Chapter 4 - Reinforcement

Question 1

What happens when a behavior results in a favorable outcome?

Answer 1

That behavior is more likely to be repeated in the future in similar circumstances

Question 2

Reinforcement is defined as:

Answer 2

1. The occurrence of a particular behavior
2. Followed by an immediate consequence
3. That results in the strengthening of the behavior

Question 3

How can we determine if a behavior is strengthened?

Answer 3

There is an increase in frequency, duration, intensity or speed

Question 4

Operant Behavior

Answer 4

A behavior that is strengthened through the process of reinforcement

Question 5

What does an operant behavior acts on the environment to produce

Answer 5

A consequence and, in turn, is controlled by, or occurs again in the future as a result of, it’s immediate consequence

Question 6

Reinforcer

Answer 6

A consequence that strengthens an operant behavior

Question 7

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 7

1. The occurrence of a behavior
2. Is followed by the addition of a stimulus (a reinforcer) or an increase in the intensity of a stimulus
3. Which results in the strengthening of the behavior

Question 8

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 8

1. The occurrence of a behavior
2. Is followed by the removal of a stimulus (an aversive stimulus) or a decrease in the intensity of a stimulus
3. Which results in the strengthening of the behavior

Question 9

Stimulus

Answer 9

An object or event that can be detected by one of the senses, and thus has the potential to influence the person

Question 10

Positive Reinforcer

Answer 10

The stimulus that is presented or that appears after the behavior

Question 11

Negative Reinforcer

Answer 11

The stimulus that is removed or avoided after the behavior

Question 12

Negative Reinforcement is NOT what?

Answer 12

Punishment

Question 13

Social Reinforcement

Answer 13

When a behavior produces a reinforcing consequence through the actions of another person

Question 14

Automatic Reinforcement

Answer 14

When the behavior produces a reinforcing consequence through direct contact with the physical environment

Question 15

Premack Principle

Answer 15

The opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior as a consequence for a low-probability behavior to increase the low-probability

Question 16

Escape Behavior

Answer 16

The occurrence of the behavior results in the termination of an aversive stimulus that was already present when the behavior occurred

Question 17

Avoidance Behavior

Answer 17

The occurrence of the behavior prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring

Question 18

Unconditional Reinforcers

Answer 18

• Natural reinforcers
• They function as reinforcers the first time they are presented to most human beings; no prior experience with these stimuli is needed for them to function as reinforcers

Question 19

Conditioned Reinforcers

Answer 19

• Secondary reinforcer
• Stimulus that was once neutral but became established as a reinforcer by being paired with an unconditioned reinforcer or an already established conditioned reinforcer

Question 20

What is the most common conditioned reinforcer

Answer 20

Money

Question 21

Generalized conditioned reinforcer

Answer 21

When a conditioned reinforcer is paired with a wide variety of other reinforcers

Question 22

Immediacy

Answer 22

The time between the occurrence of a behavior and the reinforcing consequence is important

Question 23

Contingency

Answer 23

• When the response produces the consequences and the consequence does not occur unless the response occurs first, we say a contingency exists, between the response and the consequence
• When this exists, the consequence is more likely to reinforce the response

Question 24

Motivating Operations (MO’s)

Answer 24

• An establishing operation (EO): makes a reinforcer more potent
• An abolishing operation (AO): makes a reinforcer less potent

Question 25

Motivating operations have two effects:

Answer 25

1. They alter the value of a reinforcer | 2. They make the behavior that produces that reinforcer more or less likely to occur at that time

Question 26

Deprivation

Answer 26

A type of establishing operation that increases the effectiveness of most unconditioned reinforcers and some conditioned reinforcers

Question 27

Satation

Answer 27

- Occurs when a person has recently consumed a large amount of a particular reinforcer or has had substantial exposure to a reinforcing stimulus. - these reinforcers are less potent at that time

Question 28

Magnitude

Answer 28

- Effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer is greater if the amount or magnitude of a stimulus is greater - Likewise, the termination of a more intense aversive stimulus strengthens

Question 29

Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 29

For a particular behavior specifies whether every response is followed by a reinforcer or whether only some responses are followed by a reinforcer

Question 30

Continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF)

Answer 30

Each occurrence of a response is reinforced

Question 31

Intermittent reinforcement schedule (IRF)

Answer 31

Each occurrence of a response is not reinforced. Rather, responses are occasionally or intermittently reinforced

Question 32

Fixed Ratio (FR) schedule

Answer 32

A specific or fixed number of responses must occur before the reinforcer is delivered

Question 33

Variable Ration (VR) schedule

Answer 33

Delivery of a reinforcer is based on the number of responses that occur, but in this case, the number of responses needed for reinforcement varies each time, around an average number.

Question 34

Interval schedules

Answer 34

Interval schedules a response is reinforced only if it occurs after an interval of time has passed

Question 35

Fixed Interval (FI)

Answer 35

- the interval of time is fixed, or stays the same each time

Question 36

Variable Interval (VI)

Answer 36

- The reinforcer is delivered for the first response that occurs after an interval of time has elapsed - Each time interval is a different length

Question 37

Concurrent Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 37

All of the schedules of reinforcement that are in effect for a person's behaviors at one time

Question 38

Concurrent Operants

Answer 38

A number of different behaviors or response options are concurrently available for the person

Question 39

Effects of Reinforcement

Answer 39

- Increase in frequency - Increase in duration - Increase in intensity - Increase in quickness (decrease in latency)

Question 40

Sleigman

Answer 40

- Big in positive psychology - began with dogs - - demonstrated aspect of negative reinforcement (kennel and electric current)

Question 41

Factors that influence reinforcement

Answer 41

- immediacy - consistency - motivating operations - individual differences - intensity of stimulus - concurrent schedule of reinforcement of punishment