PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Confirmation Bias, Devaluation, Edward Thorndike
Document Summary
Operant conditioning: type of learning in which behaviour is influenced by consequences: individual operates on the environment before consequences can occur, involves voluntary actions and reward/punishment, no response, no consequence. Processes of operant conditioning: concept of contingency: a consequence depends upon an action, reinforcement & punishment. Reinforcement: process in which an event/reward that follows a response increases the likelihood of that response occurring again. Edward thorndike (1905) and the time it takes to escape puzzle boxes: law of effect: the idea that responses followed by satisfaction will occur again, and those that are not followed by satisfaction become less likely. Satisfaction implies desired goal achieved or reward for behaviour. Animals/humans are quite sensitive to how many responses they must make, or how long they must wait, before they will receive an award. Punishment: process that decreases the future probability of a response.
