Operant Conditioning• A type of learning in which behavior occurs more frequently if

followed by reinforcement or occurs less frequently if followed by punishment.

• How is this different from classical conditioning?– In Classical Conditioning, an organism associates/connects

two events that occur together at the same time.

– In Operant Conditioning, an organism learns a behavior through reward or punishment.

OPERANT CONDITIONING CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

Reward Punishment Association of events in time

Edward Thorndike• Edward Thorndike performed experiments on cats

• He placed them in a puzzle box, used fish as a reward for escaping, and timed how long the escape process took

• Through trial and error, the cats figured out that pressing the level in the box (behavior) led to the

reward of escape/fish (stimulus)

Law of Effect• He coined the term “Law of Effect”

which became the basis of operant conditioning

• Law of Effect: behavior that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated; behavior that is followed by unpleasant consequences is likely to be stopped

OPERANT CONDITIONING

REINFORCEMENT(increase behavior)

PUNISHMENT(decrease behavior)

POSITIVE(adding something to the

situation)

POSITIVEREINFORCEMENT

POSITIVEPUNISHMENT

NEGATIVE(removing something from

the situation)

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT

Reinforcement• Anything that increases a behavior• Can be positive or negative

– Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean bad!!!

– Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

You get an A on your test (positive stimulus), which increases your behavior of studying (reinforcement).

You avoid getting a sun burn (negative stimulus), which increases your behavior of applying sunblock in the future (reinforcement).

Other Examples??? Other Examples???

Punishment• Anything that decreases a behavior

• Can be positive or negative– Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean

bad!!!

– Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus Positive Punishment

Negative Punishment

You receive a speeding ticket (positive stimulus), which decreases your behavior of speeding (punishment).

Your driving privileges are taken away for a year because you were caught driving drunk (negative stimulus). This decreases your behavior of drinking and driving (punishment).

Other Examples??? Other Examples???

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDING of a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

Catching a largemouth bass after three hours of

fishing

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDING of a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

Being yelled at by your coach after you fumbled

so you won’t fumble again

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

To get rid of an upset stomach your mom tells you to start taking Pepto

Bismol

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVINGof a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

You lose your money in a soda machine. You decide the next time you will not use the same

machine!

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDING of a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

Giving your dog a treat for sitting on command

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDING of a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

Your alarm rings to stop you from sleeping too

long

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

You lose your cell phone after getting caught

texting in class

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

ADDING of a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

ADDINGof a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by the

REMOVING of a stimulus

Lifting weights to get in great physical shape

What type of Operant Conditioning is this?

• Positive Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by ADDING

a stimulus

• Negative Reinforcement?– INCREASE behavior by

REMOVINGa stimulus

• Positive Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by ADDING

a stimulus

• Negative Punishment?– DECREASE behavior by

REMOVINGa stimulus

Lifting weights to lose weight

Careful!! The way a scenario is worded can affect the answer.

Lifting weights to get in shape = POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Lifting weights to lose weight = NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

Limitations of Punishment

•Punishment often only produces •temporary suppression

•Punishment can produce undesirable emotional side effects