PSYCH 1X03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Reinforcement
24 Jan 2018
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Document Summary
Instrumental conditioning - the learning of a contingency between behaviour and consequence. Thorndike created an experiment with a cat and a puzzle box. Cats learn from trial and error, rather than conscious learning of escape behaviour. Favourable bahviours are "stamped in", unfavourable behaviours are "stamped out" Those with negative consequences are stamped out. Law of effect - behaviours with positive consequences are stamped in. Behaviours can be changed through either presentation or removal of reinforcers. Reward training presents a positive reinforcer to encourage a behaviour. Punishment training presents a negative reinforcer to discourage a behaviour. Punishment training may risk being unethical or distressing. Omission training removes a positive reinforcer to discourage a behaviour. Punishment and omission training achieve the same goal, but through different means. Escape training removes a negative reinforcer to encourage a behaviour. The timing of a reinforcer is critical to its effectiveness on a behaviour. Acquisition in instrumental conditioning depends on the response rate of a behaviour.
