Unit 6: Part 2 Flashcards
Operant conditioning
A type of learning in which a behavior becomes more likely to recur if followed by a reinforcer or less likely to recur if followed by a punisher
B.F. skinner
Behaviorism’s most intellectual and controversial figure. Most famous for his work with operant chamber and establishing schedules of reinforcement
Law of effect
Behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely
Edward Thorndike
Was an early behaviorist who conducted experiments with cats and a puzzle box. Identified law of effect
Punishment
An event that tends to decrease the the behavior it follows
Operant chamber
A chamber (Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking
Reinforcement
Any event that strengthens the behavior that follows it
Shaping
An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcement guides behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
Discriminative stimulus
A stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement
Positive reinforcement
Any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response
Negative reinforcement
Any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response
Primary reinforcement
Innately reinforcing stimuli such as those that satisfy a biological need
Conditioned reinforcer
Stimuli that gain their reinforcing power through their learned association with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement schedule
Patterns that define how often a desired response will be reinforced
Continuous reinforcement schedule
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedule
Reinforcing a response only part of the time
