Operant conditioning

Question 1

What is operant conditioning and what does the nature of the event do?
2

Answer 1

• Learning occurs when behaviour followed by event

- Inc/dec %behaviour being repeated

Question 2

What is positive reinforcement?

1

Answer 2

• Something pleasant introduced following behaviour e.g. food

Question 3

What is negative reinforcement?

1

Answer 3

• Something unpleasant e.g. pain removed following a behaviour

Question 4

What is primary reinforcement and an example?

2

Answer 4

• Thing that acts as reinforcer has bio significance

- Food, drink, shelter

Question 5

What is secondary reinforcement and an example?

2

Answer 5

• Thing that acts as reinforcer becomes associated w something of bio significance
• Money associated to buy food (primary)

Question 6

What is positive punishment and an example?

2

Answer 6

• Something unpleasant introduced following behaviour (slap) - punisher

Question 7

What is negative punishment and an example?

2

Answer 7

• When something nice is removed following a behaviour (grounded) - punisher

Question 8

Evaluate operant conditioning

3

Answer 8

Skinners box. Chase et al. conducted modern brain studies, found brain systems correlate w reinforcement in humans

Only explains how existing behaviour = strengthened or weakened not root cause. Incomplete explanation of acquisition of all new behaviour. Can’t account for learning of new behaviours which animal never performed

Systems of reinforcement used in many places (school) e.g. giving a child a star for good work encourages them to repeat good work. Parents use star charts to reinforce desirable behaviour.

Question 9

What was Skinner’s procedure and what did he find (Skinner’s box)?
3

Answer 9

• Box w supply of food pellets, released reinforcers if animal learned to do something
• Electrified floors (punishers of behaviour)
• Train animals to learn target behaviours