Operant Conditioning

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Operant Conditioning

• Module 16

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What is Operant Conditioning?

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Classical Conditioning

• A type of learning where a stimulus gains the
  power to cause a response because it predicts
  another stimulus that already produces that
  response
• Form of learning by association

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Operant Conditioning

• A type of learning in which the frequency of a
  behavior depends on the consequence that follows
  that behavior
• The frequency will increase if the consequence is
  reinforcing to the subject.
• The frequency will decrease if the consequence is
  not reinforcing to the subject.

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The Law of Effect

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Edward Thorndike (1874-1949)

• Author of the law of effect
• Behaviors with favorable consequences will occur
  more frequently.
• Behaviors with unfavorable consequences will
  occur less frequently.
• Created puzzle boxes for research on cats

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Thorndikes Puzzle Box
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• YouTube - thorndike-puzzle box

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B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)

• Developed the fundamental principles and
  techniques of operant conditioning and devised
  ways to apply them in the real world
• Designed the Skinner Box, or operant chamber

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• YouTube - Skinner Box - Lever Press

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• YouTube - A Pigeon Solves the Classic
  Box-and-Banana Problem

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Reinforcement/Punishment

• Reinforcement - Any consequence that increases
  the likelihood of the behavior it follows
• Punishment - Any consequence that decreases the
  likelihood of the behavior it follows
• The subject determines if a consequence is
  reinforcing or punishing

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Reinforcement

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Positive Reinforcement

• Anything that increases the likelihood of a
  behavior by following it with a desirable event
  or state
• The subject receives something they want
• Will strengthen the behavior

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Positive Reinforcement
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Negative Reinforcement

• Anything that increases the likelihood of a
  behavior by following it with the removal of an
  undesirable event or state
• Something the subject doesnt like is removed
• Will strengthen the behavior

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Negative Reinforcement
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Positive/Negative Reinforcement
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Reinforcement Immediate Versus Delayed
Reinforcement

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Immediate/Delayed Reinforcement

• Immediate reinforcement is more effective than
  delayed reinforcement
• Ability to delay gratification predicts higher
  achievement

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Reinforcement Primary Versus Secondary
Reinforcement

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Primary Reinforcement

• Something that is naturally reinforcing
• Examples food, warmth, water, etc.
• The item is reinforcing in and of itself

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Secondary Reinforcement

• Something that a person has learned to value or
  finds rewarding because it is paired with a
  primary reinforcer
• Money is a good example

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PunishmentThe Process of Punishment

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Types of Punishment

• An undesirable event following a behavior
• A desirable state or event ends following a
  behavior

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PunishmentProblems With Punishment

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Negative Effects of Punishment

• Doesnt prevent the undesirable behavior when
  away from the punisher
• Can lead to fear, 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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Positive Effects of Punishment

• Punishment can effectively control certain
  behaviors.
• 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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Some Reinforcement ProceduresShaping

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Shaping

• Reinforcement of behaviors that are more and more
  similar to the one you want to occur
• Technique used to establish a new behavior

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Some Reinforcement Procedures Discrimination and
Extinction

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Discrimination

• The ability to distinguish between two similar
  stimuli
• Learning to respond to one stimuli but not to a
  similar stimuli

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Extinction

• In operant conditioning, the loss of a
  conditioned behavior when consequences no longer
  follow it.
• The subject no longer responds since the
  reinforcement or punishment has stopped.

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Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous
Reinforcement

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Continuous reinforcement

• A schedule of reinforcement in which a reward
  follows every correct response
• Most useful way to establish a behavior
• The behavior will extinguish quickly once the
  reinforcement stops.

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Schedules of Reinforcement Partial Reinforcement

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Partial Reinforcement

• A schedule of reinforcement in which a reward
  follows only some correct responses
• Includes the following types
• Fixed-interval and variable interval
• Fixed-ratio and variable-ratio

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Fixed-Interval Schedule

• A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards
  only the first correct response after some
  defined period of time
• i.e. weekly quiz in a class

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Variable-Interval Schedule

• A partial reinforcement that rewards the first
  correct response after an unpredictable amount of
  time
• i.e. pop quiz in a class

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Fixed-Ratio Schedule

• A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards a
  response only after some defined number of
  correct responses
• The faster the subject responds, the more
  reinforcements they will receive.

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Variable-Ratio Schedule

• A partial reinforcement schedule that rewards an
  unpredictable number of correct responses
• This schedule is very resistant to extinction.
• Sometimes called the gamblers schedule
  similar to a slot machine

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Schedules of Reinforcement
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New Understandings of Operant Conditioning The
Role of Cognition

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Latent Learning

• Learning that takes place in absence of an
  apparent reward

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Cognitive Map

• A mental representation of a place
• Experiments showed rats could learn a maze
  without any reinforcements

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Overjustification Effect

• The effect of promising a reward for doing what
  someone already likes to do
• The reward may lessen and replace the persons
  original, natural motivation, so that the
  behavior stops if the reward is eliminated

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New Understandings of Operant ConditioningThe
Role of Biology

• Module 16 Operant Conditioning

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Biological Predisposition

• Research suggests some species are biologically
  predisposed to learn specific behaviors

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• http//youtu.be/Pr0OTCVtHbU