Download Operant Conditioning

Operant
Conditioning
Module 27
Edward Thorndike
• Puzzle box
o See how animals learned
• Theory of Instrumental Learning
o Explain how individuals learn voluntary goaldirected behaviors
• Law of Effect
o Voluntary behavior followed by a + outcome
would be repeated and voluntary behavior
followed by a – outcome would not be repeated
B.F. Skinner
• Behaviorist
• Operant Conditioning
o A particular behavior is increased or decreased
in frequency based on the consequence that
follows.
• Skinner Box (Operant Chamber)
o Studies operant behavior of animals by providing a
controlled environment
Skinner Air Crib
Skinner Box
Skinner Box
Skinner and Pigeons
Operant conditioning
• Reinforcements
o Consequences
that encourage
a behavior to
happen again
o Can be – or +
Reinforcers
• Primary
o Fulfill a biological need
o Food, water, air, shelter, sleep, pain removal
Secondary
•
o
o
o
Stimuli that are associated with primary reinforcers
$$$$
It varies among people
Behavior Modification
• Involves techniques
designed to change
unwanted behaviors
and increase the
frequency of positive
behaviors
• Tokens
o Objects or points given
o Schools, prisons, mental
hospitals
Positive Reinforcement
• Add a desirable
stimulus after the
behavior to increase the
likelihood of the
behavior occurring in
the future
• video
Negative Reinforcement
• Procedure of
removing an
undesirable stimulus
after the
behavior…to
increase the
likelihood of the
behavior
happening again in
the future
Negative Reinforcement
• Negative does not
mean “bad” or
“undesirable”
• NR is NOT
punishment…removal
of something
unpleasant or an
escape from an
unwanted condition
Examples
• Loud buzz in some cars when ignition key is turned
on; driver must put on safety belt in order to
eliminate irritating dinging
• Grace picks up the clothes on her bedroom floor
and her mother stops nagging. The removal of
nagging(undesirable behavior) leads Grace to
want to pick up the clothes on her bedroom floor
more often.
• Taking an aspirin for headache. If a person’s
headache (stimulus) goes away after taking aspirin
(behavior), then it is likely that the person will take
the aspirin for headaches in the future.
Punishment
• The addition or removal of stimuli to
decrease a voluntary behavior
Positive Punishment
• Adding an
undesirable stimulus
(punisher) to
decrease the
likelihood of the
behavior occurring
again
Positive Punishment
• Jeff stays out late and has to do more chores. The
addition of the chores leads to Jeff not wanting to
stay out late again.
• I run into a pole when texting.
• Someone frowns when you tell a joke.
• Receiving a ticket for speeding.
Negative Punishment
• Involves removing a
desirable stimulus
after the behavior
to decrease the
likelihood of the
behavior occurring
in the future.
Negative Punishment
• Amy uses her cell phone in class, and the teacher
takes the cell phone away.
• Removing the bedroom hinges after child slams it in
anger.
• You come in late for curfew. You lose the keys to
your car for a week.
Shaping and Chaining
• Methods of operant conditioning
• Shaping
o A desired response is created by gradually
reinforcing successively closer approximations of
a behavior until correct behavior is displayed
• Chaining
o Method for teaching a series of behaviors where each
response cues the next response
Scheduling of
Reinforcement
• Continuous Reinforcement
o Happens all the time
• Intermittent Reinforcement
o It doesn’t occur every time
Intermittent
Reinforcement Schedules
• Four Types
• Determine if the reinforcement is given after a fixed
(set) or variable (changing) schedule.
• Determine if the reinforcement is given after a ratio
(number of correct behaviors) or interval (time
period that has passed) schedule.
Ratio Schedules of
Reinforcement
• Ratio - # of responses
• Fixed or Variable
• Fixed ratio schedules
o Reinforcement occurs after a predetermined
set of responses
• An employer pays workers for every 3
baskets of fruit they pick
• After 9 lunch buffets you buy at Fields of
Pizza, you get a free lunch buffet.
Ratio Schedules
of Reinforcement
• Variable ratio
schedules
• Reinforcement is given
after a changing
number of correct
behaviors occur.
o Slot machines
o Making sales on
commision
Interval Schedules
of Reinforcement
• Interval – time
• Fixed Interval Schedules
o Reinforcement occurs after a
predetermined time has elapsed
o Pay check every two weeks
Interval Schedules
of Reinforcement
• Variable Interval
Schedules
o Reinforcement
occurs
unpredictably
since the time
interval varies
o Pop quizzes
o fishing
Superstitious Behavior
• B.F. Skinner
• Partial reinforcement behavior
• While there is a correlation between behavior and
event…there is no causal relationship
• Lucky numbers
• Serena Williams
o Bounces ball 5 times before first serve and two times before her second
serve
Superstitious Behavior
• Michael Jordan
• Believed his baby blue mesh
shorts brought him such good
luck in college when he won
the championship. He
continued to wear those shorts
under his Chicago Bulls uniform.
In order to cover up his lucky
shorts, Jordan wearing longer
shorts, which inspired a change
in the uniform style of the NBA.
Superstitions
• 25 Most Common Superstitions
Classical vs Operant
• Compare
o Classical and Operant conditioning are
both studied by behaviorists and share
common terminology, such as acquisition,
generalization, discrimination, and
extinction.
Classical vs. Operant
• Contrast
o Classical conditioning involves involuntary
responses that occur from the paring of
stimuli. Operant conditioning involves
voluntary spontaneous behaviors that are
guided by consequences.
Classical vs. Operant
Video