Operant Conditioning
• A type of learning in which behavior occurs more frequently if
followed by reinforcement or occurs less frequently if followed by
punishment.
• How is this different from classical conditioning?
– In Classical Conditioning, an organism associates/connects two
events that occur together at the same time.
– In Operant Conditioning, an organism learns a behavior through
reward or punishment.
Reward
Punishment
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Association of events in time
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Edward Thorndike
• Edward Thorndike performed experiments on cats
• He placed them in a puzzle box, used fish as a
reward for escaping, and timed how long the
escape process took
• Through trial and error, the cats figured out that
pressing the level in the box (behavior) led to the
reward of escape/fish (stimulus)
Law of Effect
• He coined the term “Law of Effect”
which became the basis of operant
conditioning
• Law of Effect: behavior that is followed
by pleasant consequences is likely to be
repeated; behavior that is followed by
unpleasant consequences is likely to be
stopped
OPERANT
CONDITIONING
REINFORCEMENT
(increase behavior)
PUNISHMENT
(decrease behavior)
POSITIVE
REINFORCEMENT
POSITIVE
PUNISHMENT
NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT
NEGATIVE
PUNISHMENT
POSITIVE
(adding something to the
situation)
NEGATIVE
(removing something from
the situation)
Reinforcement
• Anything that increases a behavior
• Can be positive or negative
– Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean bad!!!
– Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus
Positive
Reinforcement
You get an A on your test (positive stimulus),
which increases your behavior of studying
(reinforcement).
Other Examples???
Negative
Reinforcement
You avoid getting a sun burn (negative stimulus),
which increases your behavior of applying
sunblock in the future (reinforcement).
Other Examples???
Punishment
• Anything that decreases a behavior
• Can be positive or negative
– Positive doesn’t mean good and negative doesn’t mean bad!!!
– Positive means adding a stimulus; negative removes a stimulus
Positive
Punishment
You receive a speeding ticket (positive
stimulus), which decreases your behavior of
speeding (punishment).
Other Examples???
Negative
Punishment
Your driving privileges are taken away for a year
because you were caught driving drunk (negative
stimulus). This decreases your behavior of
drinking and driving (punishment).
Other Examples???
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
ADDING of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
Catching a largemouth bass
after three hours of fishing
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
ADDING of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
Being yelled at by your
coach after you fumbled so
you won’t fumble again
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
To get rid of an upset
stomach your mom tells you
to start taking Pepto Bismol
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the REMOVING
of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
You lose your money in a soda
machine. You decide the next time
you will not use the same machine!
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
ADDING of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
Giving your dog a treat for
sitting on command
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
ADDING of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
Your alarm rings to stop you
from sleeping too long
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
You lose your cell phone
after getting caught texting in
class
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
ADDING of a stimulus
• Negative Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the ADDING
of a stimulus
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by the
REMOVING of a stimulus
Lifting weights to get in great
physical shape
What type of Operant
Conditioning is this?
• Positive Reinforcement?
– INCREASE behavior by ADDING
a stimulus
Careful!! The way a scenario is
• Negative Reinforcement?
worded
can
affect
the
answer.
– INCREASE behavior by REMOVING
a stimulus
Lifting weights to get in shape = POSITIVE
REINFORCEMENT
• Positive Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by ADDING
Lifting weights to lose weight = NEGATIVE
a stimulus
REINFORCEMENT
Lifting weights to lose weight
• Negative Punishment?
– DECREASE behavior by REMOVING
a stimulus
Limitations of Punishment
• Punishment often only produces
• temporary suppression
• Punishment can produce
undesirable emotional side effects