Operant Conditioning BasicsOperant Conditioning Basics

• A form of learning in which responses come to be controlled by their consequences

• A form of learning in which responses come to be controlled by their consequences

Operant Conditioning BasicsOperant Conditioning Basics

• Shaping

• The process of reinforcing closer and closer approximations of a desired response

• Shaping

• The process of reinforcing closer and closer approximations of a desired response

Operant Conditioning Basics cont.Signal Behavior Consequence

Operant Conditioning Basics cont.Signal Behavior Consequence

• Discriminative stimulus:• Signal or cue in the environment that

indicates the probable consequence of a response (behavior)

• Differences between Operant Cond. and CC Behavior is mostly voluntary instead of

mostly reflexive as in CC Behavior depends largely on what comes

after it, instead of what precedes it in CC

• Discriminative stimulus:• Signal or cue in the environment that

indicates the probable consequence of a response (behavior)

• Differences between Operant Cond. and CC Behavior is mostly voluntary instead of

mostly reflexive as in CC Behavior depends largely on what comes

after it, instead of what precedes it in CC

Operant Conditioning Basics cont.Operant Conditioning Basics cont.

• Reinforcement – increases the probability of a behavior being repeated; also increases the rate of response

Positive Reinforcement – give something desirable (reward)

Ex: A biscuit when your dog gives you his paw Negative Reinforcement – take away something

unpleasant Ex: Annoying dinging stops when you fasten

your seatbeltBoth result in an increase in the rate of

response!

• Reinforcement – increases the probability of a behavior being repeated; also increases the rate of response

Positive Reinforcement – give something desirable (reward)

Ex: A biscuit when your dog gives you his paw Negative Reinforcement – take away something

unpleasant Ex: Annoying dinging stops when you fasten

your seatbeltBoth result in an increase in the rate of

response!

Possible Consequences of BehaviorsPossible Consequences of Behaviors

Operant Conditioning Basics cont.Operant Conditioning Basics cont.

• Punishment – decreases the probability of a behavior being repeated; also decreases the rate of response

Positive Punishment – give something unpleasant Ex: A smack in the face for a child who swears Negative Punishment – take away something the

organism desires Ex: No PSP for you because you stayed out too

lateBoth result in a decrease in the rate of response!

• Punishment – decreases the probability of a behavior being repeated; also decreases the rate of response

Positive Punishment – give something unpleasant Ex: A smack in the face for a child who swears Negative Punishment – take away something the

organism desires Ex: No PSP for you because you stayed out too

lateBoth result in a decrease in the rate of response!

Possible Consequences of BehaviorsPossible Consequences of Behaviors

Reinforcers and PunishersReinforcers and Punishers

Positive

PunishmentEx: Electric shock applied

Positive

PunishmentEx: Electric shock applied

Negative

ReinforcementEx: Electric shock removed

Negative

ReinforcementEx: Electric shock removed

Negative

PunishmentEx: Take away child’s toys

Negative

PunishmentEx: Take away child’s toys

Positive

ReinforcementEx: Give a sticker for a good test

Positive

ReinforcementEx: Give a sticker for a good test

Increase Behavior Decrease BehaviorIncrease Behavior Decrease Behavior

PleasantStimulus

Aversive(Unpleasant)Stimulus

PleasantStimulus

Aversive(Unpleasant)Stimulus

Classify the ConsequenceClassify the Consequence1. A rat runs to the end of the maze and

receives an electric shock• Positive punishment2. Student studies to avoid failing an exam• Negative reinforcement3. Misbehavior results in a child not being

allowed to watch his or her fav. TV show• Negative punishment4. Employee receives praise for a job well

done• Positive reinforcement

1. A rat runs to the end of the maze and receives an electric shock

• Positive punishment2. Student studies to avoid failing an exam• Negative reinforcement3. Misbehavior results in a child not being

allowed to watch his or her fav. TV show• Negative punishment4. Employee receives praise for a job well

done• Positive reinforcement

Classify the ConsequenceClassify the Consequence5. Rat turns an activity wheel to terminate

electric shock• Negative reinforcement6. Rat presses lever and causes a scheduled

