Classical vs. Operant Conditioning

With classical conditioning you can teach a dog to salivate, but you cannot teach it to roll over.

Why?Classical conditioning consists of involuntary/automatic behaviors

Sweating, getting sick, getting nervous, salivatingOperant conditioning consists of voluntary behavior based on

consequences Reinforcers increase, punishers decrease

Learning based on consequence!!!

Operant Conditioning

B.F. SkinnerMastermind

Behavior changes due to consequenceRewards leads to reoccurrence of behavior

Discomfort, behavior is less likely to reoccur

Edward ThorndikeThe Law of Effect

Positive Reinforcement:• The addition of something pleasant• Sheldon trains Penny (2:45)

Negative Reinforcement:• The removal of something unpleasant

Reinforcers

ANYTHING THAT INCREASES A BEHAVIOR

Examples of reinforcement

The situationBilly: Could you tie my shoes?

Dad: (Continues to read the paper)

Billy: Dad, I need my shoes tied!

Dad: Uh, yeah, just a minute

Billy: DAAAAAD! TIE MY SHOES!!

Dad: How many times have I told you not to whine? Now, which shoe do we tie first?

What is reinforced?Depends on whose

perspective you see the situation.

Billy’s Positive reinforcement:

Gets his dad’s attentionDad

Negative reinforcement: Eliminates Billy’s whining

• If you hate going to class you learn how to remove the unpleasant stimuli

• Escape Learning•Getting kicked out of class

• Avoidance Learning•Cutting class

Two types of negative reinforcers

Positive or Negative Reinforcement?

Putting your seatbelt on to eliminate the beeping noise.

Studying to alleviate test anxiety

Taking aspirin when you have a headache.

Faking sick to avoid a Psych test.

Breaking out of jail to gain freedom.

Getting a kiss for doing the dishes.

Negative: you would repeat the behavior to eliminate the pain

Shaping is reinforcing small steps on the way to the desired behavior.

Chaining: performing a number of responses successively to get the reward

Point of shaping is to mold a single behavior; goal of chaining is to link behavior to create a complex activity

How do we actually use Operant Conditioning?

Primary ReinforcerThings that are in

themselves rewarding.

Secondary ReinforcerThings we have learned

to value.Money is generalized

reinforcer (it can be traded for anything)

Primary v. Secondary Reinforcers

Every time a desired behavior is performed, a token is given.

Tokens are traded for prizes/rewards

Used in homes, prisons, mental institutions, schools

Token Economy

ContinuousReinforce the behavior

EVERYTIME the behavior is exhibited.

Usually done when the subject is first learning to make the association.

Acquisition comes really fast….but so does extinction.

PartialReinforce the behavior

only SOME of the times it is exhibited.

Acquisition comes more slowly.

But is more resistant to extinction.

Continuous v. Partial Reinforcement

Fixed RatioProvides a

reinforcement after a SET number of responses.

Variable RatioProvides a reinforcement

after a RANDOM number of responses.

Gambling & lotteryMost resistant to

extinction (hard to walk away)

Intermittent reinforcement:Ratio Schedules

For every 5 pounds I lose, I get a manicure!

Every 3 college essays you write, you watch 1

hour of tv

Fixed IntervalRequires a SET amount

of time to pass before giving the reinforcement.

Variable IntervalRequires a RANDOM

amount of time to pass before giving the reinforcement.

Intermittent reinforcement:Interval Schedules

She gets a manicure for

every 7 days she stays on her diet.

PAYCHECK EVERY 2 WEEKS!

Pop-Quiz

Randomly checking email throughout the day

Fixed-intervalYou get candy for every 3 days you did your hw.

Variable-interval You get candy after 3 days, then after 4 days, then after 2 days

Fixed-ratioEvery 3 attempts

Variable-ratio After 4 attempts, then 2 attempts (although that may take days or weeks)

Candy for Homework

Positive PunishmentAddition of something

unpleasant

Negative Punishment Removal of something pleasant

Punishment works best when it is immediately done after behavior!

PunishmentMeant to decrease a behavior.

Uses and Abuses of Punishment

The wrong kinds of punishments will not work for 4 reasons:

1. One getting punished will discriminate environmentsWhat you get punished for at home, you may not get caught at school

2. Physical punishment increases aggressiveness (modeling) How would you solve a problem at school if you see hitting at home?

Uses and Abuses of Punishment

3. Punishment trigger fearWhy tell the truth if I know what’s coming…

4. Punishment is often applied unequally and doesn’t address the behavior.

Damaged my tree and he missed hockey

Making Punishment Work

To make punishment work it should be…must be given immediatelylimited in time & intensity.clearly target the behavior, not the person

The most effective punishment is often negative punishment.

Instead of: “Clean your room or you do not get dinner”

Try:“You’re welcome to join us for dinner once your room

is clean”

What punishment often teaches is how to avoid it.

Premack Principle: Using a preferred activity to reinforce an activity that is not preferred

You love twitter, but hate homeworkWhen you finish your homework, you can play on twitter

IT’S ALL IN THE WAY YOU PHRASE IT