PSYC104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Operant Conditioning, Observational Learning, Reinforcement
8 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSYC104 Lecture
Week 5 – Learning II
Operant conditioning
• Learning that occurs from possible consequences of our actions
o An individual makes an association. Between a particular behaviour and a consequence
o Learning through reinforcement and punishment
o Behaviour is voluntary (unlike classical conditioning)
• Thorndike → “Law of Effect” → rule is that the probability of an action being repeated is strengthened
when it is followed by a pleasant or satisfying consequence
• Skinner → emphasised that (1) reinforcement and (2) punishment are always defined after the fact
Types of stimulus events
• Pleasant (appetitive)
• Unpleasant (aversive)
• Neutral
Appetitive
Aversive
Positive
Positive reinforcement (behaviour increases)
Positive punishment (behaviour decreases)
Negative
Negative punishment (behaviour decreases)
Negative reinforcement (behaviour increases)
Reinforcement
• Positive reinforcement → the presentation of a pleasant stimulus after a behaviour makes the behaviour
more likely to occur in the future
• Negative reinforcement → the removal of an aversive stimulus after a behaviour makes the behaviour
more likely to occur in the future
Punishment
• Positive punishment → the presentation of an aversive stimulus after a behaviour reduces the
likelihood of the behaviour occurring in the future
• Negative punishment → the removal of pleasant stimulus after a behaviour reduces the likelihood of
the behaviour occurring in the future
Frequency of reinforcement
• Continuous reinforcement → reinforcing the desired response each time it occurs
o Problem 1 - habituation
o Problem 2 - satiation
• Intermittent reinforcement → periodic administration of the reinforcement
• Partial (intermittent) reinforcement
o Maintains behaviours with fewer reinforcement trials following initial learning
o Slower acquisition
o Greater resistance to extinction
Schedules of reinforcement
• Ratio schedules
o Fixed ratio → reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
o Variable ratio → reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
• Interval schedules
o Fixed interval → reinforces a response only after a. Specified time as elapsed
o Variable interval → reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Premack Principle (Grandma’s Rule)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Operant conditioning: learning that occurs from possible consequences of our actions, an individual makes an association. Types of stimulus events: pleasant (appetitive, unpleasant (aversive, neutral. Positive positive reinforcement (behaviour increases) positive punishment (behaviour decreases) Negative negative punishment (behaviour decreases) negative reinforcement (behaviour increases) Frequency of reinforcement: continuous reinforcement reinforcing the desired response each time it occurs, problem 1 - habituation, problem 2 - satiation. Intermittent reinforcement periodic administration of the reinforcement: partial (intermittent) reinforcement, maintains behaviours with fewer reinforcement trials following initial learning, slower acquisition, greater resistance to extinction. Schedules of reinforcement: ratio schedules, fixed ratio reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses, variable ratio reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses. Interval schedules: fixed interval reinforces a response only after a. Specified time as elapsed: variable interval reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals. Premack principle (grandma"s rule: using a desired or high frequency behaviour to reinforce a less desirable or lower frequency behaviour.
