Operant Conditioning I

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Operant Conditioning I
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Priscilla the Fastidious Pig

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vy6tpXC2mwlQ

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Thorndike and Law of Effect

• Rewarded behavior is likely to occur

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B. F. Skinner

• Operant conditioning shapes behavior as a
  sculptor shapes a lump of clay

Its all a matter of consequences
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Operant Conditioning

• Learning where responses come to be controlled by
  their consequences
• Classical conditioning regulating reflexive,
  involuntary responses
• Operant conditioning voluntary responses

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Skinner Pigeons

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vvGazyH6fQQ4

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What the what!? How did he do that?

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vTtfQlkGwE2U
• Shaping and reinforcement
• Shaping operant technique, reward for closer
  and closer approximation of desired response

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Skinner says

• Organisms tend to repeat responses that are
  followed by favorable consequences
• Understood best through idea of reinforcement
  response is strengthened because it leads to
  rewarding consequences
• Defined AFTER THE FACT

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Tendency to patronize Chipotle increases
Rewarding stimulus presented Most delicious
meal you will ever have ever
Response Go to Chipotle for a meal
REINFORCEMENT IN OPERANT CONDITIONING
Tendency to tell jokes increases
Response Tell jokes
Rewarding stimulus presented Friends laugh
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Primary vs. Secondary Reinforcers
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Generalization vs. Discrimination

• Which is which?
• Kids only ask parents for sweets when they know
  the parents are in a good mood.
• A cat runs into the kitchen whenever a can opener
  is being utilized

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Basic Processes in Classical and Operant
Conditioning
VS.
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Operant Conditioning II
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Fixed-ratio schedule

• A rat is reinforced for every tenth lever press
• A salesperson receives a bonus for every fourth
  gym membership sold

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Variable-ratio schedule

• A slot machine in a casino pays off once every
  six tries on the average.
• The number of winning responses between payoffs
  varies greatly from one time to the next.

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Fixed-interval schedule

• A man washing his clothes periodically check to
  see whether each load is finished
• The reward (clean clothes) is available only
  after a fixed time interval
• The man who checks his laundry before it is
  completed in the cycle does not receive
  reinforcement of clean clothes because theyre
  not done yet

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Variable-interval schedule

• Person wants to win a radio contest, so calls the
  station and gets a busy signal
• Getting through to the DJ is the reinforcer
• A rat is reinforced for the first lever press
  after a 1 minute interval, but the following
  intervals are 3 min, 2 min, and 4 min (average of
  2 min)

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Conclusion

• Faster responding leads to reinforcement sooner
  when ratio is in effect
• Variable schedules tend to generate steadier
  response rates
• Greater resistance to extinction

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Operant Conditioning II
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Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement

• Study hint THEY BOTH HAVE THE WORD
  REINFORCEMENT IN IT so it has to REINFORCE the
  behavior either way

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• Positive reinforcement response is strengthened
  because it is followed by the presentation of a
  rewarding stimulus
• Ex good grades, tasty meals, paychecks,
  scholarship, promotions, nice clothes, attention,
  flattery

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• Negative Reinforcement occurs when a response is
  strengthened because it is followed by the
  removal of an aversive stimulus
• ex you rush home in winter to get out of the
  cold, you clean a house to get rid of a mess, you
  give in to an argument to avoid an unpleasant
  situation

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REINFORCEMENT IS REINFORCEMENT

• Both positive and negative reinforcement involve
  a favorable outcome that STRENGTHENS
• a response tendency

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Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement in a Skinner
Box
Behavior
Consequence
Rewarding stimulus presented food delivered
Response Press lever

Tendency to press lever increases
Aversive Stimulus removed shock turned off
Response Press lever
Tendency to press lever increases
-
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Negative reinforcement applications

• 1. Escape learning organism acquires a response
  that decreases or ends some aversive stimulation
• Ex you leave a party where you were getting
  picked on by peers

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• 2. Avoidance learning organism acquires a
  response that prevents some aversive stimulation
  from occurring
• Ex you quit going to parties because of your
  concern about being picked on

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• How does avoidance learning present an example of
  how classical conditioning and operant
  conditioning work together to regulate behavior?
• Ex Rat, shuttle box, shock

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Punishment Consequences that weaken responses

• Punishment occurs when event following a
  response weakens the tendency to make that
  response
• Super easy to mix-up
• How is this different from negative reinforcement?

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Punishment examples

• If you wear a new outfit and your classmates make
  fun of it, your behavior will have been punished
  and your tendency to wear the same clothing will
  probably decline.
• 2) If you have a bad meal and a restaurant,
  your response will have been punished, and you
  will be less likely to go to the restaurant again.