Operant conditioning

• Intro

  • another way we can learn behaviour which emphasised the importance of consequence – learning through REWARDS (REINFORCEMENT) and PUNISHMENT

   
• Types of reinforcement:

  • positive
  • negative
  • punishments
• Positive

  • when a reward is given for a behaviour, this behaviour is reinforced, so the behaviour is repeated to gain the same reward.
  • every time the rat pressed the lever the rat was rewarded with food. This behaviour was repeated as the rat was conditioned to press the lever through positive reinforcement to get the same pleasant outcome.
• Negative

  • performing a behaviour to avoid an unpleasant consequence so the behaviour is repeated to avoid the unpleasant consequence again
  • Skinner ran an electrical current across the floor which caused the rat discomfort. The rat would move around until it knocked the lever. The lever would stop the current; the rat would repeat this behaviour as it had learned by pressing the lever it would avoid the unpleasant consequence of pain.
• punishment - receiving an unpleasant consequence for behaviour E.g. receiving a detention from a  teacher for not bringing in your homework should stop that behaviour