Mastering Operant Conditioning: B.F. Skinner's Techniques Unveiled

1. Chapter 8 pt. 2: Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning B.F. SKINNER

2. Type of Learning 2: Operant Conditioning • Operant Conditioning: type of learning in which behavior is strengthened by reinforcement or weakened by punishment….related to consequences. • Operant Conditioning builds on Thorndike’s principle of Law of Effect: rewarded behavior is likely to recur.

3. Operant vs. Classical Conditioning • Respondent Behavior:behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus. Occurs in classical conditioning. • Ex: salivating to meat. • Operant Behavior:behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences. • Ex: Stealing and getting arrested may discourage the crime.

4. King of Operant Conditioning • B.F. Skinner: developed most operant conditioning techniques. • Skinner Box (Operant Chamber): major tool used in operant conditioning research. Chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain reinforcement.

5. Skinner Box

6. Shaping How would you have trained this cat to become potty trained? • Shaping refers to an operant conditioning technique in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer towards a desired goal. • Uses successive approximations.

7. Terms • Reinforcement- Increases a behavior • Punishment- Decreases a behavior • Negative- takes away a stimuli • Positive-Adds a stimuli • Need to isolate the behavior first

8. Reinforcement • All Reinforcement INCREASE THE LIKELYHOOD that a particular behavior will occur. • Positive Reinforcement:encourages a certain behavior by offering a positive stimulus (reward). • Getting an A

9. Negative Reinforcement IS NOT Punishment • Negative Reinforcementalso ENCOURAGES a particular behavior by removing an aversive (negative) stimulus. • Advil • Punishment:DISCOURAGES a particular behavior by usually adding an aversive stimulus.

10. Punishment decreases a behavior Positive Punishment- adds stimuli to decrease the behavior Spanking Ticket Negative Punishment- taking away stimuli to decrease the behavior Timeout Punishment

11. Good if it comes with reasoning Increases aggression Creates fear Creates a feeling of helplessness Does not guide or model correct behavior Main Point- swift and sure punishment decreases behavior Criticisms of Punishment?

12. Effective Punishment – Do Not Write • Should be swift and brief – don’t wait too long after the undesired behavior to punish • CONSISTENT – punish EVERY time undesired behavior occurs; when it fails to occur the effect can be rewarding • Target the behavior, not the person • Don’t send mixed messages – ex: spanking a child for hitting his/her sibling • Negative punishment (taking away privileges) works better than positive punishment (adding pain)

13. ALTERNATIVES TO PUNISHMENTDo not Write • Extinction – a behavior will usually diminish if the reward goes away • Temper tantrums • Premack principle – a more preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less preferred activity • Prompting & Shaping Behavior

14. Examples – Positive Punishment , Positive Ren., Neg. Rein, Neg. Punishment. • Touching a burning hot stove • When your parents take away a misbehaving teen’s car keys • The police officer gives you a speeding ticket • Your mom gives you allowance for cleaning your room • Your teacher says if you behave in class you won’t have any homework

15. Types of Reinforcers • Primary Reinforcer: an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need. • Ex: Food, sex. • Conditioned Reinforcer (Secondary Reinforcer): reinforcer that you have to learn usually through its association with a primary reinforcer. • Ex: Money, Applause, lever in skinner box.

16. Types of Reinforcement • Continuous Reinforcement: reinforcing the desired behavior everytime it occurs. • Learning happens very quickly. • Extinction happens very quickly if reinforcement is stopped. • Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement:reinforcing a desired behavior only part of the time. • Learning takes longer (slower acquisition) • TAKES LONGER for extinction to occur.

17. Immediate vs. Delayed Reinforcement • In rats, if you delay reinforcement, virtually no learning will occur. • Although humans do recognize delayed reinforcement, immediate gratification sometimes move us into risky behavior. • EX: smoking, drinking, unprotected sex.

18. Reinforcement Schedules CONCEPTS within Schedules • Fixed means the same/constant. • Variable means changes. • Ratiorefers to responses. • Interval refers to time.

19. Reinforcement Schedules • Fixed Ratio:A response is reinforced only after a specified number of responses. • Ex: Paid $1 for every 20 fruits you pick. • Work hardest under this schedule.

20. Reinforcement Schedules • Variable-Ratio:a response is reinforced after an unpredictable amount of responses. • Ex:Slot machine payoff. • Produces high rate of response since reinforcement increases with number of responses.

21. Reinforcement Schedules • Fixed-Interval: reinforces a response after a specified time has passed. • Ex: Checking oven when meal timer is about up. • High responses near time elapse.

22. Reinforcement Schedules • Variable-Interval: response is reinforced at unpredictable time intervals. • Ex: Pop Quiz • Responses are steady throughout….study frequently cause you don’t know when quiz is.

23. Reinforcement Schedule Patterns

24. Cognition’s Effect on Operant Conditioning • Cognitive map: a mental representation of one’s environment that is developed without the aid of reinforcement. • Latent learning: learning that occurs (like cognitive map) that is not apparent until there is an incentive to justify it. • Ex:rats that were not reinforced while in a maze could navigate it just as fast when there was a reward put at the end.

25. Cognition’s Effect on Operant Conditioning • Overjustification Effect:the effect of promising a reward for something someone already likes to do may hamper enjoyment of the activity. • May cognitively change behavior from intrinsic motivation to focus on reward (extrinsic).

26. Biological Predispositions • Just like classical conditioning, animals more easily learn behaviors that are natural or conducive to survival during operant conditioning.

27. Terms from last time applied to Operant Conditioning • Acquisition:when behavior is first strengthened by a reinforcer. • Extinction:behavior decreases because a behavior is no longer reinforced. • Temper tantrums • Spontaneous Recovery: reappearance of behavior after rest period when no longer reinforced.