8.2 - Operant Conditioning - Gray
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turtlesrule1368.2 - Operant Conditioning - Gray
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2 - Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Definition: A type of learning in which
the frequency of a behavior depends
on the consequence which follows
such actions.
● Frequency increases when the
consequence is reinforcing
● Frequency decreases when the
consequence is not reinforcing
Reinforcement
A consequence that increases the future likelihood of a
behavior occurring
● Ex: Doing chores for allowance money
Punishment
A consequence that decreases the future likelihood of a
behavior occurring
● Only the subject can determine if a consequence is
reinforcing or punishing
Two Forms of Punishment
● Positive Punishment
○ Gaining an undesirable
consequence
● Negative Punishment
○ Taking Away a desirable
consequence
Negative Effects of “Punishment”
● Does not end the desire to engage in behavior
● When punishment is severe:
○ Can lead to fear, anxiety, & lower self-esteem
○ Creates avoidance behaviors
■ Runaway/Dropout
○ Models aggression
■ Seen as a means to solving problems
■ May explain the connection between
abusive people and abusive upbringings
Two Forms of Reinforcement
● Positive Reinforcement
○ Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by
following it with the addition of a desirable consequence
■ Subject receives something they want
● Negative Reinforcement
○ Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior by
following it with the removal of an undesirable consequence
■ Subject has something they don’t want removed
Positive/Negative Reinforcement/Punishment
Primary Reinforcer/Punishment
A naturally reinforcing/punishing consequence to a behavior
● Ex: Food, warmth, water, etc
Secondary Reinforcement
A consequence that has learned value
● Was once paired with a primary reinforcer
● Ex: Good Grades
Conditioned Reinforcer/Punisher
A consequence (positive or negative) that reinforces or
punishes due to learned associations
● Ex: money for cleaning your room, “No” after a dog pees
on the rug, a specific look
Types of Conditioning: Operant Chamber
A chamber created by B.F. Skinner used to condition animals
Types of Conditioning:
Shaping
Creating a more
complex behavior by
operantly conditioning
in smaller steps.
Shaping & OCD
B.F. Skinner noticed rats would pile up
food pellets (hoarding)
● Shaping can assist people with
OCD in dealing with the panicked
feelings they experience when
attempting to break away from the
compulsive behaviors.
○ Especially useful in cases of
extreme hoarders
Types of Conditioning: Variable Ratio Schedule
Reinforcement where a behavior
is reinforced after an
unpredictable number of
responses
● Strongest conditioning
strategy because of the
unpredictability
○ How certain addictions
begin
Types of Conditioning: Observational Learning
A person learns by watching others who are reinforced and/or
punished
Observational Learning: Bobo Doll Experiment
Albert Bandura
● Canadian-American
Psychologist
● Social Learning Theory
● Children are likely to mimic
aggressive behavior if that is
what they are exposed to.
Four Requirements for Modeling Behavior
In order for observational learning
to occur, a subject must have:
● Attention on the behavior
● Retention of the
behavior/consequence
● Reproduction of the
behavior/consequence
● Motivation / Opportunity to enact
the behavior
