02: Operant Conditioning

Question 1

Acronym to remember operant conditioning?

Answer 1

Stimulus-Response bond
Thorndike’s Laws
O shaping
Punishment
E
Reinforcement
A
N
T

Question 2

What are Thorndike’s Laws?

Answer 2

1) Law of exercise
2) Law of effect
3) Law of readiness

Question 3

Define Thorndike’s law of exercise

Answer 3

Rehearsing or repeating actions strengthens reinforcement

Question 4

Define Thorndike’s law of effect

Answer 4

If followed by a pleasant reaction, then the S-R bond is strengthened; if the following reaction is reaction is negative, then the S-R bond is weakened

Question 5

Define Thorndike’s law of readiness

Answer 5

The athlete must be both mentally and physically capable of performing the skill efficiently

Question 6

Describe operant conditioning in simplest form (4)

Answer 6

• Trial and error
• A correct response is rewarded
• This reinforces the correct response
• This behaviour is shaped (changed)