Download Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning
and 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
Behavior is determined
by what PRECEDES it.
Operant Conditioning
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
+
Behavior
Increases
Behavior
Decreases
Take away
from the
environment
-
Positive
Negative
Reinforcement Reinforcement
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?


Which schedules are more resistant to
extinction?


Variable schedules
Which schedule causes the fastest
learning?


Ratio schedules
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.