test 5 Flashcards
.Distinguish between escape and avoidance behaviour. Be sure to mention the antecedents and consequences of each.
Escape – this is when the organism engages in a response that in the past has removed the present aversive stimulus.
Avoidance – this happens after trying some escape conditions. They will engage in responses that in the past have prevented coming in contact with aversive stimulus.
Escape has a present stimulus and avoidance is trying not to get to the aversive stimulus.
In escaping stimulus uses antecedents because the stimulus is presented prior to the response. Avoidance uses consequences because it is trying to avoid the consequence
escape behaviour
this is when the organism engages in a response that in the past has removed the present aversive stimulus.
avoidance behaviour
this happens after trying some escape conditions. They will engage in responses that in the past have prevented coming in contact with aversive stimulus.
Describe the two-process theory of avoidance behaviour and provide a criticism of this theory.
There are 4 criticisms with this theory:
Argument: Avoidance responses are extremely persistent; why do they not extinguish?
Counterargument: Anxiety conservation hypothesis – responses occur so quickly that there is insufficient CS exposure to the feared stimulus for extinction to occur
Argument: Once the rat gets used to the procedure, it seems to show no fear but continues to avoid anyway
Counterargument: A slight amount of fear still remains, which is sufficient to continue to motivate avoidance
Distinguish between time-out and response cost procedures.
Time out – this is when you lose access to positive reinforcements for a brief period of time because of problem behavior. Ex – sending a kid to time out in there room because they were not listening while playing video games
Response cost – this is the removal of a specified amount of reinforcer on the occurrence of problem behaviour. Ex – taking a quarter off there allowance when the boys fight.
Time out
this is when you lose access to positive reinforcements for a brief period of time because of problem behavior. Ex – sending a kid to time out in there room because they were not listening while playing video games
Response cost
this is the removal of a specified amount of reinforcer on the occurrence of problem behaviour. Ex – taking a quarter off there allowance when the boys fight.
. Given what you’ve learned about conditioned and unconditioned stimuli in operant conditioning, define and describe the differences between primary (unconditioned) and secondary (conditioned) punishers.
Primary unconditioned – this is when the event is innately punishing. For example, getting a needle. Inherent
Secondary conditioned punisher- this is when the event that is punish is now associated with past/other punishers. Example going to the doctor. Because they could give you a needle
learned
Briefly outline at least five of the problems listed concerning the use of punishment.
- Punishment of the maladaptive behaviour doesn’t directly strengthen the occurrence of the adaptive behaviour.
- Punishment may result in a generalized suppression of other behaviours.
- Punishment is likely to elicit a strong emotional response.
- Punishment is likely to elicit aggression.
- Because punishment is immediately effective, the usage of punishment is often strongly reinforced
Describe the theories of punishment.
Conditioned suppression theory- this is when the punishment does not weaken the behaviour, instead it makes a emotional response that interfere with behaviour occurrence
Avoidance theory – this is when punishment is a type of avoidance conditioning where the avoidance response is any behaviour other than behaviour being punished
Premack principal – this is when there is a low probability behaviour that can be used to punish high probability behaviour.
If you eat junk food you need to do 60 push ups. That will disurage you from eating junk food
Conditioned suppression theory-
this is when the punishment does not weaken the behaviour, instead it makes a emotional response that interfere with behaviour occurrence
Avoidance theory –
this is when punishment is a type of avoidance conditioning where the avoidance response is any behaviour other than behaviour being punished
Premack principal –
– this is when there is a low probability behaviour that can be used to punish high probability behaviour.
If you eat junk food you need to do 60 push ups. That will disurage you from eating junk food
Describe the basic experimental procedure (with control group) that was first used to demonstrate learned helplessness in dogs and the outcome that was observed.
The dogs were shocked so much that eventually they became helpless because they could not escape being shocked. In any other situation where they were presented with a shock, they also gave up.
What is a concurrent schedule? Diagram or describe an example of a concurrent schedule as might be used in an operant conditioning experiment with pigeons.
This is when two or more contingencies or reinforcement, operate independently and simultaneously or for two or more behaviours.
Pigeons match their relative rate of responding on the two keys to the relative rate of reinforcement being delivered on the schedules associated with the two keys. (Matching law)
Red key: key peck (VI 30 secs) food
Green key : key peck (VI 60 sec) food
look AT DIAGRAM
Define the matching law. State the matching law as an equation, and define each of its terms.
The matching law holds that the proportion of responses emitted on a particular schedule matches the proportion of reinforcers obtained on that schedule.
Matching law: [(RA)/(RA+RB)] = [(SrA)/(SrA+SrB)]
Sr = number of reinforcers earned
SA, SB = schedule of reinforcement
RA = number of responses emitted on schedule A
RB = number of responses emitted on schedule B
SrA = number of reinforcers earned on schedule A
SrB = number of reinforcers earned on schedule B.
Describe the relationships between choice, impulsiveness, delay discounting, and problematic behaviours such as drug use, risky sexual behaviour, and gambling.
Choice- this is distribution of operant behaviour among alternative sources of reinforcement.
Impulsive behaviour: Selecting an immediate, small outcome over a delayed, larger outcome
Delay discounting: The devaluation of reinforcers that are delayed into the future.
They are problematic because they can become addicting and unhealthy. They are also very hard to stop because you are getting that dopamine, that reward for doing those actions.
With the help of a graph, describe the general effect of delay on reward value.
The reward is very big at the beginning, but by waiting/delaying the reward the value is going down.
. List four of the variables that can affect the shape of the delay function and hence the extent to which a person or animal is likely to display self-control.
- seem to have differences in impulsivity between species
- there may be individual differences with some individuals being more impulsive than others
- people generally become less impulsive as they get older
- people generally become less impulsive after repeated experience with responding for delayed rewards
. What is overmatching and undermatching?
Overmatching- this is when responding on the richer schedule is more extreme than predicted.
Undermatching - this is when responding on the richer schedule is less extreme than predicted, The difference is close to 50/50.
What is bias in choice scenarios? What kinds of things could introduce bias in choice scenarios?
Bias choice is when you are choosing the most positive attributes to an option and ignore the other options. Once a decision is made there is no changing your mind.
Picking one because you are already a favor of it.Things that could introduce it to having easier access like it being your favorite color.
What is a commitment response and how can it serve to facilitate self-control?
This is an action done early in time that wants to eliminate or reduce the value of an upcoming temptation. It can serve as self-control because you are forcing yourself to do it because you have predetermined it even if you no longer feel like It when the time comes.
Ex- if you like to run, but every day you are tired when you get home and just sit in the chair and watch tv. You would have to commit the day before by setting a time you want to go or go with a friend at a time.
Negative reinforcement:
Negative reinforcement: A process or
procedure whereby a response causes a
stimulus to be removed from the
environment which leads to a future
increase in a dimension or maintenance of
that response
One-Process Theory of Avoidance
Alternative to the two-process theory:
* Act of avoidance is negatively reinforced by a lower rate of aversive
stimulation. – Rat avoids shock simply because it results in fewer shocks – Advantage of this theory is that one does not have to speculate about
what a rat is feeling.
