Class notes
Operant Conditioning
- Course
- Institution
- Book
This document covers: key theories of operant conditioning types of reinforcement and punishment schedules of reinforcement DRO and DRI programmes key terms
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Instructor Manual For Introduction to Learning and Behavior 6e Russell A. PowellP. Lynne HoneyDiane G. Symbaluk Chapter(1-13)
-
psychology learning classical conditioning
-
Test Bank For Introduction to Learning and Behavior - 5th - 2017 All Chapters - 9781305652941
Seller
Follow
emdeels
Reviews received
Content preview
Operant Conditioning, Thorndike (1874 – 1949) – he was a behaviourist that left an animal to his own devices to see how it
learns.
Thorndike’s cats – he put a cat in a box to see how they learn to get out. They underwent
“accidental learning” in which they accidentally hit a lever and managed to get out. This produced a
learning curve in which the animal gradually learned how to get out of the box.
Thorndike’s Law of Effect
• rewarded responses are increased/stronger
• ignored/punished responses decrease or become weaker
Skinner developed upon Thorndike’s work. He previously thought behaviour was reflexive. He then
divided behaviour into two categories:
• Involuntary behaviour – pavlovian responses (see Classical Conditioning notes)
• Operant behaviour – behaviour controlled by consequences
He believed human behaviour could be shaped/maintained as combinations of operant behaviours.
Discussion on Skinner
Can reinforcement explain gambling?
• Most people gamble even if they think they don’t
Free will?
• Skinner believed that we don’t have free will
Language?
He believed that it is more scientifically accurate to describe something as its consequences rather
than internal events
Primary reinforcer – satisfies biological needs – food, drink, sex. Reinforce low probability
behaviour.
Secondary reinforcer – satisfies psychological/personal needs – money.
Premack principle - Reinforcers are a type of behaviour – all “high” probability. They reinforce low
probability behaviour.
If a person wanted to perform an activity, they will perform a less desirable activity to get a more
desirable one (a child is allowed to watch TV if they brush their teeth). The activity becomes the
reinforcer and enables reinforcement to be tailor made.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller emdeels. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.75. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53340 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now