Title: Skinner and Behaviorism
1Skinner and Behaviorism
- No need for hypothetical constructs such as
motivation and reward
2Emphasis on the observable and Measurable
- Minimization or exclusion of the unobservable
- Stimulus and Response Relationships (S-R
relationships may account for behavior)
3Two major kinds of behavior that work together
- Conditioned behavioral responses
- and Operant Behavioral responses
- In both these areas Behavior (Learning) occurs
due to the consequences of environmental stimuli.
4Classically Conditioned behaviors require an
unconditioned stimulus (US), an unconditioned
response (UR), a Neutral stimulus and
experiential pairings
5Classical Conditioning
-
- The Unconditioned stimulus (US) necessarily
evokes an innate, often reflexive, response. -
- Unconditioned Response (UR) - That innate
reflexive response that naturally occurs
following the US. - The Conditioned Stimulus- a neutral stimulus,
any stimulus that does not result in an overt
behavioral response, that is repeatedly paired
with the US. - The Conditioned Response (CR) -After repeated
pairings, the US and the neutral stimulus become
associated and the organism will engage in the
reflexive behavior in response to the CS
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9After conditioning
One of Pavlovs dogs
- The US (formerly a neutral Stimulus) is now
called a conditioned stimulus (CS) because it
will now elicit the CR. - The response to the CS is the conditioned
response.
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11Operant (or instrumental) Behavior
- Behavior that is more or less unconditioned
(spontaneously emitted), that leads to an
adaptive consequence. -
12Operant conditioning
- Example- teaching a child to say please (requires
a hungry child). - parent ask child to say "please" when offered
food. - food is withheld until please behavior occurs.
- Following a "please" the food is served.
- Following a number of successful associations,
please behavior will reliably occur.
13In this example the food acted as a Reinforcer
for the please behavior.Positive Reinforcers-
stimuli that follow a behavior and lead to
greater, more reliable future behavioral
responses.
14- Positive Reinforcers- lead to approach behaviors.
- What stimuli act as positive reinforcers?
- A primary reinforcer (unconditioned reinforcer)
minimal experience necessary - E.g.. sleep, food, air, water, and sex.
15Stimuli that act as Reinforcers (motivations) may
be learned
- secondary reinforcer (conditioned reinforcer)
- has acquired effects as a reinforcer by paired
associations with a primary reinforcer or
another conditioned reinforcer (such as money). - Flashing lights and sounds paired with video game
success, may eventually function as a reinforcer. - Good grades..may be associated with a number of
primary reinforcers and secondary reinforcers.
16At any moment of behavior what stimuli will be
reinforcers? Reinforcer relativity the Premack
Principle Behaviors that are the most
frequently occurring will serve as reinforcers
for less frequent behaviors.
17Negative reinforcers lead to escape or avoidance
behaviors.
- 1.   A rat is placed in a cage and immediately
receives a mild electrical shock on its feet. The
shock is a negative condition for the rat. The
rat presses a bar and the shock stops. The rat
receives another shock, presses the bar again,
and again the shock stops. The rat's behavior of
pressing the bar is strengthened by the
consequence of the stopping of the shock. - 2.   Driving in heavy traffic is a negative
condition for most of us. You leave home earlier
than usual one morning, and don't run into heavy
traffic. You leave home earlier again the next
morning and again you avoid heavy traffic. Your
behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened
by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy
traffic.
18And what about the role of Punishment?
- Punishers decrease future probability of behavior
19Behavior Theory can account for the development
of different behaviors (motivational direction)
and the strength of behaviors (Motivational
Intensity).
- Operant reinforcement not only shapes the
topography of behavior, it maintains it in
strength long after an operant has been formed.Â
Schedules of reinforcement are important in
maintaining behavior.Â
20Historical approach to study of Instrumental
behavior The operant chamber (the Skinner Box)
- A highly controlled environment.
21Responses recorded with a cumulative Recorder.
22Schedules of Reinforcement can account for
behavioral intensity.
(Pause and run pattern)
- Fixed ratio
- Reinforces behaviors after a specific number of
responses (e.g. Every 2nd response). Normally a
ratio schedule produces consistent work. - Example Spending behavior associated with a
vending machine that reliably provides snacks.
23Produces very high rates of behavior
- Variable ratio- the number of responses required
for a reinforcer vary, and therefore the
reinforcer is not predictable. - Example Playing golf. It only takes a few good
shots to encourage the player to keep playing or
play again. The player is uncertain how good each
shot will be, but the more often they play, the
more likely they are to get a good shot. - Gambling
24Fixed interval Reinforcers are delivered
following responses that occur following a
specific interval of time (e.g. Every 10
minutes). A reinforcer will be delivered
following that time period following the
response. The organism may develop a temporal
aspect to their behavior reflecting the
associated time interval..
- Scalloped pattern of responding reflects the
approaching fixed interval opportunity. Following - Reinforcer delivery response
- Rates clearly drop.
- Class study behavior?
25- Variable interval Time interval between
reinforce availablity varies. Produces steady
rates of behavior. - In theory at least- Pop-test behavior
26EXTINCTION
- EXTINCTION - reinforcement discontinuation.
- An initial post discontinuation Extinction BURST
of responding - Then a behavioral decrease.
- Watch out for SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY.
27- Intermittently reinforced behavior is difficult
to extinguish
28Behavioral theory can account for some tough
issues in Psychology
29Word task?
30- CONDITIONING OF A SUPERSTITION
- Suppose a naive subject is brought into a
classroom and he sees the following The
experimenter is standing in front of a counter, a
hand switch connected to it. He instructs, "Say
words any words at all, except for sentences.
Try and earn as many points as you can." The
subject then begins to say words and,
occasionally, he (and the class) will hear a
click of the counter as the subject earns points.
Actually, the hand switch has nothing to do with
whether the subject gets a reinforcement or not
the counter is controlled by a timer. The subject
gets reinforced, not because of anything he does,
but solely with the passage of time. - As the subject says words and gets reinforced,
he, and members of the class, will form
superstitious hypotheses. Some subjects may guess
that reinforcement depends on saying plural
words another will say it has to do with nouns,
and so on. Some of the hypotheses (superstitions)
will turn out to be quite involved, but all will
be incorrect except the hypothesis that the
reinforcement is noncontingent!
31Problems for S-R theories of Motivation
32Problems?
- Minimization of Internal and cognitive processes
- Account of Primary Reinforcersand URs- requires
some internal process concept. - since thinking cannot be observed, the theory of
cognizant learning is unnecessary. - Common sense experience that we can be
skeptical?
33Final Notes
- Application Problemyou cant reinforce behaviors
that do not occur or that rarely occur. - In the larger context, behaviorist theory holds
that free will is non-existent and that all of
our actions are shaped by response to the
external environment. -
34POSTER PRESENTATIONS