PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7.3: Operant Conditioning Chamber, Behaviorism, Operant Conditioning
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant conditioning: form of learning in which behaviours affected by its consequences.
Favorable consequences strengthen behaviour, unfavorable weaken
The Law Of Effect
Discovered by Thorndike in Jame’s basement at age 24
Placed cat inside puzzle box, eventually learned to operate a latch to get out
Law of effect: Thorndike’s idea that consequences of a behaviour determine whether it is likely
to be repeated
Skinner and Operant Behaviour
Skinner championed lab studies of law of effect and advocated applications of behaviour
analysis and its methods to solving human problems
Operant chamber: apparatus in which animal behaviour can be easily observed, manipulated and
automatically recorded
Behaviour analysts manipulate environmental events to determine effect on response rate
(number of responses emitted during given time, increase=strength, decrease=weaken)
Cumulative recorder: mechanical device connected to operant chamber to record operant
responses as they occur in time
The Three Term Contingency
Discriminative stimulus: stimulus that sets the occasion for responding because in past behaviour
has produced certain consequences in presence of that stimulus
Three term contingency: relation among discriminative stimuli, behaviour, and consequences of
behaviour. Motivated organism emits specific response in presence of discriminative stimulus
because in past response reinforced only when discriminative stimulus is present
Discriminative stimulus: sets occasion for responding because in past, responding lead to certain
consequences
Response: the operant behaviour, the response we make
Following Event: the voice on the other end of phone is consequence of operant behaviour
Reinforcement, Punishment and Extinction
Positive Reinforcement: increase in frequency of a response that is regularly and reliably
followed by an appetitive stimulus
If appetitive stimulus follows a response and increases the frequency then it is positive reinforce
Negative Reinforcement: increase in frequency of a response that is regularly and reliably
followed by termination of an aversive stimulus
Negative reinforcer is if aversive stimulus is stopped immediately following a response
Punishment: decrease in frequency of a response that is regularly and reliably followed by an
aversive stimulus
If aversive follows response, punisher
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Document Summary
Operant conditioning: form of learning in which behaviours affected by its consequences. Discovered by thorndike in jame"s basement at age 24. Placed cat inside puzzle box, eventually learned to operate a latch to get out. Law of effect: thorndike"s idea that consequences of a behaviour determine whether it is likely to be repeated. Skinner championed lab studies of law of effect and advocated applications of behaviour analysis and its methods to solving human problems. Operant chamber: apparatus in which animal behaviour can be easily observed, manipulated and automatically recorded. Behaviour analysts manipulate environmental events to determine effect on response rate (number of responses emitted during given time, increase=strength, decrease=weaken) Cumulative recorder: mechanical device connected to operant chamber to record operant responses as they occur in time. Discriminative stimulus: stimulus that sets the occasion for responding because in past behaviour has produced certain consequences in presence of that stimulus. Three term contingency: relation among discriminative stimuli, behaviour, and consequences of behaviour.
