Part 2 - Operant Conditioning

What connects these images?

What connects these images?Answer: They all have to do with ways to

motivate behavior through punishments and rewards.

Definition:Operant Conditioning is a kind of learning in

which the consequences that follow some behavior increase or decrease whether that behavior will happen again.

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning

Behavior is determined by what PRECEDES it.

Behavior is determined by anticipation of what

FOLLOWS it.

Involuntary Voluntary

Dog salivates after a bell.

Dog sits in anticipation of getting a treat.

Classical or Operant?A very bright (mildly painful) light is turned on a rat. The rat has learned that he can turn off the light by pressing a lever on the other side of his cage. As soon as the light comes on, the rat runs across the room and presses the lever.

Classical or Operant?When a mother strokes her

infant’s skin, the stroking creates pleasure responses in the baby. After this goes on for many days, the baby begins to show pleasure responses simply at the sight of her mother (even before being touched).

Classical or Operant?Imagine you have a friend who

keeps the temperature in her home so high that each occasion on which you visit her you find yourself perspiring. The last time you visited her, you noticed that you began to perspire and became uncomfortable as soon as you saw her house (even before you got inside).

Classical or Operant?

A patient in a mental hospital is very disruptive at mealtimes. She grabs food from the plates of those sitting near her and tries to cram the food in her mouth. Because this behavior of stealing food is very undesirable, a plan is developed whereby every time the patient steals food from other plates, she is immediately taken to a room without food.

Classical or Operant?Alice leaves her clothes and toys all over her

room. It seems that the only time she cleans up her room is when her mother yells at her. When she yells at her, Alice picks up her clothes and put away her toys.

What, a video curveball? You mean I have to think for myself?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYxUdPj-EEY

No more crying!How can operant conditioning apply to

babies?

John Watson’s Childcare Advice:

Reinforcement vs. PunishmentReinforcement – any event that encourages a

behaviorPunishment – any event that discourages a

behavior

Types of Reinforcment positive (adding) or negative (taking away)How can these two types apply to our daily

lives?

Reinforcement Schedulesfixed ratio – set number (every three

times you raise your hand I call on you)variable ratio – unpredictable number of

responses (slot machine)fixed interval – set amount of time (pay

you every hour)variable interval – unpredictable amount

of time (fishing)

SuperstitionBF Skinner – “radical behavioralist”Wanted to demonstrate that uniquely

human behaviors were the product of conditioning.

Starved 8 pigeons. Then rewarded them with food every 15 s, no matter what they did.

Results:6 of 8 bird developed superstitions

Turning counter-clockwise in a circle Thrusting head toward a specific corner of

cage “tossing” an imaginary ball with its head Head bobbing with accompanying steps (2

birds) “fake” pecking

Superstition (cont)Follow up studies:

Gradually increased time between rewards to 1 min – bird behaviors became more pronounced (head bobbing/stepping looked like a dance)

Removed reward altogether to create extinction – pigeons showed resistance to extinction (one pigeon repeated behavior over 10,000 times before quitting).

What are your superstitions? How are they rewarded?

Bowling superstitions

Can reward go too far?Overjustification Effect

What happens when there is a ridiculously high reward for something you might do anyway?

Overjustification EffectWhen we are

rewarded for behaviors that we naturally enjoy, we sometimes lose our intrinsic motivation.

How can this relate to learning and grades?

What about professional athletes?

Criticism:Biggest problem:

With the theory of behaviorism and operant conditioning: it assumes we lack free will.

Can you think of examples of when someone would forego reward or endure pain when they do not have to?