OperantConditioning

Learning=

Behavior + Consequences

The Cat Puzzle

Edward Thorndike: The Law of Effect…

Behavior followed by a “positive state” (something satisfying or rewarding) is likely to continue or strengthen

Behavior followed by a “negative state” (painful or annoying) will weaken or go away

Burrhus Fredrick (B.F.)Skinner

Introduced the concept of operant conditioning

Famous for “Skinner Box”

Life’s work influenced psychology

A Skinner Box is a sound-proof box with bar or key pad to record responses

He put his own daughter in a skinner box

What is a reinforcer?A reinforcer is ANY event/consequence that

strengthens behavior

A positive reward = strengthens response

A negative reward= strengthens response by reducing or eliminating an aversive stimulus. (subtracts something)

Identify the aversive stimuliAnd the behavior being strengthened

Taking aspirin to relieve a headache.Hurrying home in the winter to get out

of the cold.Giving in to an argument or to a dog’s

begging.Smoking in order to relieve anxiety.Faking a stomachache in order to avoid

school.Putting on your seat belt to stop

buzzing.

Primary Reinforcers Secondary Reinforcers

Are learnedExamples: $,

Praise, grades, etc.

We can have immediate or delayed reinforcers…

Continuous Reinforcement

Intermittent Reinforcement

Every response is reinforced.

Learning happens rapidly.

Extinction also occurs rapidly.

Response is sometimes reinforced-sometimes not.

Learning is slower.Greater resistance

to extinction.prince kumar was here

How can you use operant conditioning to teach a new behavior?

Shaping= Reinforce behaviors that are increasing similar to the desired behavior

Chaining= Reinforcing every behavior in a sequence

Schedules of reinforcement

Fixed-Ratio = reward after a “fixed” set of responses

Fixed-Interval = reward only after the first correct response after a defined period of time

Variable-Ratio = Reward after an unpredictable number of correct responses

Variable-Interval =rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time.

Examples……

Fixed-ratio

Fixed-Interval

Variable-ratio

Variable-Interval

What is punishment?

Unpleasant event or removal of positive stimuli. Punishment decreases or weakens behavior.

Positive punishment= aversive stimuli

Negative punishment= Loss of reinforcement

Side effects of punishment

People/situations associated with punishment become feared, resented or disliked

Encourage escape and avoidance

Can increase aggression

Effective Punishment?

Mary’s mom always tries to wait a while before she punishes Mary so that she can calm down and be more even-handed in her punishment.

When Dave runs out into the street, his dad holds him on his lap and softly talks to Dave about how dangerous it is to run into the street

Tom’s dad is warm and affectionate most of the time but his children know that when they do certain things, they will be punished for it.

Mrs. Turner tries to ignore Sam’s wise-guy remarks but he gets attention from other children for being a wise guy. Ms. Turner decides to isolate Sam for 5 minutes each time he disrupts class.

Ms. Andrews send Tim to the principal’s office because he hit another child in class. Tim waits for 20 minutes until the principal gets out of a meeting before he is punished.

Aversion therapy (punishment)

An individual learns to associate a STRONG aversion to a particular behavior.