Download Operant Conditioning

Learning Theories
Goal  How do we acquire behaviors
through operant conditioning?
Edward Thorndike’s Law of Effect
• Cats placed in “puzzle
boxes”
• Use trial-and-error to
“escape”
• Continue behaviors w/good
result
• Discontinue behaviors
w/bad result
B.F. Skinner
“Skinner Boxes”
Reinforcement
Positive
Reinforcement
• Increases response by
presenting positive
stimulus
Negative
Reinforcement
• Increases response by
removing negative
stimulus
Punishment
Positive Punishment
Negative Punishment
• Decrease behavior by
presenting bad stimulus
• Decrease behavior by
removing good stimulus
Punishment
• Suppresses behavior
(not forgotten)
• Teaches discrimination
• Teaches fear
• May increase
aggressiveness
Reinforcers
Primary Reinforcer
• Unlearned
Conditioned (Secondary)
Reinforcer
• Learned through association
Immediate v. Delayed Reinforcers
Continuous v. Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement
Shaping
• Reinforce each step (successive
approximation) toward desired behavior
• Chaining – linking behaviors together into a
routine (ex: putting reinforced dance moves
into a choreographed performance)
Schedules of Partial Reinforcement
• Fixed-ratio – reinforcement after a set or
fixed number of behaviors occur
• Variable-ratio – reinforcement after
different numbers of behaviors
Schedules of Partial Reinforcement
• Fixed-interval – reinforcement after a set or
fixed amount of time
• Variable-interval – reinforcement after
different amounts of time
Extending Operant Conditioning
Cognitive Influences
• Cognitive map – mental representation of
environment
• Latent Learning – learning not known until
there is motivation to demonstrate it
Operant Conditioning & Motivation
• Intrinsic & extrinsic motivation (we will discuss these
more in our motivation unit)
– Intrinsic = internal desire to perform behavior, “for
its own sake”
– Extrinsic = need external reward or avoidance of
punishment to perform
behavior
Biology & Operant Conditioning
• Biological constraints predispose organisms to
learn associations that are naturally adaptive
– Pigeons naturally peck
• Easy to teach pigeons to peck to
receive food
– Pigeons naturaly flap wings
• Teach pigeons to flap wings to
avoid shock
– However, difficult to teach
pigeon to flap wings to get
food, or peck to avoid shock
Premack Principle
• Use preferred behaviors to reinforced nonpreferred behaviors
– Parents make children eat vegetables in order to
get dessert
Applications of Operant
Conditioning
•
•
•
•
•
School – token economy
Sports
Work – schedules of reinforcement
Home
Self-improvement - Biofeedback
Operant vs Classical
Conditioning