Operant Conditioning
Chapter 6-2
“Everything we do and are is
determined by our history of
rewards and punishments.”
~B.F. Skinner
Operant Conditioning
• people and animals learn to do certain
things/not to do certain things because of the
results (consequences of their actions)
– conditioned responses in
classical conditioning vs. operant conditioning
involuntary
(biological)
voluntary
B.F. Skinner and Project Pigeon
Skinner was a psychologist who developed a
project idea during WWII.
He hoped to train pigeons to guide missiles
to targets.
Equipment was bulky, so plans were
abandoned, but it was a good example of
operant conditioning.
“the Skinner box”
• animal cage ideal for lab experimentation
because treatments can be introduced,
removed, and observed
reinforcement
• process by which a stimulus increases the
chances that the preceding behavior will
occur again
• it does not matter why the person/animal
makes the first response that is reinforced
• often the result of an action is all the
reinforcement humans need
What is a reinforcer?
• a stimulus that encourages the behavior to
occur again
What is the difference between a
primary and a secondary reinforcer?
• a primary reinforcer is a stimulus that is
naturally rewarding, such as food or water
• a secondary reinforcer is a stimulus that
becomes rewarding through its link with a
primary reinforcer (such as money)
Positive vs. Negative Reinforcers
• positive reinforcers- increase the
frequency of a behavior when they are
used
• (food, fun, social approval)
• rewards- increase the frequency of a
behavior when used
If you clean your room, I will give you $5.
If you study for a test, you will get an “A”.
What is the positive reinforcer/reward?
• negative reinforcers- increase the
frequency of a behavior when they are
removed ; they are unpleasant in some
way
• (discomfort, fear, social disapproval)
• taking aspirin to relieve a headache
• hurrying home in the winter to get out of the cold
• fanning oneself to escape the heat
• faking a stomach ache in order to avoid school
• putting an umbrella up to escape the rain
• brushing your teeth to avoid cavities
Punishment and Omission Training
• punishment- decrease the frequency of a
behavior when they are used; unpleasant
or unwanted
• omission training- decrease the
frequency of a behavior because
something positive is taken away
PunishmentIf you speed, you will get a ticket.
If you are tardy to school, you will get a detention.
Omission TrainingIf you come home after 11:00, I will take away
your car.
If you leave dirty dishes in the sink, I will take
away your cell phone.
A Review1. Suzy takes out the trash every time it is full,
because she does not want to be yelled at.
2. Fred stole a cookie from his grandma and now
he is grounded until next Wednesday.
3. Molly is learning to use the “big girl potty” and
every time she does, she gets a sticker.
4. Andy bit his little sister when she took his car.
His mommy said if he does that again, she will
take all of his cars away.
Type of
Reinforcement
positive
reinforcement/
rewards
negative
reinforcement
punishment
omission training
Does it increase
or decrease the
behavior?
What type of
reinforcer does
it use—positive
or negative
(good or bad)?
How is the
reinforcement
used—is it given
to the child, or
taken away?
increase
positive/good
increase
negative/bad
taken away
decrease
negative/bad
given
decrease
positive/good
given
taken away
Schedules of Reinforcement
• when and how often the reinforcement occurs
continuous reinforcement- reinforcement
happens every time the behavior occurs
partial reinforcement- behavior is not
reinforced every time it occurs; tend to last
longer after reinforcement has stopped
Types of Partial Reinforcement
• interval schedules- based on the
amount of time that passes between
reinforcements
• ratio schedules- based on the number
of correct responses before reinforcement
Fixed vs. Variable
Fixed (predictable)
Variable (unpredictable)
• fixed-interval schedules:
set amount of time between
reinforcements
(example: psychology
“pop quiz” every Friday)
• variable-interval schedules:
changing or varying amounts of
time pass between
reinforcements
(example: a true pop quiz)
• fixed-ratio schedules:
reinforcement given after a set
number of correct responses
(example: being paid for
every 10 pizzas made)
• variable-ratio schedules:
reinforcement given after a
varying or changing number of
correct responses
(example: playing slot
machines)
A Review
fixed-interval
fixed-ratio
variable-interval
variable-ratio
1. getting a sticker every time you turn your
homework in
2. getting a piece of candy every other time you get
an “A” on a test
3. having a math test every Tuesday
4. a pop quiz in biology
5. scratching off a game piece and winning a free Big
Mac
6. getting a bonus point every once in awhile for
participating in class
extinction- disappearance of a conditioned
(or learned) response; happens because
the events that had previously followed a
stimulus no longer do
shaping- a method for teaching complex
behaviors by breaking a task into smaller
steps and reinforcing those smaller steps
B.F. Skinner developed programmed learning,
based on the ideas of shaping.
programmed learning- an educational
method that uses a “teaching machine” to
present students with subject matter, one
step/piece at a time; doesn’t punish for
wrong answers
Sometimes, we unknowingly reinforce the
incorrect behavior. This often happens with
classroom discipline. By paying attention to
misbehavior, we may actually be reinforcing it.
To avoid this, teachers are encouraged to pay
attention and reinforce
appropriate behaviors
and ignore inappropriate
ones.