rooms 3.Watching and seeing shooting stars on a dark night 4.Receiving an allowance every Saturday 5.Checking the porch for a delivery person that is very unpredictable 6.A baseball player gets a hit every 3 rd at bat. 7.Checking the over to see if your cookies are done, when baking time is known.

1.VR 2.FR 3.VI 4.FI 5.VI 6.FR 7.FI

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