Cognition: Operant Conditioning

Question 1

Operant Conditioning

Answer 1

Learning through consequences of reward and punishment. Involves applying reinforcement or punishment after behaviour, and makes associations between a voluntary behaviour and a consequence in order to strengthen or weaken those behaviours. Learner must actively participate by performing some type of action for consequence to occur.

Question 2

Reinforcement

Answer 2

A consequence that causes the behaviour to occur more frequently

• Positive Reinforcement: adding a desirable consequence
• Negative Reinforcement: removal of undesirable consequence

Question 3

Punishment

Answer 3

A consequence that causes the behaviour to occur less frequently

• Positive punishment: addition of undesirable consequence
• Negative punishment: removal of desirable consequence

Question 4

Law of Reinforcement

Answer 4

The probability of a response being produced is increased if it is followed by a reward, but decreased if it is followed by a punishment

Question 5

Primary Reinforcers

Answer 5

Rewarding stimuli that are essential for survival (food etc.)

Question 6

Secondary Reinforcers

Answer 6

Stimuli that are rewarded because they have repeatedly been associated with primary reinforcers (e.g. praise, money)

Question 7

Response Cost (negative punishment)

Answer 7

Punishment that weakens a response by removing a desired stimulus

Question 8

Avoidance Learning

Answer 8

A form of operant conditioning in which an appropriate avoidance response prevents aversive stimuli

Question 9

Extinction

Answer 9

The disappearance of a learned behaviour when it is not reinforced

Question 10

Thorndike: Trial and Error (cats)

Answer 10

Placed a hungry cat in a puzzle box with a plate of food outside. The only way out was to pull a string that opened the door. After trial and error, the cat eventually pulled the string and was rewarded with the food

Question 11

Thorndike: Conclusion

Answer 11

Organisms learn via trial and error until they discover the correct behaviour which gets them the desired outcome

Question 12

Thorndike: Law of Effect

Answer 12

Behaviour followed by a desired consequence is more likely to be repeated, while behaviour followed by an undesired consequence is less likely to be repeated

Question 13

Skinner: Skinner Box

Answer 13

• Skinner box is an enclosed apparatus containing a lever than an animal (rat or pigeon) can press in order to obtain food
• A device records each response and there is a unique schedule of reinforcement
• Negative reinforcement was used in the form of an electric shock, which was stopped by the pressing of the lever

Question 14

Reinforcement Schedules

Answer 14

The rules used to decide when reinforcers (or punishments) are presented in relation to the behaviour. Rules are defined in terms of time and number of responses required for reward to appear.

Question 15

Reinforcement Schedules: Continuous

Answer 15

When a correct response is reinforced every time it is given

Question 16

Reinforcement Schedules: Ratios

Answer 16

• Fixed Ratio: reinforcement is delivered after a fixed number of correct responses
• Variable Ratio: reinforcement occurs on the basis of a set average number of correct responses, but not with regular frequency

Question 17

Reinforcement Schedules: Intervals

Answer 17

• Fixed Interval: reinforcement is delivered after a fixed time period
• Variable Interval: reinforcement occurs on an average of a set time interval, but not with regular frequency

Question 18

Operant Conditioning Limitations

Answer 18

• Extinction of the conditioned response could occur if the reinforcement stops.
• can only learn what is natural to that organism
• behaviour often doesn’t show without incentive