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Lecture notes

Operant Conditioning

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This document covers: key theories of operant conditioning types of reinforcement and punishment schedules of reinforcement DRO and DRI programmes key terms

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  • January 18, 2022
  • 6
  • 2018/2019
  • Lecture notes
  • Paul pope
  • All classes

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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.

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