delivery of a food pellet to be skipped• Negative punishment7. Rat presses lever and receives a food

pellet• Positive reinforcement8. Political figure is caught cheating on his

wife and suffers public contempt• Positive punishment

5. Rat turns an activity wheel to terminate electric shock

• Negative reinforcement6. Rat presses lever and causes a scheduled

delivery of a food pellet to be skipped• Negative punishment7. Rat presses lever and receives a food

pellet• Positive reinforcement8. Political figure is caught cheating on his

wife and suffers public contempt• Positive punishment

Classify the ConsequenceClassify the Consequence

9. A teenager has his or her car keys taken away for staying out past his or her curfew

• Negative punishment10.You swat your dog with a newspaper

after he pees on the floor• Positive punishment11.You stop twisting your little brother’s arm

when he says “uncle”• Negative reinforcement

9. A teenager has his or her car keys taken away for staying out past his or her curfew

• Negative punishment10.You swat your dog with a newspaper

after he pees on the floor• Positive punishment11.You stop twisting your little brother’s arm

when he says “uncle”• Negative reinforcement

Schedules of ReinforcementSchedules of Reinforcement• Continuous reinforcement Each and every target behavior is

reinforced Intermittent Schedules• Fixed ratio Reinforcement only after a certain fixed

number of correct responses EX: Payment of $1.00 for every ten pairs of

Nike sneakers you work on• Variable ratio Reinforcement after a varying number of

correct responses EX: Playing a slot machine

• Continuous reinforcement Each and every target behavior is

reinforced Intermittent Schedules• Fixed ratio Reinforcement only after a certain fixed

number of correct responses EX: Payment of $1.00 for every ten pairs of

Nike sneakers you work on• Variable ratio Reinforcement after a varying number of

correct responses EX: Playing a slot machine

Schedules of ReinforcementSchedules of Reinforcement

• Fixed intervalReinforcement for a particular behavior

after a fixed amount of time has passedEX: Getting paid $7.25 an hour• Variable intervalReinforcement for a particular behavior

after a variable amount of time has passed

EX: Random pop quizzes based on homework

• Fixed intervalReinforcement for a particular behavior

after a fixed amount of time has passedEX: Getting paid $7.25 an hour• Variable intervalReinforcement for a particular behavior

after a variable amount of time has passed

EX: Random pop quizzes based on homework

Other Operant Conditioning PrinciplesOther Operant Conditioning Principles

• ExtinctionThe response slows

and disappears because it is no longer reinforced

• Resistance to extinction

The degree to which a response continues despite the fact that it is no longer reinforced

• ExtinctionThe response slows

and disappears because it is no longer reinforced

• Resistance to extinction

The degree to which a response continues despite the fact that it is no longer reinforced

Impact of reinforcement schedules on rate of responding and resistance to

extinction

Impact of reinforcement schedules on rate of responding and resistance to

extinction

• Continuous reinforcementFast response rate, but low

resistance to extinction

• Fixed vs. variable schedulesVariable produce a steadier response

rate, and are more resistant to extinction

• Ratio vs. interval schedulesRatio produces a faster response rate

• Continuous reinforcementFast response rate, but low

resistance to extinction

• Fixed vs. variable schedulesVariable produce a steadier response

rate, and are more resistant to extinction

• Ratio vs. interval schedulesRatio produces a faster response rate

Generalization vs. discriminationGeneralization vs. discrimination

• Generalization Responding to a new stimulus as if it

were the original (in expectation of a reinforcer)

EX: A dog runs to his food bowl when he hears the pans clattering• Discrimination Not responding to a somewhat

similar stimulus EX: A dog knows the difference

between the sound of food hitting his bowl and of plates being unloaded from the dishwasher

• Generalization Responding to a new stimulus as if it

were the original (in expectation of a reinforcer)

EX: A dog runs to his food bowl when he hears the pans clattering• Discrimination Not responding to a somewhat

similar stimulus EX: A dog knows the difference

between the sound of food hitting his bowl and of plates being unloaded from the dishwasher

Concurrent Schedules of ReinforcementConcurrent Schedules of Reinforcement

Two Process Theory of Avoidance Learning

Conditioned Taste AversionConditioned Taste Aversion