1. Operant Conditioning

2. Operant Conditioning – A form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences. What does this mean? Founded by B.F. Skinner

3. How did Skinner Study Operant Conditioning? Skinner Box – Small enclosure in which an animal can make a specific response that is systematically recorded while consequences of response are controlled How does the device work?

5. Operant Conditioning Principles Reinforcement – Occurs when the event following a response increases an organisms tendency to make a response ie.) response strengthened because of what follows Examples Punishment – Occurs when an event following a response weakens an organisms tendency to make response ie.) response weakened because of what follows Examples

6. Types of Reinforcement/Punishment 1.) Positive Reinforcement 2.) Negative Reinforcement 3.) Positive Punishment 4.) Negative Punishment How to remember: Reinforcement- behavior increases Punishment- behavior decreases Positive- something is added Negative- Something is removed

7. 1.) Positive Reinforcement A response is strengthened because it is followed by a rewarding stimulus In skinner box, rats press lever more if they are rewarded with food Real World Examples:

8. 2.) Negative Reinforcement A response is strengthened because it is followed by the removal of an unpleasant stimulus In skinner box, rat would press lever more to avoid a shock Real World Examples:

9. 3.) Positive Punishment A response is weakened because it is followed by an unfavorable stimulus In Skinner box, rats would stop pressing lever if it was followed by a shock Real World Examples:

10. 4.) Negative Punishment A response is weakened because it is followed by the removal of a pleasant stimulus Equate this with “Time out” Children stop acting out because their toys are removed Other Real World Examples:

11. How can Operant Procedures be used? Shaping – The reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response Family guy clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prvSM8TlIeI Other examples:

12. Extinction Extinction – This term refers to the gradual weakening and disappearance of a response when it is no longer followed by reinforcement In Skinner box, rats would stop pressing lever if food was never delivered Real World Examples:

13. Schedules of Reinforcement - Pattern of presentation of reinforcers over time Continuous Reinforcement – Every Instance of a response is reinforced Ex.) every time rat presses lever, he receives food Intermittent Reinforcement- A response is only reinforced some of the time. 4 Types: 1. Fixed Ratio 2. Variable Ratio 3. Fixed Interval 4. Variable Interval

14. 4 Types of Intermittent Reinforcement 1. Fixed Ratio 2. Variable Ratio 3. Fixed Interval 4. Variable Interval Terminology Breakdown Fixed – Reinforcement occurs after set # (of responses or hours) Variable- Reinforcement occurs after a varied # (of responses or hours) Ratio – Based on responses (# of times hit lever, for example) Interval – Based on time (# of hours passed, for example)

15. 1.) Fixed Ratio A reinforcer is given after a set (or fixed) number of responses Examples: Rat receives food every 10th lever press

16. 2.) Variable Ratio A reinforcer is given after varied number of responses Examples: Rat gets food, on average, every 10 th lever press

17. 3.) Fixed Interval A reinforcer is given after a set (or fixed) time interval Examples: Rat given food for lever press every 2 minutes

18. 4.) Variable Interval A reinforcer is given after a varied amount of time passes Examples: rat given food, on average, every 2 minutes.

19. Ratio Schedules = more rapid responding Why? Variable Schedules = greater resistance to extinction Why?