Download Operant Conditioning - AP Psychology-NWHS

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Operant Conditioning
AP Psychology: Learning
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What is Operant Conditioning?
 Type
of learning in which the frequency of
a behavior increases or decreases
depending on the consequence that follows
the behavior.
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How is it different from Classical
Conditioning?
Operant
 These
behaviors are
voluntary, the learner
chooses the behavior
based on the
consequence that follows
the action

Ex: a student who receives
extra credit for raising his or
her hand will more likely
raise his or her hand again
because of the reward that
followed
VIDEO: Sheldon Trains Penny
Classical
 These
behaviors are
respondent, the
behaviors occur as an
automatic response

Ex: Pavlov’s dogs did not
CHOOSE to salivate, it
automatically occurred
VIDEO: BGSU
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Edward Thorndike
 Thorndike’s
Law of
Effect
 Behaviors which are
rewarded will be more
likely to be repeated
 Behaviors that are
punished will be less
likely to be repeated
Puzzle Box
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Struggles with Operant
Conditioning
 Because
these behaviors are voluntary, it
may take awhile as we have to wait for the
behavior to occur
 Can
be slow and tedious
 B.F. Skinner
and the Skinner Box
 Behaviorism
Perspective
 Created an atmosphere in which the researcher
could control the events that lead to voluntary
behaviors
 The Skinner Box and pigeons
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Reinforcement
 The
presentation of a stimulus or event
(reinforcer) that follows a behavior or
response, which increases the chances of
the behavior or response being repeated.
 Shaping—an
operant conditioning
technique, which uses reinfocers, like
rewards to guide desired behavior.
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Methods of Reinforcement:
Positive Reinforcement
 Increasing
the likelihood of a behavior by
following the behavior with a desired or
favorable stimulus or event.
 The
addition (+) of a favorable stimulus
following a behavior increases that
behavior happening again.
Video: Sheldon Trains Penny II
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Methods of Reinforcement:
Positive Reinforcement
A
teacher wants to increase the amount of students
raising their hand in class
 Positive
reinforcement by giving extra credit (favorable
stimulus) after each time a student raises their hand (the
desired behavior)
 This results in students raising their hands more often in
class (increasing behavior)
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Methods of Reinforcement:
Negative Reinforcement
 Increasing
the likelihood of a behavior by
following the behavior by removing an
undesirable stimulus or event.
 The
subtraction (-) of an undesirable
stimulus following a behavior increases the
chances that behavior happening again.
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Methods of Reinforcement:
Negative Reinforcement
A
teacher wants to increase the amount of students
raising their hand in class
 Uses
Negative reinforcement by telling her students that if
they raise their hand more in class (desired behavior) then
they do not have to take a quiz on Friday (removing
undesirable stimulus)
 Results in students raising their hands more often in class
(increasing behavior)
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Types of Reinforcers:
Primary Reinforcer
 An
innate stimulus
that satisfies a
biological need
 Ex: Food, Water
A
coach promises his
team that after a win
they could get ice
cream (primary
reinforcer)
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Types of Reinforcers:
Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcer
A
learned reinforcer
that gains valued
through its
association with a
primary reinforcer
 Ex: Money
A
boss offers
incentives, like
bonuses for good
work
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Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous
Reinforcement
 The
reinforcer is
given after every
desired response
 Teaches
behavior
quickly
 Quickly extinguished
when reinforcement
is no longer
provided.
Partial Reinforcement
 The
reinforcer is
only given after a
certain, not every
desired response
 Prevents, or
at least
slows extinguishing
the desired behavior
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Types of Partial Reinforcement
Schedules
 Fixed-Interval
Schedule
 Variable-Interval
 Fixed-Ratio
Schedule
Schedule
 Variable-Ratio
Schedule
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Fixed-Interval Schedule
 Reinforcer
is
delivered after a
specific (fixed)
time (interval)
period
Example:
A
teacher gives a quiz
every Friday (fixed—
every Friday/interval
time schedule based on
time/days).
 The
quiz every Friday
increases the desired
behavior of studying.
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Variable-Interval Schedule
 Reinforcer
is
Example:
delivered after a
 A teacher frequently
varying
gives
pop
quizzes
(unpredictable) time
(variable—never know
(interval) period
when it is coming).
 The
threat of a pop quiz
increases the desired
behavior of studying.
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Fixed-Ratio Schedule
 Reinforcer
is
delivered after a
specific (fixed)
number, or amount
(ratio)
Example:
A
person gets their 5th
cup of coffee free after
previously buying 4
cups.
 The
promise of a 5th cup
free increases the
desired behavior of
buying cups of coffee.
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Variable-Ratio Schedule
 Reinforcer
is
delivered after a
varying
(unpredictable)
number, or amount
Example:
 Casino
slots will pay off
after an undetermined
(variable) number of
pulls (ratio)
 The
possibility of
winning money
increases the number of
times people will pull
the lever.
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Punishment
 The
presentation of a negative, or aversive
stimulus, or the removal of a pleasant
stimulus that follows an undesirable
behavior
 Resulting
in decreasing or lowering that
behavior.
Punishment=Decreases undesirable behavior
Reinforcement=Increases desired behavior
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Methods of Punishment:
Positive Punishment
 An
undesirable action or response is
presented following a behavior
 Resulting
in decreasing the behavior
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Methods of Punishment:
Positive Punishment
A
teacher uses positive punishment by giving
(adding) detentions to students who were
excessively talking and would not do their work.
• The teacher hopes
to decrease the
amount of talking
in class by adding
detentions.
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Methods of Punishment:
Negative Punishment
A
desirable action, or event is removed
following an undesirable behavior
 Resulting
 Also
in decreasing the behavior
known as “Omission Training”
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Methods of Punishment:
Negative Punishment
A
teacher uses negative punishment by taking away
(subtracting) recess from the day because the
students were talking and would not do their work.
• The teacher hopes
to decrease the
amount of talking
by subtracting
away recess
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The Good Effects of Punishment
 Punishment
can effectively control certain
behaviors if…
 It
comes immediately after the undesired behavior
 It is consistent and not occasional
 Especially
useful if teaching a child not to do
a dangerous behavior
 Most
still suggest reinforcing an
incompatible behavior rather than using
punishment
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Problems with Punishment
 Does
not teach or promote alternative,
acceptable behavior.
 Only
tells what NOT to do while reinforcement
tells what to do.
 Doesn’t
prevent the undesirable behavior when
away from the punisher in a “safe setting”
 Can
lead to fear of the punisher, anxiety, and
lower self-esteem
 Children
who are punished physically may
learn to use aggression as a means to solve
problems.
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Let’s Review…
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Positive/Negative Reinforcement
BOTH ARE GOOD THINGS!!!
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Positive/Negative Punishment
Classical Conditioning vs.
Operant Conditioning