Operant conditioning

Question 1

What is operant conditioning ?

Answer 1

Process of learning using rewards & punishment to modify behaviour

Question 2

What 2 things must operant conditioning be ?

Answer 2

• Contingent
• Contiguent

Question 3

What does contingent mean ?

Answer 3

Clear link between person’s behaviour & consequence it produces - know exactly what they are being rewarded / punished for

Question 4

What does contiguent mean ?

Answer 4

Consequence follows soon after behaviour

Question 5

What happens if they are given reward/punished too long after behaviour ?

Answer 5

Conditioning is weakened - don’t know what they are rewarded/punished for

Question 6

What is Thorndike’s puzzle box ?

Answer 6

• Cat in box & solve puzzle to escape
• Cat initially climbed everywhere & unlocked latch to escape = given food as reward
• Trial & error = cat learned unlocking latch & escape means reward

Question 7

What is Thorndike’s law of effect ?

Answer 7

• Response followed by positive consequence = repetition of behaviour
• Unpleasant consequence = avoidance of behaviour

Question 8

What is Thorndike’s law of exercise ?

Answer 8

More often a response is formed, more likely it is that behaviour is repeated

Question 9

What is successive approximations method ?

Answer 9

Responses closely approximating desired behaviour are reinforced, which eventually leads to desired behaviour

Question 10

What is positive reinforcement ?

Answer 10

Reward is given following behaviour

Question 11

What is negative reinforcement ?

Answer 11

Something bad taken away following behaviour

Question 12

What is positive punishment ?

Answer 12

Adding aversive stimuli that reduces showing of a behaviour

Question 13

What is negative punishment ?

Answer 13

Removing desirable stimuli that reduces the showing of a behaviour

Question 14

What is a reinforcement ?

Answer 14

Aims to increase repetition of behaviour

Question 15

What is a punishment ?

Answer 15

Aims to decrease repetition of behaviour

Question 16

What is a primary reinforcer ?

Answer 16

Occurs naturally & satisfies basic needs

Question 17

What is a secondary reinforcer ?

Answer 17

Strengthens behaviour & are associated with primary reinforcer

Question 18

What is continuous reinforcement ?

Answer 18

Behaviour reinforced every time it is seen

Question 19

What is partial reinforcement ?

Answer 19

Behaviour reinforced some of the time

Question 20

What does partial reinforcement do ?

Answer 20

Make behaviours longer to learn but more resistant to extinction

Question 21

What are the 6 schedules of reinforcement ?

Answer 21

• Continuous reinforcement
• Partial reinforcement
• Fixed interval
• Variable interval
• Fixed ratio
• Variable ratio

Question 22

What is fixed interval ?

Answer 22

• Reward occurs at regular time
• Learning & extinction are medium

Question 23

What is variable interval ?

Answer 23

• Rewards occurs but not exactly sure when
• Learning = fast
• Extinction = slow

Question 24

What is fixed ratio ?

Answer 24

• Reward occurs everytime the desired behaviour is carried out so often
• Learning = fast
• Extinction = moderate

Question 25

What is variable ratio ?

Answer 25

- Reward occurs randomly after a changing number of behaviours - Learning = fast - Extinction = slow

Question 26

How is Skinner's pigeons supporting research ?

Answer 26

- 8 starved pigeons in box with food dispensed every 15s - 6/8 gave unusual repetitive behaviours (jumping up & down, bobbing head) - Concluded pigeons repeating whatever behaviour they had been in middle of doing when reinforcement first offered

Question 27

What is a criticism ?

Answer 27

- Difficult to show through adults as not studies from birth - Impossible to identify specific causes/consequences which may have lead to another

Question 28

How good is research into OC ?

Answer 28

- Largely based on animal studies - More likely to be driven by innate factors - Too different for comparison - Lacks generalisability

Question 29

How is OC reductionist ?

Answer 29

- Undermines influences of biological factors - Only focuses on observable factors - Mental & emotional states neglected - Explanations limited & oversimplified

Question 30

What are the applications ?

Answer 30

- Allen & Milan = TEP - Act desirably = given token which is exchanged for reinforcers - Socially approved behaviours are learn & undesirable behaviours extinguished - Hobbs & Holt = TEP reduce antisocial behaviour in a juvenile detention care