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Chapter 9 Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
• Learning from reinforcement
• Produces a response on whether or not the
person will repeat the behavior
Reinforcement
• A stimulus or event that follows a response
and increases the likelihood the response will
be repeated Examples: Social Approval,
Money, Extra Privileges
Reinforcements
Primary Reinforcements
• Satisfies a biological need such as hunger
Secondary Reinforcements
• Paired with a primary reinforcement that
becomes important (money, praise,
status)
Fixed Schedules
Fixed Ratio
Fixed number of
responses
5 fouls in B-Ball game
Variable Schedules
Variable Ratio
Varying after a # of
responses
Playing slot machines
Variable Interval
Fixed Interval
1st response after a fixed
amount of time
Cramming for Exam
1st response after
varying amounts of
time
Surprise pop quiz in
class
Partial Schedule leads to increased likelihood of
event continuing.
Shaping and Chaining
• One can reinforce a responses and continue to
do so until desire response is met
• This technique is used to teach animals tricks
Combining Responses: Chaining
• Response Patterns
– Example: Swimming, arm-stroke pattern,
breathing pattern, leg-kicking pattern
Aversive Control
• Unpleasant Consequences
• Negative Reinforcement
• Punishment
Negative Reinforcement
– Escape Conditioning
If kids don’t like food they whine and get it taken
away (during)
– Avoidance Conditioning
Parents will not give kids undesired food b/c of past
behavior (before)
Punishment
• Unpleasant consequences occur and
decreases frequency of the behavior
– Disadvantages
• Unwanted side effects (rage, aggression, fear)
• Spanking might equal increased aggression toward
other children
• Avoidance-less opportunity to correct behavior
Punishment does not teach
appropriate behavior
There is a need for positive coaching
and modeling