Download Operant (Instrumental) Learning

Operant
(Instrumental)
Learning
Lesson 5
Associative Learning


Events become associated
 linked
Association via
 Respondent Learning
(AKA: Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning)
involuntary

behavior
Operant Learning
(AKA: Instrumental)
motivated
behavior ~
Motivated Behavior
Respondent / Elicited behavior
 Involuntary
 Triggered by external events
 Not all behavior reflexive
 Motivated behavior
 Voluntary
 Operant / Emitted
 Attempt to change environment
 motivated by CRs/URs ~

Motivated Behavior
Behavior controlled by past experiences
 Consequences of past behavior important
 NOT goals or intent
 Mechanical process
 conscious mental effort NOT required
 but can facilitate ~

Response Selection
Analogous to natural selection
 Adaptive behaviors “survive”
 Hedonism
 Seek pleasure
 Avoid pain
 Benefits survival and well-being ~

Response
Variation
+
Environmental
Consequences
Changes in Behavior
Optimal response will be strongest
Learning New Behaviors
How is behavior
established (acquired)?
 familiar responses in
new situations
 combine familiar
responses in new ways
 Can produce complex
behaviors
 Playing piano, repairing
car, etc., etc., etc.~

E. L. Thorndike
Animal learning
 Trial & error learning
 Puzzle box
 Instrumental learning
 Behavior instrumental in
producing a specific outcome
 i.e., change in the environment
 Environment changes organism ~

Thorndike’s Laws
*Law of Effect
*Law of Readiness
Law of Exercise
Thorndike’s Law of Effect
Behavior leads to…
 Satisfying outcome  behavior repeated
 Strengthened
 Will act to approach or maintain
 Annoying outcome  NOT repeated
 Weakened
 Will act to avoid or discontinue ~

Satisfying for Whom?
Neurons
 Neural connections
 b/n sensory events & behavioral
responses
 Strengthened or weakened
 Not necessarily for the individual
 Maladaptive behaviors can be
strengthened
 i.e., drug abuse ~

Law of Readiness
Strengthening requires motivation
 hunger, thirst, etc.
 Physiological state important
 also cognitive state
 Role of nervous system
 Organization
 State

strength
of connection ~
Law of Readiness
When you are ready to engage in a
behavior
 Doing it is satisfying
 Not doing it is annoying
 When you are not ready to do something
 Being forced to act is annoying ~

Controlled by Consequences
Operant behaviors
 Law of effect
 Situational cues important
 Outcome of behavior may differ
 Flexibility of behavior
 e.g, stopping at a traffic light
 Antecedents = Cues
 Signals situation
 Likely outcome ~

ABCs of Behavior
Antecedents
 Signals likely outcome
 Behavior
 Response attempting to produce
adaptive outcome
 Consequences
 Outcome of behavior
 Strengthens or weakens behavior ~

Operant/Instrumental Notation
A
SD
Antecedent
(Signal)
:
B
C
B
SR
Behavior
(Response)
Consequence
(Outcome)
Operant/Instrumental Notation
SD
: B
SR
Discriminative stimulus
 Predicts consequence of behavior
 SD (or S+)
R available
 Cue that signals S
 SΔ (or S-)
R not available ~
 signals S

Operant/Instrumental Notation
SD : B
SR
(or R)
 Response or behavior
 Acts on environment
 SR
(or S*)
 biologically important stimulus
 Consequence of behavior
 B-SR contingency
R ~
 Response  S

B
Consequences of Behavior
Classes of stimuli
 Appetitive
 Aversive
 Consequence
R occurs
 S

Positive

contingency
SR prevented/ terminated
negative
contingency ~
Strengthening behavior
Reinforcement
 increases responding
 strengthens a response
 Reinforcers: biologically important
R
 S
 2 types of reinforcement ~

Operant
Conditioning
Contingency
positive
occurs
appetitive
negative
terminate
or prevent
Positive
RFT
SR
aversive
Negative
RFT
Reinforcement
Depends on type of stimulus & outcome
 Positive RFT
R
 positive contingency appetitive S
 Depends on certain response
 strengthens behavior ~

Reinforcement
Negative RFT
R
 negative contingency with S
 avoidance or termination of aversive SR
 avoidance = preventing
 escape = termination
 NOT occurrence of aversive SR
 Reinforcement strengthens behavior ~

Punishment
Weakens behavior
 NOT like negative reinforcement
 Positive punishment
R
 B  aversive S
 positive contingency
 Negative punishment
R
 B  terminates appetitive S
 or prevents
 aka omission training ~

Operant
Conditioning
Contingency
positive
occurs
negative
terminate
or prevent
appetitive
Positive
RFT
Negative
Punishment
aversive
Positive
Punishment
Negative
RFT
SR
Extinction of Reinforced Behavior
Behavior changes relatively permanent
 Modifiable if situation changes
 B no longer followed by important event
D : B  No SR
 S
  B
 NOT unlearning, forgetting
 Association still intact
 Spontaneous recovery, disinhibition,
etc. ~
