PSY 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Slot Machine, Reinforcement, Operant Conditioning

• School: Tunxis Community College
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 111
• Professor: Percy

Document Summary

Operant generalization an operant response occurs to a new stimulus or situation that is similar to the original. Operant discrimination an operant response will occur to one stimulus, but not another. Continuous reinforcement every response of a particular type is reinforced. Partial reinforcement only some responses are reinforced. Ratio schedules are based on a certain percentage of reinforced responses. Fixed ratio schedule reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses (e. g. food after three pulls of lever) Variable ratio schedule reinforcement is given after a variable number of correct responses, all centered around an average (e. g. slot machine pays on average every 20 pulls) Interval schedules are based on a certain amount of time elapsing between reinforcements. Fixed interval schedule first correct response that occurs after a fixed time interval is reinforced (e. g. food only on first pull of lever every 20 minutes) Variable interval schedule - reinforcement is given for the first response.