OPERANT OPERANT CONDITIONINGCONDITIONING

DIFFERENT FROM DIFFERENT FROM CLASSICALCLASSICAL

CLASSICAL: Experimenter presents UCS CLASSICAL: Experimenter presents UCS and CS and then observes the behaviorand CS and then observes the behavior

OPERANT: Participant / Animal must OPERANT: Participant / Animal must behave in a certain way to get a reward behave in a certain way to get a reward or avoid a punishmentor avoid a punishment

Def. – Learning in which reinforcement Def. – Learning in which reinforcement is contingent upon the subject’s is contingent upon the subject’s behavior.behavior.

B.F. SKINNERB.F. SKINNER

Psychologist most Psychologist most closely associated closely associated with operant with operant conditioningconditioning

SKINNER BOXSKINNER BOX

Figure 8.8 Cat in a puzzle boxMyers: Psychology, Eighth EditionCopyright © 2007 by Worth Publishers

Thorndike’s Puzzle BoxThorndike’s Puzzle Box

REINFORCEMENTREINFORCEMENT

REWARD / PUNISHMENTREWARD / PUNISHMENT POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT: POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT:

Get a reward or receive something you like for Get a reward or receive something you like for doing the desired behaviordoing the desired behavior

Social approval, money, foodSocial approval, money, food NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:

Something unpleasant is taken away for doing Something unpleasant is taken away for doing desired behaviordesired behavior

Homework, chores, sales tax on tax free Homework, chores, sales tax on tax free weekendweekend

REINFORCEMENT cont.REINFORCEMENT cont.

PRIMARY PRIMARY REINFORCEMENT: REINFORCEMENT: satisfies a biological satisfies a biological

need such as hunger, need such as hunger, thirst, or sleep, etc.thirst, or sleep, etc.

SECONDARY SECONDARY REINFORCEMENT: REINFORCEMENT: one that has been one that has been

paired with a primary paired with a primary re-inforcer through re-inforcer through classical conditioning.classical conditioning.

SCHEDULES OF SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENTREINFORCEMENT

CONTINUOUSCONTINUOUS RATIO: RATIO:

reinforcement is given after a certain reinforcement is given after a certain NUMBER NUMBER of responses.of responses.

FIXED RATIO: reinforcement is given after FIXED RATIO: reinforcement is given after the same number of responses each timethe same number of responses each time

VARIABLE RATIO: reinforcement after VARIABLE RATIO: reinforcement after varying number of responses.varying number of responses.

SCHEDULES cont.SCHEDULES cont.

INTERVAL: INTERVAL: reinforcement is given after a certain reinforcement is given after a certain

amount of amount of TIME.TIME. FIXED INTERVAL:FIXED INTERVAL: reinforcement is given reinforcement is given

after the same amount of time each after the same amount of time each time.time.

VARIABLE INTERVAL: amount of time VARIABLE INTERVAL: amount of time changes between reinforcementschanges between reinforcements

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES

Typist gets paid $2 per page Typist gets paid $2 per page Fixed ratioFixed ratio

Slot machinesSlot machines Variable ratioVariable ratio

Giving a quiz every FridayGiving a quiz every Friday Fixed intervalFixed interval

Which type of rft. is best for. . Which type of rft. is best for. . .?.?

. . . introducing a new behavior?. . . introducing a new behavior?

. . . maintaining a behavior for a long . . . maintaining a behavior for a long period of time?period of time?

Homework from the teacher’s Homework from the teacher’s perspectiveperspective

Behavior desired from the student?Behavior desired from the student? Complete homework assignmentsComplete homework assignments

Reinforcement being offered?Reinforcement being offered? gradesgrades

Positive or negative?Positive or negative? Primary or secondary?Primary or secondary? Overworked / underpaid teacher doesn’t want to Overworked / underpaid teacher doesn’t want to

have to grade EVERY assignmenthave to grade EVERY assignment Which schedule of reinforcement would be most Which schedule of reinforcement would be most

beneficial for the teacher to use?beneficial for the teacher to use? Variable ratioVariable ratio

SHAPINGSHAPING

Technique used to teach animals / Technique used to teach animals / people a more complicated taskpeople a more complicated task

The subject is rewarded for each The subject is rewarded for each response that is closer to the final response that is closer to the final desired behaviordesired behavior Successive approximationsSuccessive approximations

CHAININGCHAINING

Learning simple skills, that when Learning simple skills, that when combined together enable the combined together enable the subject to perform more complex subject to perform more complex tasks.tasks.

Examples:Examples: Reading, writing, math, sports, etc.Reading, writing, math, sports, etc.

POKER CHIMPSPOKER CHIMPS

Shaping was used to get chimps to Shaping was used to get chimps to perform tasks for foodperform tasks for food

Classical conditioning was then used to Classical conditioning was then used to teach the chimps to associate poker chips teach the chimps to associate poker chips with food.with food.

Soon the chimps were performing tasks to Soon the chimps were performing tasks to get poker chips to exchange for food in the get poker chips to exchange for food in the chip-o-matchip-o-mat

Generalization and discriminationGeneralization and discrimination

AVERSIVE CONTROLAVERSIVE CONTROL

Using an unpleasant stimulus to influence Using an unpleasant stimulus to influence behavior.behavior.

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT: NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT: when an unpleasant stimulus is removed after when an unpleasant stimulus is removed after

a certain behavior.a certain behavior. ESCAPE CONDITIONING: A person’s behavior causes ESCAPE CONDITIONING: A person’s behavior causes

an unpleasant event to stopan unpleasant event to stop AVOIDANCE CONDITIONING: Training of an organism AVOIDANCE CONDITIONING: Training of an organism

to withdraw from an unpleasant stimulus before it to withdraw from an unpleasant stimulus before it starts.starts.

PUNISHMENTPUNISHMENT

An unpleasant An unpleasant consequence consequence occurs and occurs and decreasesdecreases the the frequency of the frequency of the behavior that behavior that produced itproduced it

AVERSIVE AVERSIVE CONTROLCONTROL

NEGATIVE NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:REINFORCEMENT:

Behavior is Behavior is REPEATED/INCREASREPEATED/INCREASESES

PUNISHMENT:PUNISHMENT:

Behavior Behavior DECREASESDECREASES

DISADVANTAGES OF DISADVANTAGES OF PUNISHMENTPUNISHMENT

Unwanted side effects: rage, fear, Unwanted side effects: rage, fear, aggression (spanked children may aggression (spanked children may become more aggressive)become more aggressive)

Subjects learn to avoid the punisherSubjects learn to avoid the punisher Punishment may suppress rather Punishment may suppress rather

than eliminate such behaviorsthan eliminate such behaviors Alone it does not teach what is Alone it does not teach what is

acceptable behavioracceptable behavior

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES Which schedule of reinforcement is being Which schedule of reinforcement is being

used?used?

Factory workers?Factory workers? Fixed intervalFixed interval

Getting paid by the bail for hauling hay?Getting paid by the bail for hauling hay? Fixed ratioFixed ratio

Pop quizzes?Pop quizzes? Variable intervalVariable interval