6: Operant Conditioning
- Page ID
- 370959
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Chapter Overview
- 6.1: Historical Background
- This page explores the foundational contributions of Edward Thorndike and B.F. Skinner to behavioral psychology, especially operant conditioning. Thorndike's law of effect highlights that behaviors are reinforced by favorable outcomes and demonstrated through his Puzzle Box experiments.
- 6.2: Basics of Operant Conditioning
- This page covers operant conditioning, detailing how behavior is shaped by reinforcement and punishment. It distinguishes between primary (unconditioned) and secondary (conditioned) reinforcers, providing personal anecdotes for illustration. Generalized reinforcers, like money, are noted for their versatility in purchasing. The role of discriminative stimuli is explained, highlighting the signals for reinforcement or punishment.
- 6.3: Factors on Operant Learning
- This page covers essential aspects of operant learning, focusing on the significance of contingency, contiguity, and immediate reinforcement in enhancing learning. It discusses motivating operations, differentiates between intrinsic and extrinsic reinforcers, and emphasizes individual variations in motivation. Additionally, it differentiates between natural and contrived reinforcers, asserting that natural reinforcers generally have a greater impact on behavior.
- 6.4: Schedules of Reinforcement
- This page covers reinforcement schedules in operant conditioning, highlighting continuous versus intermittent reinforcement. It details fixed and variable schedules, including Fixed Ratio, Variable Ratio, Fixed Interval, and Variable Interval, along with complex combinations of these.
- 6.5: Theories of Reinforcement
- This page explores three theories of reinforcement: Hull's drive reduction theory emphasizes behavior driven by unmet biological needs; the Premack principle states that high-probability behaviors can reinforce low-probability ones; and the response deprivation hypothesis suggests that access restriction enhances the reinforcing value of behaviors. Collectively, these theories provide insight into the mechanisms of motivation and reinforcement in behavior.
- 6.6: Stimulus Control
- This page provides an overview of stimulus control in behavior modification, detailing how antecedents influence behavior through stimulus discrimination and generalization. It emphasizes the importance of adjusting environmental cues and making behaviors more accessible.
- 6.7: Aversive Control – Avoidance and Punishment
- This page reviews the discriminated avoidance procedure in animals, contrasting avoidance and escape trials while discussing Mowrer's two-process and one-process theories of avoidance. It explores various forms of punishment and their impacts on behavior modification, emphasizing the emotional responses tied to punishment and the complications of its use.
- 6.8: Extinction
- This page covers the concept of extinction in behaviorism, explaining how behavior stops when reinforcement is withdrawn. Continuous reinforcement causes quicker extinction, while partial reinforcement results in a gradual decline due to the partial reinforcement effect. An extinction burst may occur, where behavior initially increases before decreasing. Spontaneous recovery can also happen, with previously extinguished behaviors re-emerging if reinforcement resumes.
- 6.9: Chapter Recap
- This page provides an overview of operant conditioning, emphasizing the roles of reinforcement and punishment, including their four types. It addresses factors affecting operant learning, various reinforcement schedules, theories of reinforcement, methods for stimulus control, and critiques of punishment. Additionally, it offers guidelines for effective punishment application and discusses concepts of extinction and spontaneous recovery, preparing for upcoming content on behavior modification.