Instrumental Learning- Habit Formation & Skill Acquisition

• Trial and error learning

  Organism tries things out (things it can already do) and changes its behaviour according to whether the trial is a success or a failure (error)
• Cats in puzzle boxes

  • Initially try to squeeze through any opening, claw and bite at the bars or wire, thrust paws out through any opening and claw at everything it reaches
  • Eventually perform the necessary actions (by chance) and the door would open
• Thorndike's Law of Effect

  Of several responses made to the same situation, those which are accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to the animal will, other things being equal, be more firmly connected with the situation, so that, when it recurs, they will be more likely to recur ... those which are accompanied or closely followed by discomfort to the animal will, other things being equal, have their connections with that situation weakened, so that, when it recurs, they will be less likely to occur
• Reinforcement

  (1) The act or process of strengthening a 'connection' in the nervous system that mediates the link between two 'things' such as a stimulus and a response. (2) The delivery or production of a stimulus that has reinforcing effects (a reinforcer) as a consequence of a behaviour
• Reward

  Delivery of a reinforcer
• Positive reinforcement

  Delivery or production of a stimulus item (like food) that results in strengthening of a connection/behaviour
• Negative reinforcement

  Strengthening of a connection/behaviour by removing something from the situation
• Punishment

  The delivery or production of a stimulus that has punishing effects (a punisher) as a consequence of a behaviour
• Positive punishment

  The delivery/production of a punishing stimulus (like a smack)

  
• Negative punishment

  The removal of a desirable or rewarding stimulus
• Instrumental conditioning procedure

  A laboratory training protocol that uses only reinforcement or punishment