Operant Conditioning

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Operant Conditioning

In operant conditioning, the consequences of behavior, such as rewards and punishments , influence the chance that our behavior will occur again • Example: If you are reading a class textbook to get a better grade,

reading

is an operant behavior

Classical

vs.

Operant

They both use

acquisition

,

discrimination

,

S-R

,

generalization

&

extinction

.

Classical Conditioning : automatic (respondent behavior).

Ex.)Your cat is excited when it hears you shake the treat bag.

Operant Conditioning : behavior

where

one can influence

their environment with

behaviors which have consequences (operant behavior).

Ex.) Child working on homework, if completed can play their Xbox. If not completed, may lose play time.

Law of the Effect

• Behaviors with less favorable consequences will occur less frequently and behaviors followed by more favorable consequences will occur more frequently

Reinforcement and Punishment

Reinforcement

increase

is designed to the probability that a behavior will occur again. Punishment

decrease

is designed to the probability that a behavior will occur again.

Operant Conditioning (OC)

• •

B.F. Skinner - behaviorist who developed the fundamental principles and techniques of operant conditioning

Developed the Skinner Box to test OC

Operant Conditioning Chamber

https://www.youtube.com

/watch?v=D-RS80DVvrg

Shaping

– reinforcement of behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired one

Positive Reinforcement

• ▫ ▫ Remember reinforcement means increasing a behavior

Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean bad Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus

Positive Reinforcement Strengthens a response by presenting a positive stimulus after a response.

▫ Example: Getting candy for answering a question ▫ Example: Receiving

praise

for our karaoke performances can increase how often we sing.

Examples?

Negative Reinforcement

•

Negative Reinforcement:

aversive stimulus.

Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an

▫ Example: Participating in class means taking the days homework assignment ▫ Example: Hitting the snooze button

The concept of Negative Reinforcement is difficult to learn because of

the word negative. Negative Reinforcement is often confused with

Punishment.

They are very different.

Is this positive or negative reinforcement?

Which one is this?

• Imagine a teenager who is nagged by his mother to take out the garbage week after week. After complaining to his friends about the nagging, he finally one day performs the task and to his amazement, the nagging stops. Next week he takes out the trash before he is asked to by his mother.

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

Positive or Negative Reinforcement?

Taking aspirin to relieve a headache NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT Strengthens

a response by

reducing or removing an aversive stimulus

. (The headache is the aversive stimulus)

headache as negative reinforcer to taking medication

Primary and Secondary reinforcement

• Primary reinforcement: something that is naturally reinforcing: food, warmth, water… • Secondary reinforcement: something you have learned is a reward because it is paired with a primary reinforcer: good grades, money

Big Bang Theory

Look for times when positive and negative reinforcement are applied. Please be ready to give examples!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4N9GSBo MI

Punishment

Weakens a behavior because a negative condition is introduced or experienced as a consequence of the behavior.

Punishment is often mistakenly confused with negative

reinforcement.

Remember,

reinforcement always increases the chances that a behavior will occur

&

Punishment always decreases the chances that a behavior will occur.

Positive Punishment

Positive punishment is something bad

reducing

likelihood of behavior by adding

Example: Student talks out of turn in the middle of class, the teacher might scold the child for interrupting her.

Negative Punishment Negative punishment likelihood of behavior by taking away something good

reducing

Example: Student talks out of turn again, the teacher promptly tells the child that he will have to miss recess because of his behavior.

• Punishment works best when it is immediately done after behavior •

Does not actually offer any information about more appropriate or desired behaviors

Many psychologists note four drawbacks of physically punishing children: 1. Punished behavior is suppressed, not forgotten 2. Punishment teaches discrimination. Was the punishment effective removing cussing or just not get caught 3. Punishment can teach fear. Most European countries and most US states now ban physical punishment.

4. Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness by modeling aggression as a way to cope with problems.

Positive of Negative Punishment?

Getting grounded for talking about to your parents Positive Punishment

Positive of Negative Punishment?

Your phone is taken away after you out past curfew Negative Punishment

Discrimination and Extinction

• • Discrimination – ability to distinguish between two stimuli ▫ Example: fire alarm and school bell Extinction – loss of a behavior when no consequences follow it ▫ Example: stop flirting with someone after they don’t respond to us

Reinforcement Schedules r efer to a programs or rules that determine how and when the occurrence of a response will be followed by a reinforcer Ratio refers to the number of responses that are required before the reward is given.

Interval refers to the amount of time between rewards.

Continuous Reinforcement

Reward following every correct response Best used for establishing a behavior Extinction occurs quickly Examples?

Quick Acquisition Quick Extinction

Partial Reinforcement

Rewards follow only some responses Initial learning is slower.

Greater resistance to extension Four schedules: Fixed-interval, Variable interval, Fixed-ratio and Variable-ratio

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

Reinforces a response

only after a

specified

number of

responses

.

Example: One reinforce for 30 responses

Variable-Ratio Schedule

Reinforces after an unpredictable number of responses • Most effective Example: gambling, hunting

Fixed-ratio Schedules

Example: I give cookie monster a cookie every FIVE times he sings “C is for cookie”.

Variable-ratio Schedule

Example: I give Homer a donut at random times when he says “DOH!!!”

Fixed-Interval Schedule

Reinforcement that reinforces a response only

after a specified time

has elapsed. Example: Weekly paycheck

Variable-Interval Schedule

Reinforcement that strengthens a response at

unpredictable time intervals

Example: Pop Quizzes

Fixed-interval Schedule

Example: I give Bart a Butterfinger every ten minutes after he moons someone.

Variable-interval Schedule Boss checking your work

Reinforcement Schedules

Schedules of Reinforcement

• FIXED=SET • • • VARIABLE=RANDOM RATIO=NUMBER INTERVAL=TIME ▫ ALL PARTIAL REINFORCEMENT!

•

Reinforcement Schedules

Fixed Ratio (FR), Variable Ratio (VR), Fixed Interval (FI), Variable Interval (VI) 1. Buying a lottery ticket 2. A hotel maid taking a 15 minute break after cleaning 3 rooms 3. Watching and seeing shooting stars on a dark night 4. Receiving an allowance every Saturday 5. Checking the porch for a delivery person that is very unpredictable 6. A baseball player gets a hit every 3 baking time is known.

rd at bat.

7. Checking the over to see if your cookies are done, when

1.

VR 2.

FR 3.

VI 4.

FI 5.

VI 6.

FR 7.

FI

Sources: http://windsor.k12.mo.us/hs/?p=1232 http://www.stamfordhigh.org/valentine-fabiano.aspx

http://appsych.mrduez.com/p/notes.html