Operant Operant ConditioningConditioning

Module 16Module 16

Edward ThorndikeEdward Thorndike

Law of EffectLaw of Effect:: behaviors with favorable behaviors with favorable

consequences will occur consequences will occur more frequentlymore frequently

behaviors with unfavorable behaviors with unfavorable consequences will occur consequences will occur less frequentlyless frequently

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

type of learning in which the type of learning in which the frequencyfrequency of a behavior depends on of a behavior depends on the the consequenceconsequence that follows that that follows that behaviorbehavior

B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

developed principles & developed principles & techniques of operant techniques of operant conditioning; found conditioning; found ways to apply them in ways to apply them in the real worldthe real world

Consequences of BehaviorConsequences of Behavior ReinforcementReinforcement - -

consequence that consequence that increasesincreases the likelihood of the the likelihood of the behavior it followsbehavior it follows

PunishmentPunishment - consequence - consequence that that decreasesdecreases the the likelihood of the behavior likelihood of the behavior it followsit follows

Think about this . . . Think about this . . .

The The subjectsubject determines if a consequence is determines if a consequence is reinforcing or punishing so…reinforcing or punishing so…

What things are reinforcers for you that might What things are reinforcers for you that might not be for other people?not be for other people?

What things are punishments for you that What things are punishments for you that might not be for other people? might not be for other people?

Punishment & Punishment & ReinforcementReinforcement

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

PositivePositive

++

NegativeNegative

--

ReinforcementReinforcement(more likely to (more likely to happen in the happen in the

future)future)

something something desirabledesirable was was

addedadded

something something undesirableundesirable was was

taken awaytaken away

PunishmentPunishment(less likely to (less likely to happen in the happen in the

future)future)

something something undesirableundesirable was was addedadded

something something desirabledesirable was was

taken awaytaken away

positive punishment negative punishment

PunishmentPunishment

ReinforcementReinforcement

positive reinforcement negative reinforcement

Operant Conditioning ExamplesOperant Conditioning Examples The puppy pees on the rug and is punished with a The puppy pees on the rug and is punished with a

swat of the newspaper.swat of the newspaper.

The toddler gets picked up and comforted for The toddler gets picked up and comforted for screaming.screaming.

You hit the snooze button on your annoying alarm You hit the snooze button on your annoying alarm clock. clock.

The window looking into the other monkey's The window looking into the other monkey's enclosure is shut when the first monkey bites the enclosure is shut when the first monkey bites the trainer.trainer.

positive punishment

positive reinforcement

negative reinforcement

negative punishment

Operant Conditioning ExamplesOperant Conditioning Examples "I'm not talking to you after what you did!" "I'm not talking to you after what you did!"

Walking straight through low doorways Walking straight through low doorways causes you to bonk your head.causes you to bonk your head.

You fake a stomach ache to avoid school. You fake a stomach ache to avoid school.

A child wakes up in the middle of the night A child wakes up in the middle of the night crying. The parents let the child sleep in bed crying. The parents let the child sleep in bed with them. with them.

negative punishment

positive punishment

negative reinforcement

positive reinforcement

Video Clip QuestionsVideo Clip Questions

1.1. What is operant conditioning? What is operant conditioning?

2.2. Operant conditioning is based on the works Operant conditioning is based on the works of which two people?of which two people?

3.3. What does the law of effect say?What does the law of effect say?

4.4. Does the video clip show reinforcement or Does the video clip show reinforcement or punishment?punishment?

5.5. What was the consequence for behavior in What was the consequence for behavior in the video clip?the video clip?

6.6. How did that consequence affect behavior? How did that consequence affect behavior?

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Your father gives you a credit Your father gives you a credit card at the end of your first card at the end of your first year in college because you year in college because you did so well. As a result, your did so well. As a result, your grades continue to get better grades continue to get better

in your second year.in your second year.

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

A lion in a circus learns to A lion in a circus learns to stand up on a chair and jump stand up on a chair and jump through a hoop to receive a through a hoop to receive a

food treat.food treat.

Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

A professor has a policy of A professor has a policy of exempting students from the exempting students from the final exam if they maintain final exam if they maintain

perfect attendance during the perfect attendance during the quarter. His students’ quarter. His students’ attendance increases attendance increases

dramatically.dramatically.

Negative PunishmentNegative Punishment

The child has his crayons taken The child has his crayons taken away for fighting with his away for fighting with his

sister.sister.

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

You check the coin return slot You check the coin return slot on a pay telephone and find a on a pay telephone and find a

quarter. You find yourself quarter. You find yourself checking other telephones checking other telephones

over the next few days.over the next few days.

Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

Your hands are cold so you put Your hands are cold so you put your gloves on. In the future, your gloves on. In the future,

you are more likely to put you are more likely to put gloves on when it’s cold.gloves on when it’s cold.

Positive PunishmentPositive Punishment

Billy likes to campout in the backyard. Billy likes to campout in the backyard. He camped-out every Friday during He camped-out every Friday during the month of June. The last time he the month of June. The last time he camped out, some older kids snuck camped out, some older kids snuck up to his tent while he was sleeping up to his tent while he was sleeping and threw a bucket of cold water on and threw a bucket of cold water on

him. Billy has not camped-out for him. Billy has not camped-out for three weeks.three weeks.

