Lecture 9 - Instrumental conditioning

Question 1

Skinner box

Answer 1

pressing the lever either results in an electric shock or food

An electric shock may be delivered, and the lever must be pressed to stop this (positive reinforcement)

Question 2

Neutral stimulus being paired with a primary reinforcer

Answer 2

The NS can also reinforce an instrumental action,

eg, light being shown at the same time as the food being given - animal will increase the frequency of lever press to turn on the light

Question 3

Breland and Breland (1961)

Answer 3

Trained pig to pick a coin and place in a money box to be rewarded with food.
–> pig became reluctant to release coin and instead rooted it along the floor

Shows that not every action can be learnt as an instrumental response

Question 4

Shettleworth (1975)

Answer 4

Some of a hamster’s natural behaviours are easier to associate with food than other behaviours