topic 4

Question 1

Thorndike’s law of effect

Answer 1

if a response, in the presence of a stimulus is followed by satisfying state of affairs, the association between stimulus and response and strengthened and if it is followed by an unsatisfying event it is weakened

Question 2

operant learning

Answer 2

a change in behavior as a function of the consequence that follows it.

Question 3

escape behavior

Answer 3

when operant behavior increases by removing an ongoing event or stimulus. ex. pressing a lever to stop an electric pulse

Question 4

avoidance behavior

Answer 4

when operant behavior increases by preventing the onset of an event or stimulus. ex. pressing a lever to prevent electric shock

Question 5

discrete trial procedures

Answer 5

instrumental response produced once per trial. Each trial ends with removal of the animal from the apparatus. Ex. mice in a maze (how long it takes for them to reach the end= 1 trial) and then there is a “reset”

Question 6

free operant procedures

Answer 6

animal remains in apparatus and can make many responses. ex. operant boxes

Question 7

cumulative record

Answer 7

based on old cumulative recorder device.

Question 8

unconditional (primary) reinforcer

Answer 8

a reinforcer that acquired its properties as a function of species evolutionary history. ex. food, sex. water, sleep

Question 9

conditional (secondary) reinforcer

Answer 9

otherwise neutral stimuli or events that have the ability to reinforce due to a contingent relationship with other , typically unconditional, reinforcers.

Question 10

variables effecting reinforcement

Answer 10

immediacy, specific reinforcer used, task characteristics, contingency, contiguity

Question 11

immediacy

Answer 11

a stimulus is more effective as a reinforcer when it is delivered immediately after the behavior

Question 12

contingency

Answer 12

a stimulus is more effective as a reinforcer when it is delivered contingent of the behavior.

Question 13

contiguity

Answer 13

nearness of events in time (temporal contiguity) or space (spatial contiguity) - high contiguity is often referred to as pairing, less contiguity between the operant response and the reinforcer, diminishes the effectiveness of the reinforcer.

Question 14

motivating operations

Answer 14

establishing operations make a stimulus more effective as a reinforcer at a particular time

Question 15

abolishing operations

Answer 15

make a stimulus less potent as a reinforcer at a particular time

Question 16

reinforcer magnitude

Answer 16

generally a more intense stimulus is a more effective reinforcer . relation between size and effectiveness is not linear.

Question 17

schedule of reinforcement

Answer 17

a rule describing the delivery of reinforcement. different schedules produce unique schedule effects ( particular pattern and rate of behavior over time). over the long term, effects are very predictable. occurs in numerous species

Question 18

continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF)

Answer 18

behavior is reinforced each time it occurs. rate of behavior increase rapidly. useful when shaping a new behavior. rare in natural world

Question 19

4 types of intermittent reinforcement schedules

Answer 19

Fixed ratio schedule
variable ratio schedule
fixed interval schedule
variable interval schedule

Question 20

Fixed ratio schedule (FR)

Answer 20

behavior reinforced after a fixed number of times generate post reinforcement pause

Question 21

post reinforcement pause (PRP)

Answer 21

a period of inactivity or no responding that occurs immediately after a reinforcement is given. pausing typically increases with ratio size and reinforcer magnitude.

Question 22

variable ratio schedule (VR)

Answer 22

the number of responses needed varies each time. ratio requirement varies around an average. PRP’s are rare and very short . produces higher rates than a comparable fixed ratio

Question 23

random ratio

Answer 23

schedule is controlled by a random number generator. produces similarly high rates of responding. type of ratio used in casino and video games

Question 24

progressive ratio

Answer 24

ratio requirements move from small to large. PRPs increase with ratio size.

Question 25

fixed interval schedule (FI)

Answer 25

behavior is reinforced when it occurs after a given period of time. Produces PRP's. responding increases gradually. uncommon in natural environment

Question 26

variable interval schedule (VI)

Answer 26

the timing of the response needed varies each time. interval varies around an average. PRPs are rare and short. steady rates of responding. not as high as Variable ratio schedule. common in natural environments.

Question 27

competing contingencies

Answer 27

the individual has multiple options that may conflict or compete for their attention or actions. ex. watch you tube or study

Question 28

premack principle

Answer 28

in nature, different behaviours have different probabilities of occurring. e.g. eating is high probability and lever pressing is low probability. Low prob -> high prob= reinforces low prob high prob -> low prob= does not reinforce high prob

Question 29

testing Premack principle

Answer 29

1. establish baseline responding for different behaviours 2. instrumental conditioning procedure w/: L-> H H-> L

Question 30

controlling stimulus (S)

Answer 30

an antecedent. a stimulus that changes the probability of an operant behaviour

Question 31

discriminative stimulus (S^D)

Answer 31

aka occasion setter. a type of antecedent. a stimulus or event that precedes an operant and sets the occasion for its reinforcement.

Question 32

extinction stimulus (S^∆)

Answer 32

a type of antecedent. a stimulus or event that precedes an operant and sets the occasion for non-reinforcement

Question 33

establishing operation

Answer 33

makes a stimulus more effective as a reinforcer at a particular time. e.g. deprivation ( food is more effective stimulus if the individual is deprived of food)

Question 34

discriminative stimulus

Answer 34

a cue or signal that indicates that a specific behavior will be reinforced

Question 35

abolishing operation

Answer 35

makes a stimulus less potent as a reinforcer at a particular time. e.g., satiation ( food is less effective as a stimulus if the individual is full)

Question 36

discrimination

Answer 36

occurs when the presence (or absence) of stimuli is the occasion on which a response will be followed by a reinforcement. e.g., key pecking is only reinforced when the green light is on -> the green light IS the occasion when pecking is reinforced. eventually the bird will only peck when the green light is on.

Question 37

stimulus control

Answer 37

a change in operant behavior that occurs when either S^D or S^∆ is presented. ex. " the light color is functioning as a discriminative stimulus" or "the light has acquired stimulus control over the pigeons behaviour"

Question 38

discriminative Index

Answer 38

a measure of the stimulus control exerted by an S^D or S^∆ .

Question 39

generalization

Answer 39

less precise control of stimulus compared to discrimination. it is obtained by training a wide array of settings/ stimuli

Question 40

stimulus generalization

Answer 40

1. process where once a CS has been established )it produces CR reliably), similar stimuli may also produce a CR or 2. process where once an operant response occurs to one discriminative stimulus, it also occurs to other similar stimuli

Question 41

stimulus discrimination

Answer 41

1. process where we exhibit less pronounced CR to CS's that differ from original CS. -> CR occurs to CS but not another stimulus or 2. process where less responding occurs to stimuli that are different from the original trained stimulus. -> operant response to trained stimulus but not others

Question 42

discrimination training

Answer 42

S^D-> B -> C ex. large dog -> child says dog -> praise pony -> child says dog -> no praise outcome= child says dog when they see a large dog but not a pony ~discrimination between categories

Question 43

generalization training

Answer 43

S^D ->B -> C ex. any sized dog -> child says dog -> praise outcome= child will say dog when they see any dog ~ generalize within category