Dev. Psych - Operant Conditioning

Psychology 101 with Spencer at University of Waterloo

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By: Danielle Juneau
Created: 2012-02-01
Size: 31 flashcards
Views: 11

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what is operant conditioning?

learning associations between behaviour and resulting events (consequences)

who proposed the law of effect?

Edward L. Thorndike

what is the law of effect

theory that rewarded behaviour is likely to recur

who was the main theorist behind operant conditioning?

B. F. Skinner

learning

relatively permanent change in an organism's behaviour due to experience

shaping

reinforcers gradually guide actions toward a desired behaviour

method of successive approximations

reward responses that are ever-closer to the final desired behaviour and ignore all other responses

discriminative stimulus

stimulus enabling researchers to understand what non-verbal organisms can perceive

ex: red vs green light, faces

reinforcer

any event that strengthens the behaviour it follows

what are the three categories of reinforcers?

tangible reward

praise or attention

activity

positive reinforcement

strengthens a response by presenting a positive stimuli after a response

ex: getting a hug

negative reinforcement

strengthens a response by removing something undesirable

-not a punishment

ex: fastening a seatbelt to turn of beeping noise

primary reinforcers

-innately reinforcing stimulus, unlearned

ex: having a headache go away

conditioned reinforcers

stimulus that gains power through association with a primary reinforcer

ex: desire for money is derived from the primary desire for food

Delayed reinforcers are most effective on who?

humans. especially mature ones

responding to delayed reinforcers is a sign of what?

this response is a sign of maturity

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

ex: candy from a vending machine each time we put money in

partial (intermittent) reinforcement

reinforcing a response sometimes

ex: slot machines

which reinforcement schedule has the best resistance to extinction?

intermittent reinforcement

which reinforcement schedule promotes the fastest learning

continuous reinforcement

fixed ratio schedules

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a set number of responses

ex: free coffee after 5 purchases

variable ratio schedules

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

ex: gambling

Fixed interval schedules

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a fixed time period

ex: checking cookies frequently to see if they are done (after a fixed time for cooking has been set)

variable interval schedules

reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at an unpredictable time interval

ex: "you've got mail"

punishment

an event that decreases the behaviour that follows

positive punishment

a punishment that administers an adverse stimulus

ex: spanking

negative punishment

a punishment that withdraws a desirable stimulus

ex: time-out from privileges

cognitive map

mental representation of one's environment

latent learning

learning that becomes apparent only when there is some incentive to demonstrate it

intrinsic motivation

the desire to perform a behaviour effectively and for its own sake

ex: willing to volunteer for a job solely for the enjoyment and interest

extrinsic motivation

desire to behave in certain ways to receive external rewards or avoid threatened punishment

ex: studying because you are worried about doing poorly on an exam

About this deck

By: Danielle Juneau
Created: 2012-02-01
Size: 31 flashcards
Views: 11

About StudyBlue

“Simply amazing. The flash cards are smooth, there are many different types of studying tools, and there is a great search engine. I praise you on the awesomeness.”
Dennis