1. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

2. How Do We Learn New Behaviors by Operant Conditioning?
In operant conditioning, the consequences of behavior, such as rewards and punishments, influence the chance that our behavior will occur again
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

3. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
I CAN
Recognize the differences between CC and OC
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

4. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
With classical conditioning, you can teach a dog to salivate, but you can’t teach it to sit up or roll over
“Voluntary’ behaviors are really controlled by rewards and punishments
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

5. Rewards and Punishments
Common Rewarding Consequences: money, praise, food, good grades,….
= encourage behaviors
Common Punishment Consequences: pain, loss of privilege, low grades,…
= discouraged behaviors
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

6. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Operant
An operant is an observable, voluntary behavior that an organism uses to ‘operate’ in the environment or have an effect upon its environment.
Example: If you are reading a class textbook to get a better grade, reading is an operant behavior
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

7. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Operant Conditioning
Learning occurs as a result of reinforcement where specific rewards or punishments are given in order to achieve or discourage the behavior to be changed.
1. Accounts for a much wider spectrum of behavior than classical conditioning
2. It explains new behaviors, not simply reflective behaviors (like salivation)
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

8. A response can lead to three types of consequences:
The central idea of operant conditioning is that behavior becomes more likely or less likely depending on its consequences
A response can lead to three types of consequences:
Neutral Consequence: no impact
Reinforcement: Encouraging the response
Punishment: Discouraging the response

9. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Edward Thorndike
The most basic form of learning is trial and error learning.
Change in behavior based on the outcome of previous trials
Inefficient behaviors are eliminated for more successful ones… As in the ‘cat in the box’
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

10. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
The Cat in a Box
The cat was confined inside the chamber.
The cat’s task was to learn to escape from the box.
However, only by pulling a particular device could the cat escape.
Since there were several devices, the task was difficult.
Still, the cat usually escaped after a number of minutes.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

11. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
The Cat in a Box
As trials proceeded, the escape response occurred more quickly.
The learning was gradual and orderly.
Thorndike concluded that the cats did not use reasoning to solve this problem but rather slow trial-and-error learning.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

12. Edward Thorndike’s Law of Effect
Behavior is controlled by its consequence
Responses to a situation that are followed by satisfaction are strengthened
Responses that are followed by discomfort are weakened.
Essentially, organisms will learn to perform responses that are REWARDED
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

13. How Do We Learn New Behaviors by Operant Conditioning?
Trial-and-Error Learning
Learner gradually discovers the correct response by attempting many behaviors and noting which ones produce the desired consequences
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

14. Thorndike’s Law of Effect
TRIAL AND ERROR
Shooting a basketball free throw
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

15. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Watch the video
Malachi learning by trial and error
On Youtube
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

16. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
B.F. Skinner
Skinner was the leading supporter of the school of psychology known as behaviorism
Skinner maintained that learning occurred as a result of the organism responding to, or operating on, its environment
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

17. Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism
Believed that the most powerful influences on behavior are its
consequences
Refused to consider what happens in an organism's mind because you can’t verify it by observation
For example: hunger or pleasure
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

18. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Behaviorism
Explains the behavior of humans in terms of the physiological responses of the organism to external stimuli in their environment.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

19. Piano Stairs; Funtheory .com
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

20. World’s Deepest Trashcan; Funtheory.com
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

21. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Can I?
Recognize the differences between CC and OC
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007