Behaviorism: Operant conditioning

Question 1

everyday consequences of behavior

Answer 1

1. concrete rewards: food
2. activity rewards: free time
3. “exemption” rewards: no homework
4. social reward: praise
5. Loss of privileges: cannot sit where you want
6. Fines: lost points
7. Extra Works: homework

Question 2

operant conditioning

Answer 2

• is the same as instrumental conditioning
• concerned with the effects of consequences on behaviors (consequences not always bad)
• not isolated to using UCS’s like salivation or pain that cause involuntary responses, operant conditioning is based on voluntary responses
• • much more common than classical conditioning

Question 3

Operant conditioning applied examples

Answer 3

teacher praise
Chuck E Cheese: tokens for A's
class clown

Question 4

primary reinforcers

Answer 4

satisfy basic human needs

• food
• water
• security
• oxygen
• warmth
• sex

Question 5

secondary reinforcers

Answer 5

acquire value by being associated with Primary reinforcers; neutral

• social reinforcers (praise, smile, hugs, or attention)
• activity reinforcers (access to toys, games, or fun activities)
• Symbolic/token reinforcers (money, grades, stars)

Question 6

ABC model

Answer 6

• antecedent: the stimulus
• behavior: the behavior that occurs as a result of the antecedent (the response)
• consequence: what happens after the behavior

Question 7

purpose of consequneces

Answer 7

-happens after the behavior to either increase or decrease the probability of happening again

Question 8

key component of operant conditioning

Answer 8

-consequences: they drive behavior

Question 9

types of consequences

Answer 9

punishment: decreases probability of a behavior, does NOT eliminate behavior
- very common, not very effective

reinforcement: always increases probability of a behavior

Question 10

positive vs. negative

Answer 10

positive is adding something the environment

negative is taking something away

Question 11

negative reinforcement

Answer 11

• strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive or disliked stimulus
• allows you to either
  
  • escape: something you don’t like that is already present
  • avoid: something before it occurs

Question 12

positive punishment

Answer 12

• punishment by application: adding something you do not like
  ex: yelling or spanking, detention, embarrassment in front of peers

Question 13

negative punishment

Answer 13

punishment by removal

-taking away something that you like (losing a privilege, can’t go to the party, paying a fine)

Question 14

why punishment may not work

Answer 14

• doesn’t suggest an alternative form of behavior
• punished organisms may withdraw from the situation
• may lead to anger and hostility
• may model a negative way of problem solving or coping with stress

Question 15

decreasing inappropriate behavior:

overcorrection

Answer 15

have the individual make restitution for inappropriate behavior
ex: write on one desk, must clean all desks

Question 16

decreasing inappropriate behavior: reprimand

Answer 16

verbal punishment

Question 17

decreasing inappropriate behavior: satiation

Answer 17

ask person to perform inappropriate behavior repeatedly until no longer fun or reinforced

Question 18

decreasing inappropriate behavior: response cost

Answer 18

-loss of previously earned privileges/desired activity

Question 19

decreasing inappropriate behavior: social isolation

Answer 19

remove from situation

Time out– careful

Question 20

school-wide positive behavior supports

Answer 20

• we need to teach students how to behave
• there is always a function to behavior
• popular, relatively new system in schools

Question 21

increasing appropriate behavior: Premack Principle

Answer 21

provide reward of engaging in a highly valued activity if person does a less valued activity first

Question 22

Increasing appropriate behavior: shaping

Answer 22

when not currently displaying desired behavior at all, rewarding small steps that approximate the desired behavior until the desired behavior is displayed
ex: Skinner’s Pigeons

Question 23

increasing appropriate behavior: chaining

Answer 23

using shaping and reinforcing 2 responses, then a sequence of three, and so on towards a complex sequence

ex: learning a routine learn one thing at a time and then put all together