Essential Task 5-4: Predict how practice, shaping through successive approximations, schedules of reinforcement (continuous, fixed ratio, variable ration, fixed interval, variable interval), motivation
(intrinsic and extrinsic), contingency, and time influence the quality of learning.

The process by which experience or practice results in a relatively permanent change in behavior or potential behavior
Classical
Conditioning
The type of learning in which a response naturally elicited by one stimulus becomes to be elicited by a different formally neutral stimulus
Pavlov and Watson
UCS, UCR, CS, CR
Operant
Conditioning
The type of learning in which behaviors are emitted to earn rewards or avoid punishments
We are here
B.F. Skinner
Reinforcement and
Punishment
Social
Cognitive
Learning
Theory
The type of learning in which behaviors are learned by observing a model
Albert Bandura
Modeling and Vicarious
Learning

Outline
• Improve quality of operant conditioning
– shaping through successive approximations
– Contingency
– Practice and time
– Schedules of reinforcement
• Continuous
• Intermittent
– fixed ratio
– variable ratio
– fixed interval
– variable interval
– motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic)
– Problems with punishment

• You reinforce the organism as they get closer and closer to the target behavior instead of waiting until they do exactly what you want to reinforce them.
• You do not reward the organism if they do not progress toward the target behavior.

1. Continuous Reinforcement: Reinforces the desired response each time it occurs.
2. Intermittent Reinforcement: Reinforces a response only part of the time.
Though this results in slower acquisition in the beginning, it shows greater resistance to extinction later on.

• Each instance of a smile is reinforced

• Ratio Version – having to do with numbers of the behavior.
• Ex. – Reinforce or reward the behavior after a set number or
x many times that an action or behavior is demonstrated.
• Interval Version – having to do with the passage of time.
• Ex. – Reinforce the participant after a set number or x period of time that the behavior is displayed.

• Fixed-interval schedule – A schedule in which a fixed amount of time must elapse between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement will occur.
• No response during the interval is reinforced.
• The first response following the interval is reinforced.
• Produces an overall low rate of responding
• Ex. I get one pellet of food every 5 minutes when I press the lever

• Variable-interval Schedule – A schedule in which a variable amount of time must elapse between the previous and subsequent times that reinforcement is available.
• Produces an overall low consistent rate of responding.
• Ex. – I get a pellet of food on average every 5 minutes when I press the bar.

• Texting/Social Media
• You might check your phone at 9:00 a.m. and have 5 new messages, at 11:00 a.m. and have none, and then at 3:00 p.m. and have 7. As long as you periodically continue to receive messages, your checking behavior will continue; however, this behavior can be influenced by the number of messages received. If you don't receive any messages for 5 days, you may check less often.

• Fixed-ratio Schedule – A schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a fixed number of correct responses.
• These schedules usually produce rapid rates of responding with short post-reinforcement pauses
• The length of the pause is directly proportional to the number of responses required
• Ex. – For every 5 bar presses, I get one pellet of food

• Every fourth instance of a smile is reinforced

• Reward cards
• Grinding on an RPG

• Variable-ratio Schedule – A schedule in which reinforcement is provided after a variable number of correct responses.
• Produce an overall high consistent rate of responding.
• Ex. – On average, I press the bar 5 times for one pellet of food.

• Random instances of the behavior are reinforced

TYPE MEANING OUTCOME
Fixed
Ratio
Reinforcement depends on a definite number of responses
Activity slows after reinforcement and then picks up
Greatest activity of all schedules
Variabl e Ratio
Number of responses needed for reinforcement varies
Fixed
Interval
Reinforcement depends on a fixed time
Variabl e
Interval
Time between reinforcement varies
Activity increases as deadline nears
Steady activity results

Comparisons of Schedules of Reinforcement
SCHEDULE
FORM OF
REWARD
INFLUENCE ON
PERFORMANCE
EFFECTS ON
BEHAVIOR
Fixed interval
Fixed ratio
Variable interval
Variable ratio
Reward on fixed time basis
Reward tied to specific number of responses
Leads to average and irregular performance
Fast extinction of behavior
Leads quickly to very high and stable performance
Moderately fast extinction of behavior
Reward given after varying periods of time
Leads to moderately high and stable performance
Slow extinction of behavior
Reward given for some behaviors
Leads to very high performance
Very slow extinction of behavior

1.
When I bake cookies, I can only put one set in at a time, so after 10 minutes my first set of cookies is done. After another ten minutes, my second set of cookies is done. I get to eat a cookie after each set is done baking.
2.
After every 10 math problems that I complete, I allow myself a 5 minute break.
3.
I look over my notes every night because I never know how much time will go by before my next pop quiz.
4.
When hunting season comes around, sometimes I’ll spend all day sitting in the woods waiting to get a shot at a big buck. It’s worth it though when I get a nice 10 point.
5.
Today in Psychology class we were talking about Schedules of Reinforcement and everyone was eagerly raising their hands and participating. Miranda raised her hand a couple of times and was eventually called on.
1. FI
2. FR
3. VI
4. Vi
5. VR

6. Madison spanks her son if she has to ask him three times to clean up his room.
7. Emily has a spelling test every Friday. She usually does well and gets a star sticker.
8. Steve’s a big gambling man. He plays the slot machines all day hoping for a big win.
9.
Snakes get hungry at certain times of the day. They might watch any number of prey go by before they decide to strike.
10. Mr. Bertani receives a salary paycheck every 2 weeks.
(Miss Suter doesn’t  ).
11. Christina works at a tanning salon. For every 2 bottles of lotion she sells, she gets 1 dollar in commission.
12. Mike is trying to study for his upcoming Psychology quiz.
He reads five pages, then takes a break. He resumes reading and takes another break after he has completed 5 more pages.
6. FR
7. FI
8. VR
9. VI
10. FI
11. FR
12. FR

13. Megan is fundraising to try to raise money so she can go on the annual band trip. She goes door to door in her neighborhood trying to sell popcorn tins. She eventually sells some.
14. Kylie is a business girl who works in the big city. Her boss is busy, so he only checks her work periodically.
15. Mark is a lawyer who owns his own practice. His customers makes payments at irregular times.
16. Jessica is a dental assistant and gets a raise every year at the same time and never in between.
17. Andrew works at a GM factory and is in charge of attaching 3 parts. After he gets his parts attached, he gets some free time before the next car moves down the line.
18. Brittany is a telemarketer trying to sell life insurance. After so many calls, someone will eventually buy.
13. VR
14. VI
15. VI
16. FI
17. FR
18. VR

Intrinsic Motivation: The desire to perform a behavior for its own sake.
Extrinsic Motivation: The desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishments.

Outline
• "Intrinsic motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards. We simply enjoy an activity or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualize our potentials."
(Coon & Mitterer, 2010)
•
"Intrinsic motivation refers to the reason why we perform certain activities for inherent satisfaction or pleasure; you might say performing one of these activities in reinforcing in-and-of itself."
(Brown, 2007)

• Goal of punishment is to decrease the occurrence of a behavior
• Effective punishment
– Should occur as soon as possible after the behavior
– Should be sufficient, i.e., strong enough
– Should be certain, occurring every time the behavior does
– Should be consistent

Although there may be some justification for occasional punishment (Larzelaere &
Baumrind, 2002), it usually leads to negative effects.
1. Results in unwanted fears.
2. Conveys no information to the organism.
3. Justifies pain to others.
4. Causes unwanted behaviors to reappear in its absence.
5. Causes aggression towards the agent.
6. Causes one unwanted behavior to appear in place of another.