PSYCH 9B Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Edward Thorndike, Operant Conditioning, Mental Representation
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Animal emits a response and that is rewarded or punished. Called instrumental because the animal is used as an. If a behavior is followed by a reward, the response is strengthened. If a behavior is followed by no reward (or punishment), the response is weakened. There is a lever that opens the door and there is food outside of the box. He presses the lever on the box, the box opens, he runs out, he gets food. The next time thorndike puts the cat in the box, the cat is a lot quicker to pull the lever first. Learning is a trial and error process in which the animal gradually becomes more likely to make those responses that produce desirable effects. Reinforcing closer and closer approximations to the behavior you want to elicit. Chamber with a bar or key that an animal manipulates to obtain a food or water reinforcer. Continuous reinforcement: reinforce the desired response each time it occurs.
