Module 21: Operant Conditioning

Question 1

law of effect

Answer 1

the principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

Question 2

operant chamber (Skinner box)

Answer 2

a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing

Question 3

Who founded the operant chamber?

Answer 3

B.F. Skinner

Question 4

reinforcement

Answer 4

any event that strengthens a preceding response

Question 5

shaping

Answer 5

reinforcers gradually guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Question 6

positive reinforcement

Answer 6

increases behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers, any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response (addition)

Question 7

negative reinforcement

Answer 7

increases behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, any stimulus that, when removed after a response,
strengthens the response (subtraction)

Question 8

primary reinforcement

Answer 8

unlearned, innately reinforcing stimuli

Question 9

conditioned(secondary) reinforcement

Answer 9

gains power through association with primary reinforcer

Question 10

immediate reinforcement

Answer 10

occurs immediately after a behavior

Question 11

delayed reinforcement

Answer 11

involves time delay between desired response and delivery of reward

Question 12

reinforcement schedule

Answer 12

a pattern defines how often a desired response will be reinforced

Question 13

continuous reinforcement schedule

Answer 13

reinforces the desired response every time it occurs

Question 14

partial (intermittent) reinforcement

Answer 14

reinforces a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement.

Question 15

fixed-ratio reinforcement

Answer 15

Every so many: reinforcement after every nth behavior

Question 16

variable-ratio reinforcement

Answer 16

After an unpredictable number: reinforcement after a random number of behaviors

Question 17

fixed-interval reinforcement

Answer 17

Every so often: reinforcement for behavior after a fixed time

Question 18

variable-interval reinforcement

Answer 18

Unpredictably often: reinforcement for behavior after a random amount of time

Question 19

punishment

Answer 19

administers an undesirable consequence or withdraws something desirable in an attempt to decrease the frequency of behavior

Question 20

positive punishment

Answer 20

presenting a negative consequence after an undesired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior less likely to happen in the future (addition)

Question 21

negative punishment

Answer 21

removing a desired stimulus after a particular undesired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior less likely to happen in the future. (subtraction)

Question 22

applications of operant conditioning

Answer 22

At school: Computer and adaptive learning software used in teaching and learning
In sports: Behavioral methods implemented in shaping behavior in athletic performance
At work: Rewards successfully used to increase productivity
In parenting: Basic rules of shaping used in parenting