Download Positive reinforcers

Behavior is changed by being REINFORCED!!!!
B. F. Skinner
 Voluntary responses come to be controlled by their
consequences
 Tend to repeat responses that are followed by favorable
consequences
 Tend to avoid, or not repeat, responses that are followed
by neutral or unfavorable consequences
Types of Reinforcers
 Positive reinforcers
increase the probability
that a response will
occur:
 Money: job, grades,
chores
Positive Reinforcers
 Praise = increased effort
 Attention = increased
feelings of self-worth
Positive Reinforcers
 Food – cool dog tricks
 Clowning around –
kids act up to see if bad
behavior will get them
some attention
Positive Reinforcers
 Even bad behavior will
get you some attention!
Types of Reinforcers
 Negative Reinforcers
 Increase the
probability that a
response or action will
occur if the stimulus if
removed
 Calling in sick –
reduces, removes, avoids
or escapes the stimulus
Negative Reinforcers
 Addicts take drugs and
avoid withdrawal
symptoms
 You hit the snooze
button and avoid
getting up out of bed
Negative Reinforcers
 Take aspirin to avoid or
remove a headache
So…..
 Both Positive and Negative reinforcers
increase the frequency of a behavior!!!
Punishment????
 Punishment is used to decrease a behavior…
 The presentation of a stimulus or event following a
behavior that acts to decrease the likelihood of the
behavior’s being repeated.



Teachers reprimand a misbehaving student
Friends make fun of your new outfit
Parents spank an unruly child
Two Factor Theory
 Classical
conditioning can
create a phobia…
Two Factor Theory
Operant conditioning
can maintain a
phobia through
avoidance!
Schedules of Reinforcement
 How can we increase the rate of response or make it
more resistant to extinction?
 Deliver the reinforcer at varying rates or intervals!
 How are the schedules determined?
 The interval of time between correct responses
 The ratio of correct responses to reinforcers
Skinner Box
 The experimental
apparatus invented by
B.F. Skinner to study the
relationship between
environmental events
and active behaviors or
when a reinforcer should
be introduced
Fixed- Interval: Time
 A fixed amount of time
occurs between
presentation of the
reinforcer
 Pigeon pecks at one
minute intervals
 Report cards mailed
home every six weeks
 ???
Variable Interval: Time
 A variable amount of
time elapses between
presentation of
reinforcers
 Food pellets delivered at
random times: pigeon
pecks almost constantly
 Pop quizzes
 ???
Fixed-Ratio
 The reinforcer is
provided after a set
number of correct
response
 Pellets delivered every
10th try: pigeon pecks
constantly
 $25 for every 5 phone
calls
 ???
Variable-Ratio
 The reinforcer is
provided randomly or
after a variable number
of correct responses
 Pigeon pecks constantly
 Slot Machines