Operant Conditioningand Modeling

Rewards and punishment

Observational learning

Operant Conditioning

Thorndike’s Law of Effect – behavior that receives a positive response is more likely to keep occurring and vice versa.

Shaping – using reinforcement to guide behavior to closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Respondent behavior – Skinner’s term for behavior learned via classical conditioning.

Operant behavior – behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning

Behavior is determined by what PRECEDES it.

Behavior is determined by anticipation of what

FOLLOWS it.

Involuntary Voluntary

Dog salivates after a tone.

Dog sits in anticipation of getting a treat.

Classical or Operant?

A very bright (mildly painful) light is turned on a rat. The rat has learned that he can turn off the light by pressing a lever on the other side of his cage. As soon as the light comes on, the rat runs across the room and presses the lever.

Classical or Operant?

When a mother strokes her infant’s skin, the stroking creates pleasure responses in the baby. After this goes on for many days, the baby begins to show pleasure responses simply at the sight of her mother (even before being touched).

Classical or Operant?

A patient in a mental hospital is very disruptive at mealtimes. She grabs food from the plates of those sitting near her and tries to cram the food in her mouth. Because this behavior of stealing food is very undesirable, a plan is developed whereby every time the patient steals food from other plates, she is immediately taken to a room without food.

Classical or Operant?

Fred leaves his clothes and toys all over his room. It seems that the only time he cleans up his room is when his mother yells at him. When she yells at him, Fred picks up his clothes and put away his toys.

Classical or Operant?

Imagine you have a friend who keeps the temperature in her home so high that each occasion on which you visit her you find yourself perspiring. The last time you visited her, you noticed that you began to perspire and became uncomfortable as soon as you saw her house (even before you got inside).

Types of Reinforcement

positive (adding) or negative (taking away)

primary (innately satisfying) or secondary (conditioned) (learned to be satisfying)

immediate or delayed

Chart of Operant Conditioning

Add to the environment

+

Take away from the

environment

-

Behavior Increases

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

Behavior Decreases

Positive Punishment

Negative Punishment

Reinforcement Schedules

reinforcement schedules (give out handout) continuous – rewarded every time partial – not every time

“fixed” – set, constant “variable” – unpredictable “interval” – time “ratio” – number

Reinforcement Schedules

fixed ratio – set number (every three times you raise your hand I call on you)

variable ratio – unpredictable number of responses (slot machine)

fixed interval – set amount of time (pay you every hour)

variable interval – unpredictable amount of time (fishing)

Reinforcement Schedules Which is schedule causes a greater

response rate? Ratio schedules

Which schedules are more resistant to extinction? Variable schedules

Which schedule causes the fastest learning? Continuous reinforcement

Which is more effective, immediate or delayed reinforcement? Immediate reinforcement

Problems with Punishment

it models aggression as a way to solve problems

breeds anger in the recipient doesn’t provide an alternative

behavior. Therefore, the behavior only goes away when the punisher is around.

Overjustification Effect

Overjustification effect: When we are rewarded for behaviors that

we naturally enjoy, we sometimes lose our intrinsic motivation.

How might this effect relate to learning and grades?

How might this effect relate to professional athletes?

Criticisms of Behavioralism

Deemphasizes the role of internal

thoughts and feelings in behavior;

Presents humans as lacking free will

Ignores biological predispositions

Support for Criticisms

1. Experiments with humans and animals both indicate that biological predispositions influence conditioning.

a. Animal training

b. Human societies built on behavioralist principles.

Support for Criticisms

2. Cognition seems to influence conditioning Alcoholics and nausea-producing drug).

3. Learning occurs in the absence of rewards or punishments (this is called latent learning) Mice and mazes

Observational Learning

Also known as

modeling.

Albert Bandura – Bobo

doll experiment

How might this relate

to violence and TV

viewing habits?

Modeling

Prosocial Behavior – constructive behavior Antisocial Behavior – unproductive or

destruction behavior

On the Agenda for Tomorrow

In class worksheet comparing operant and classical conditioning and identifying the elements of each.