Operant

• Operant conditioning was discovered by B.F. Skinner in the mid-20th century
• Skinner's work focused on the mechanism of reward and punishment for behaviors
• Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are reinforced, while those followed by negative outcomes are discouraged
• Operant conditioning is a theory of learning where behavior is influenced by its consequences
• Behavior that is reinforced will likely be repeated, and behavior that is punished will occur less frequently
• Skinner believed that studying observable behavior is more productive than studying internal mental events
• Skinner's work was based on Thorndike's Law of Effect, which states that behavior followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated
• Skinner conducted experiments using animals in a "Skinner Box" to study operant conditioning
• A Skinner Box is a device used to objectively record an animal's behavior in a compressed time frame
• Skinner identified three types of responses that can follow behavior: neutral operants, reinforcers, and punishers
• Reinforcers increase the probability of a behavior being repeated and can be positive or negative
• Punishers decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated
• Positive reinforcement strengthens behavior by providing a rewarding consequence
• Primary reinforcers are naturally reinforcing stimuli, while secondary reinforcers are reinforced through association
• Negative reinforcement involves the termination of an unpleasant state following a response
• Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing an adverse stimulus
• Punishment is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it
• There are two types of punishment: positive punishment and negative punishment
• Positive punishment involves adding an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior happening again
• Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior happening again
• Punishment can lead to increased aggression and fear, and may not guide behavior towards desired outcomes
• Examples of operant conditioning include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, negative punishment, and ineffective punishment
• The Premack Principle is a form of positive reinforcement in operant conditioning
• Premack Principle examples:

  • Eating vegetables gives extra video game time
  • Disliking history but loving art can earn extra time in the art studio for each history chapter reviewed
  • Spending 10 minutes on household chores allows 5 minutes on a favorite hobby
  • A successful day of healthy eating allows a small piece of dark chocolate at the end
  • Giving a child the choice between taking out the trash or washing the dishes increases willingness to complete the chore
• Skinner's Pigeon Experiment:

  • Conducted by B.F. Skinner to demonstrate operant conditioning principles
  • Experiment explored effects of non-contingent reinforcement on pigeons
  • Non-contingent reinforcement delivers rewards independently of behavior
  • Pigeons associated random actions with food delivery, developing superstitious behaviors
  • Pigeons repeated behaviors believing they caused food to appear
  • Behaviors were not initially related to food delivery but became linked due to coincidental timing
  • Rate of reinforcement played a significant role in conditioning
• Behavior Modification Therapy:

  • Therapeutic techniques based on operant conditioning
  • Main principle involves changing environmental events related to behavior
  • Examples include reinforcing desired behaviors and ignoring or punishing undesired ones
  • Different types of positive reinforcements: primary and secondary reinforcement
  • Examples of behavior modification therapy include token economy and behavior shaping
• Token Economy:

  • System where targeted behaviors are reinforced with tokens and exchanged for rewards
  • Tokens can be fake money, buttons, poker chips, stickers, etc.
  • Rewards range from snacks to privileges or activities
  • Token economy effective in managing psychiatric patients but can lead to over-reliance on tokens