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Operant Conditioning Big Question: Is the organism learning associations between events that it does not control (classical) OR is it learning associations between its behavior and resulting events (operant). Module 19. Edward Thorndike (1874-1949). Introduced the “Law of Effect”
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Operant ConditioningBig Question: Is the organism learning associations between events that it does not control (classical) ORis it learning associations between its behavior and resulting events (operant) Module 19
Edward Thorndike (1874-1949) • Introduced the “Law of Effect” • Behaviors with favorable consequences will occur more frequently. • Behaviors with unfavorable consequences will occur less frequently. • Developed into Operant Conditioning • Created puzzle boxes for research on cats
Operant Conditioning • A type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior • The frequency will if the consequence is reinforcing to the subject. • The frequency will if the consequence is not reinforcing to the subject.
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) • Developed the fundamental principles and techniques of operant conditioning. • Devised ways to apply these principles in the real world. • Designed the Skinner Box. (operant box)
B.F. SKINNER • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepqpTtKbwo (Skinner discusses pigeons) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGazyH6fQQ4&feature=related (ping-pong) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGazyH6fQQ4&feature=related (pigeon v. human)
Reinforcement v Punishment • Reinforcement - Any consequence that increases the likelihood of the behavior to be repeated. • Punishment - Any consequence • that decreases the likelihood • of the behavior to be repeated.
1. Positive Reinforcement • Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with a desirable event or state • The subject receives something they want • Will strengthen the behavior
Operant Conditioning Activity:Positive Reinforcement Get in groups of three. Choose who will be the recorder, the experimenter, and the subject. Subjects please leave the room for a moment. Directions……
2. Negative Reinforcement • Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by following it with the removal of an undesirable event or state • Something the subject doesn’t like is removed X X OR • Will strengthen • the behavior (Definition of Reinforcement)
Positive/Negative Reinforcement • Positive Reinforcement-any condition that follows and strengthens a response. • Getting a hug • Receiving a paycheck • Food, money, sex • Attention, praise, smile • Negative Reinforcement-subtraction of the unpleasant stimulus • Fastening a seatbelt to turn off beeping. • Pushing snooze button will silence your annoying alarm. • Use umbrella to avoid getting wet.
Ways of Reinforcement: A. Primary v Secondary
A. 1. Primary Reinforcement • Something that is naturally reinforcing • Examples: food, warmth, water, etc. • The item is reinforcing in and of itself
A. 2. Secondary Reinforcement • Something that a person has learned to value or finds rewarding because it is paired with a primary reinforcer • Money is a good example • Cooking utensil
Step by step reinforcement of behaviors that are more and more similar to the one you want to occur. • (Progress Reports, etc) • Technique used to • establish a new • behavior II. Ways of ReinforcementB. Shaping
C. Immediate/Delayed Reinforcement • Immediate reinforcement is more effective than delayed reinforcement- however humans will respond to delayed reinforcement better than animals. • Ability to delay gratification predicts higher achievement
Ways of ReinforcementD. Schedules of Reinforcement:1. Continuous Reinforcement
D. 1. Continuous reinforcement • A schedule of reinforcement in which a reward follows every correct response • Most useful way to establish a behavior. • The behavior will extinguish quickly once the reinforcement stops.
D. 2. Partial Reinforcement • A schedule of reinforcement in which a reward follows only some correct responses-initial learning is slower but there is a greater resistance to extinction. • Includes the following types: • Fixed-interval and variable interval • Fixed-ratio and variable-ratio
(a) Fixed- Interval Schedule • A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards only the first correct response after some defined period of time • i.e. weekly quiz in a class; monthly pay check
(a) Variable-Interval Schedule • A partial reinforcement that rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time • i.e. “pop” quiz in a class; fishing
(b) Fixed-Ratio Schedule • A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards a response only after some defined number of correct responses • The faster the subject responds, the more reinforcements they will receive. • Ex. Pay a worker a dollar for every 10 tires they fix
(b) Variable-Ratio Schedule • A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses • This schedule is very resistant to extinction. • Sometimes called the “gambler’s schedule”; similar to a slot machine; people who make sales pitches by telephone
III. Punishment:The Process of Punishment Decrease a behavior from happening again by following it with a negative consequence
II. A. Types of Punishment (2) A desirable state or event ends following a behavior (1) An undesirable event following a behavior
III. Punishment: B. Problems With Punishment Module 16: Operant Conditioning
II. B. Negative Effects of Punishment • Doesn’t prevent the undesirable behavior when away from the punisher • Can lead to fear, anxiety, and lower self-esteem • Children who are punished physically may learn to use aggression as a means to solve problems.
II. C. Positive Effects of Punishment • Punishment can effectively control certain behaviors. • Especially useful if teaching a child not to do a dangerous behavior • Most still suggest reinforcing an incompatible behavior rather than using punishment
IV. The Role of Cognition: New Understandings of Operant Conditioning Module 16: Operant Conditioning
III. A. Latent Learning • Learning that takes place in absence of an apparent reward
III. B. Cognitive Map • A mental representation of a place • Experiments showed rats could learn a maze without any reinforcements
III. C. Overjustification Effect • The effect of promising a reward for doing what someone already likes to do • The reward may lessen and replace the person’s original, natural motivation, so that the behavior stops if the reward is eliminated