Chapter Six - Learning Through Conditioning

B. Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which responses come to be controlled by their consequences

1. Thorndike's Law of Effect
2. Skinner's Demonstration
3. Terminology and Procedures
4. Basic Processes in Operant Conditioning
5. Reinforcement: Consequences that Strengthen Responses
6. Schedules of Reinforcement
7. Positive Reinforcement Versus Negative Reinforcement
8. Negative Reinforcement and Avoidance Behavior
9. Punishment: Consequences that Weaken Behavior

Contents

Thorndike's Law of Effect

The famous study of cats in a puzzle box demonstrated the importance of the effect of a behavior in learning

web bio
• Law of Effect
• Figure of Thorndike's apparatus (the puzzle box).
• Instrumental learning

Skinner's Demonstration: It's All a Matter of Consequences

Organisms tend to repeat those reponses that are followed by favorable consequences.

web bio
• Reinforcement
• Figure of Skinner's apparatus (the Skinner Box)
• Instrumental learning

Terminology and Procedures

• Skinner Box
• Emit
• Reinforcement contingencies
• Cumulative recorder
• Figure of operant conditioning graphs.

Basic Processes in Operant Conditioning

Acquisition and Shaping

Shaping
Programmed learning

Extinction

Resitance to extinction
Figure: extinction in operant conditioning

Stimulus Control: Generalization and Discrimination

Discriminative stimuli

Comparison of Basic Processes in Classical and Operant Conditioning

Table:Comparison (currently not active)

Reinforcement : Consequences That Strengthen Responses

Delayed Reinforcement

The longer the delay between the response and the reinforcer, the more slowly conditioning proceeds.

Conditioned Reinforcement

Primary reinforcers
Secondary, or conditioned, reinforcers

Tutorial in Positive Reinforcement.

Schedules of Reinforcement

How one 'schedules' the reinforcers will affect the rate of responding and how resistant the behavior is to extinction.

Schedule of reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement
Intermittent, or partial reinforcement

Ratio Schedules - the number responses emitted before a response is reinforced.

Fixed-ratio (FR)

• 
• Figure summarizing FR characteristics.

Variable-ratio (VR)

• 
• Figure summarizing VR characteristics.

Interval Schedules - the length of time which passes before a response is reinforced.

Fixed-interval (FI)

• 
• Figure summarizing FI characteristics.

Variable-interval (VI)

• 
• Figure summarizing VI characteristics.

Positive Reinforcement Versus Negative Reinforcement

• Positive reinforcement.
• Negative reinforcement
• Chart: Comparison between positive and negative reinforcement (fig 6.19).

Negative Reinforcement and Avoidance Behavior

Escape learning
Avoidance learning

Two-Process Theory of Avoidance

Mowrer integrates classical and operant conditioning to explain the paradox of why avoidance responses can be long-lasting when there doesn't appear to be any obvious reinforcement

(not active at this time.)

Future video clip of an animated rat demonstrating the two-process theory.

Could your phobia of elevators be explained by this theory?

Punishment: Consequences that Weaken Responses

What is punishment?

Side effects of Punishment

Even though punishment weakens responses, it can have unintended side effects:

• general suppression of behavior
• strong emotional responses
• aggressive behavior

moral: 'tis better to reinforce desirable behavior than punish undesirable behavior.

Making Punishment More Effective

• Apply punishment swiftly.
• Use punishment just severe enough to be effective.
• Be consistent.
• Explain the punishment.
• Make an alternative response available and reinforce it.
• Minimize dependence on physical punishment.

The Punishment Controversy

	Positive Discipline Guidelines

A current alternative to the classic "Corporal Punishment" of childern

	Punishment vs Discipline

Resources provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) .

	Will Corporal Punishment Deter?

A Case for the Corporal Punishment of Criminals by Graeme Newman Professor and Associate Dean School of Criminal Justice Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy The University at Albany

	Corporal Punishment in Schools

A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine .

	Developing and Maintaining Discipline

Punishment and Discipline in Australian schools

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