Thorndike, Skinner, Bandura, oh my!
Module 10
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Operant Conditioning – learning which occurs
when an animal performs a behaviour
(operates on the environment) and the
following consequence (reward or punishment)
increases or decreases the likelihood of the
behaviour re-occuring S > R or S>R>S
Cognitive learning – learning by observation:
we can see someone ELSE operate on the
environment and learn from it.
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Anything you do that results in a pleasurable
outcome is more likely to be repeated
Kittens in boxes!
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Pigeons – bombs! Ping pong and piano
Rats
Skinner boxes – babies, rats and pigeons
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positive and negative reinforcement strengthen
behaviour; punishment, response cost, and
extinction weaken behaviour.
1. Postive Reinforcement—”reinforcement”
indicates a process that increases behaviour.
First, a positive or pleasant stimulus is used in
the process, and second, the reinforcer is added
(i.e., "positive" as in + sign for addition). In
positive reinforcement, a positive reinforcer is
added after a response and increases the
frequency of the response.
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2. Negative Reinforcement- reinforcement
indicates a process that increases behaviour.
First, a negative or aversive stimulus is used in
the process, and second, the reinforcer is
subtracted. In negative reinforcement, after the
response the negative reinforcer is removed
which increases the frequency of the response.
(Note: There are two types of negative
reinforcement: escape and avoidance. In
general, the learner must first learn to escape
before he or she learns to avoid.)
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3. Response Cost--if positive reinforcement
strengthens a response by adding a positive
stimulus, then response cost has to weaken a
behaviour by subtracting a positive stimulus.
After the response the positive reinforcer is
removed which weakens the frequency of the
response.
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4. Punishment--if negative reinforcement
strengthens a behavior by subtracting a
negative stimulus, than punishment has to
weaken a behavior by adding a negative
stimulus. After a response a negative or
aversive stimulus is added which weakens the
frequency of the response.
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5. Extinction--No longer reinforcing a
previously reinforced response (using either
positive or negative reinforcement) results in
the weakening of the frequency of the
response.
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http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott
/Behavioral2.html
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsy
s/operant.html
http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/prtut/reinp
air.htm
big bangbig bang theory
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Learning can occur through observation or
imitation and may NOT involve external
rewards or require someone to perform the
behaviours.
Skinner – thought this was nonsense
Tolman – studied rats in mazes and felt that
rats could learn trough observation, not just
reward (cognitive maps)
Bandura
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Observational learning: cognitive
Bobo and television
Social cognitive theory emphasizes
observation, imitation and self-reward in
development and learning of social skills,
personal interactions and many other
behaviours. It is not necessary to actually
perform any observable behaviours or receive
external rewards to learn.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Four processes:
Attention
Memory
Imitation
Motivation
See and do
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Insight learning (the “ah-ha” moment)
“Man walks into a bar and asks for a glass of
water. The bartender points a gun at the man.
The man says thank you and walks out”
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Innate tendencies
Imprinting
Prepared learning (ie talking)
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Behaviour modification – page 232
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