ap psych: learning unit

• operant conditioning: type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer of diminished if followed by a punisher
• reinforcement: any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
• reinforcement is always good
• B.F. Skinner: believed in behavioralism; operant conditioning
• law of effect: rewarded behavior is likely to reoccur
• operant chambers: contained a bar or key that the animal can manipulate to obtain food or water reinforcer
• shaping: reinforcers that guide behavior closer and closer to the desired behavior (ex. make a pigeon turn in a circle)
• discriminative stimulus: stimulus that elicits a response after association with reinforcement; triggers you to do a certain behavior
• a phone ringing is an example of a discriminative stimulus
• continuous reinforcement: learning occurs rapidly, reinforcing a desired behavior every time it occurs; extinguishes quickly
• a pop machine is an example of continuous reinforcement
• partial reinforcement: a response is sometimes reinforced, sometimes not; learning is slower but behavior is resistant to extinction
• a slot machine is an example of partial reinforcement
• fixed ratio schedule: reinforce the behavior after a set amount of responses (set number of correct responses)
• variable ratio schedule: provide reinforcers after a seemingly unpredictable number of responses
• fixed interval schedule: reinforce the first response after varying time intervals (set period of time)
• variable interval schedule: rewards correct response after an unpredictable amount of times
• punishment: an event that tends to decrease a behavior
• escape and avoidance are types of negative reinforcement