Negative PunishmentNegative Punishment

"This car isn't getting any closer "This car isn't getting any closer to Disneyland while you kids to Disneyland while you kids

are fighting!"are fighting!"

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Every time Madge raises her Every time Madge raises her hand in class she is called on. hand in class she is called on. She raised her hand 3 times She raised her hand 3 times during the first class, 3 times during the first class, 3 times

in the second and 4 times in the second and 4 times during the last class.during the last class.

Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

John does not go to the dentist John does not go to the dentist every 6-months for a checkup. every 6-months for a checkup. Instead, he waits until a tooth Instead, he waits until a tooth really hurts, then goes to the really hurts, then goes to the dentist. After two emergency dentist. After two emergency trips to the dentist, John now trips to the dentist, John now

goes every 6-months.goes every 6-months.

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Shelly is in the grocery store with her Shelly is in the grocery store with her dad. As they near the checkout lane, dad. As they near the checkout lane, Shelly starts whining for a candy bar Shelly starts whining for a candy bar but her dad says no. Shelly begins to but her dad says no. Shelly begins to

cry and cries louder when her dad cry and cries louder when her dad continues to refuse. Her dad continues to refuse. Her dad

responds by grabbing a candy bar responds by grabbing a candy bar and giving it to her. She quickly quiets and giving it to her. She quickly quiets

down and eats her candy bar.down and eats her candy bar.

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Your cat has learned that he can Your cat has learned that he can encourage your presence in the kitchen encourage your presence in the kitchen on Saturday mornings by standing on on Saturday mornings by standing on

your chest and meowing (when you are your chest and meowing (when you are obviously trying to sleep). You decide to obviously trying to sleep). You decide to get up and feed the cat to shut it up, but get up and feed the cat to shut it up, but

the problem only gets worse on the problem only gets worse on subsequent weekends.subsequent weekends.

Negative & Positive PunishmentNegative & Positive Punishment

Robert gets a ticket for driving Robert gets a ticket for driving under the influence that under the influence that

results in a $500 fine and results in a $500 fine and suspension of his driving suspension of his driving

license.license.

End Class Notes – Fall 2011End Class Notes – Fall 2011

Problems With PunishmentProblems With Punishment

Read pages 309 – 310. As you read, list Read pages 309 – 310. As you read, list negativenegative and and positivepositive effects of punishment. effects of punishment.

Answer the following questions:Answer the following questions:Why is punishment used so often?Why is punishment used so often?

What do most psychologists recommend as an What do most psychologists recommend as an effective alternative to punishment ? effective alternative to punishment ?

Negative Effects of PunishmentNegative Effects of Punishment

doesn’t prevent undesirable behavior when doesn’t prevent undesirable behavior when away from the punisheraway from the punisher

can lead to fear, anxiety, and lower self-esteemcan lead to fear, anxiety, and lower self-esteem

children who are punished physically may learn children who are punished physically may learn to use aggression to solve problemsto use aggression to solve problems

Positive Effects of PunishmentPositive Effects of Punishment

can effectively control certain behaviors: can effectively control certain behaviors: especially useful if teaching a child not especially useful if teaching a child not to do a dangerous behaviorto do a dangerous behavior

(most psychologists still suggest (most psychologists still suggest reinforcing an incompatible behavior reinforcing an incompatible behavior rather than using punishment)rather than using punishment)

DiscriminationDiscrimination

How do we learn to behave How do we learn to behave differently in response to differently in response to

similar stimuli?similar stimuli?

DiscriminationDiscrimination

ability to distinguish between two similar ability to distinguish between two similar stimulistimuli

respond to one stimuli but not a similar respond to one stimuli but not a similar stimulistimuliexample:example: end of class bell v. fire alarm end of class bell v. fire alarm

blaresblares

ExtinctionExtinction

How do we ever manage to get How do we ever manage to get rid of behaviors we have learned?rid of behaviors we have learned?

ExtinctionExtinction

loss of a conditioned behavior occurs loss of a conditioned behavior occurs when consequences no longer follow itwhen consequences no longer follow it

examples:examples: repeating the same repeating the same unsuccessful move on a video game, unsuccessful move on a video game, stop flirting with someone who doesn’t stop flirting with someone who doesn’t respondrespond

The Role of The Role of CognitionCognition

Latent LearningLatent Learning

learning that takes place in absence of learning that takes place in absence of an apparent rewardan apparent reward

shows that our thinking – not just shows that our thinking – not just whether we are reinforced – affects our whether we are reinforced – affects our learning learning

Overjustification EffectOverjustification Effect

promising a reward for doing what promising a reward for doing what someone already likes to dosomeone already likes to do

reward may lessen & replace the original, reward may lessen & replace the original, natural motivation, so the behavior stops natural motivation, so the behavior stops if the reward is eliminatedif the reward is eliminated

examples:examples: reading, grades reading, grades