1. Operant Conditioning
Unit 3- Module 15 notes

2. Operant Conditioning Definition:
A type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior
Developed from an idea known as the Law of Effect
Behaviors with favorable consequences will occur more frequently
Behaviors with unfavorable consequences will occur less frequently

3. Operant Conditioning Reinforcement Punishment
Any consequence that increases the future likelihood of a behavior
Punishment
Any consequence that decreases the future likelihood of a behavior
The LEARNER determines if a consequences is a reinforcement or a punishment!

4. Operant Conditioning
A student skips class because she doesn’t really like school. As a result, she is suspended.
Is this a punishment or a reinforcement?

5. Operant Conditioning Reinforcement- two types Positive reinforcement
Anything that increased the likelihood of a behavior by following it with a desirable event or state
Example: pay for grades

7. Operant Conditioning Negative Reinforcement
Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with the removal of an undesirable event or state
Negative DOES NOT mean “bad”- it means that something is being “subtracted”
Example- taking aspirin for a headache
Since the headache goes away, then the behavior of taking aspirin is negatively enforced

8. Operant Conditioning
A child throws a tantrum in a store because he wants some candy. Mom buys the child candy and the tantrum stops
The end of the tantrum negatively reinforced the mother’s behavior of buying candy.

9. Operant Conditioning Immediate vs Delayed Reinforcement
Taking Meth produces a high in the short term (immediate reinforcement)- the long term effects include loss of pleasure, insomnia, paranoia, aged skin, loss of teeth, and increases the likelihood of stroke, brain damage, and death (delayed reinforcement)
Immediate Reinforcement can be more powerful, but delayed reinforcement can be more gratifying in the long run

10. Operant Conditioning

11. Operant Conditioning Primary vs Secondary Reinforcement Primary
Something that is naturally reinforcing (food if you are hungry, for example)
Secondary
Something that you have learned to value
Is money a primary or secondary reinforcer?
Secondary- by itself, it has no value. But we have learned that we can spend it for things that we desire

13. Operant Conditioning Punishment- 2 forms
Positive punishment: behavior leads to something undesirable
Example: touching a hot stove burn your hand, decreases likelihood that you’ll touch the stove again

14. Operant Conditioning
Negative Punishment: the behavior ends something desirable
Example: Getting caught sneaking out of the house and having cell phone taken away

15. Operant Conditioning Problems with punishment
May not end the desire to engage in the behavior
If you get caught cussing in the hallway and are given a detention, will you never cuss again?
May lead to fear and anxiety
Overly harsh parenting may lead to run-aways

16. Operant Conditioning What makes punishment effective?
Usually most effective when used as little as possible

17. Operant Conditioning Shaping
Reinforcing behaviors that are similar to a behavior that you want to teach
Example: learning to ride a bike

18. Operant Conditioning
Just like in Classical Conditioning, we can observe discrimination and extinction in Operant Conditioning
Discrimination- getting up to leave a classroom when the bell rings, but not getting up to leave when the intercom tones go off
Extinction- if the mother of the tantrum throwing toddler does NOT give the child candy, then the child will eventually stop throwing tantrums

19. Operant Conditioning Schedules of reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement- reward follows every correct response (example: child gets $1 every morning he makes his bed)
Most useful for teaching new behaviors
Behavior can be extinguished quickly- why?
Constant rewards are needed and EXPECTED

20. Operant Conditioning Partial Reinforcement
Reward only follows some correct responses- not all
Example: lottery
2 categories (4 types)
Interval schedules- focus on time that elapses
Ration schedules- focus on number of responses

21. Operant Conditioning Fixed-Interval Schedule
Rewards only the 1st correct response after some defined period of time has passed
Example: Mr Wood’s Monday quizzes!
Reinforced (grade), behavior (studying), fixed-interval (once a week)

22. Operant Conditioning Variable-Interval Schedule
Rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time has passed
Example- attendance quizzes in college courses

23. Operant Conditioning Fixed-Ratio Schedule
Reward only after a certain number of correct responses
Example: Qdoba, Rainsing Canes rewards cards

24. Operant Conditioning Variable- Ratio Schedule
Rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses
Example: Lottery, Slot machines, gambling