OPERANT CONDITIONING

1. OPERANT CONDITIONING

2. Operant Conditioning • Organisms learn by associating an action or behavior with a reward or punishment

3. B.F. Skinner • Behaviorist psychologist who is most famous for his experiments with rat and pigeons • Developed the “Skinner Box” to prove that learning is encouraged through reinforcements

4. Reinforcement • Anything that increases the chances that a behavior will be repeated • Primary Reinforcers: Reinforcers that function due to the biological make-up of an organism

5. Reinforcement • Secondary Reinforcers: Reinforcers that must be learned to acquire their value by being paired with primary reinforcers

6. Reinforcement • Positive Reinforcers: Any reinforcers that increase the frequency of a behavior (food, fun activities, social acceptance) • Negative Reinforcers: Any reinforcers that increase the frequency of a behavior when the reinforcement is removed

7. Rewards and Punishments • Rewards: Increase the frequency of a behavior by “awarding” something pleasing for that behavior (and “A” for hard work in class, a pay raise for a job well done)

8. Rewards and Punishments • Punishments: Aim to decrease the frequency of a behavior when they are applied

9. Problems with Punishment • Does not teach appropriate, alternate behaviors • Works only when ALWAYS given • Can create anger or hostility • May be imitated as a way of solving problems • Sometimes can be seen as an effective way to get attention

10. Schedules of Reinforcement • Continuous Reinforcement:The reinforcement of a behavior every time it occurs • This is very effective when you are just learning something new

11. Schedules of Reinforcement • Partial Reinforcement: A behavior that is NOT reinforced EVERY time • Behaviors tend to last longer

12. Schedules of Reinforcement • Fixed Ratio:Reinforced after a fixed number of events • (Getting a bonus after fixing 10 cars) • Variable Ratio:Reinforced after a changing number of events • Slot Machine

13. Schedules of Reinforcement • Fixed Interval: Reinforced after a fixed amount of time has passed • (Getting paid every Friday) • Variable Interval: Reinforced after a changing amount of time • (Unpredictable pop quizzes in class)

14. Extinction on Operant Conditioning • Extinction may occur after a repeated performance of a behavior without reinforcement

15. Applying Operant Conditioning • Shaping: A way of teaching complex behaviors by reinforcing small steps in the right direction • Programmed Learning: Assumes that any task, no matter how complex, could be learned (“teaching machines”)

16. Applying Operant Conditioning • Discipline: Sometimes doesn’t work to reinforce or punish inappropriate behaviors because this can give attention for bad behavior • Suggests that isolation from others and ignoring a child works best (“Time-Out”)

17. Observational Learning • Albert Bandura • Suggested that we acquire knowledge and skills by observing others • Ex: Media Violence • Ex: Child Abuse Patterns

18. PQ4R Method • Preview: Getting a general picture of what is covered in the chapter before really “starting” it • (warm-up activities, Vocab exercises, pre-tests) • Question: Learning is easier when we have goals in mind and there is something particular we want to learn • (Chapter questions, reading guide)

19. PQ4R Method • Read: Once you have questions, read the material to find the answers • (Relating to the previous questions will give the reading a sense of purpose and help you to focus on key points) • Reflect: Reflect to be sure you understand the subject matter • (Relate new information to old information, to events in your personal life, or to the lives of others)

20. PQ4R Method • Recite: Once you have read the material and have answered your questions, recite the information aloud or silently) • Review: Review the material each day; distributed information is much more effective than “mass learning”