Operant
Conditioning
UNIT 7
LESSON 2
Objectives

Describe and apply components of
operant conditioning.

Identify B.F. Skinner.

Analyze uses and effectiveness of
reinforcement and punishment.

Describe reinforcement schedules.
Warm Up

You always talk to your (boy/girl) friend while sitting
in your beanbag chair. After an ugly breakup, you
find that even looking at the chair upsets you, so
you give it to Goodwill.
Identify the NS-UCS-UCR-CS-CR
 What would be occurring if you couldn’t sit in any
chair while talking on the phone?
 What if you only refused to sit in beanbag chairs?
 What if you go away to college and your
roommate has a chair that makes you chuckle as
you sit in it and think about the story?
 And this can only occur after it’s gone away which
is called?

Classical vs. Operant
Conditioning

Classical

Operant

Subject

Environment
responds to the
subject’s
INVOLUNTARILY
responds to
environmental
stimulus.
VOLUNTARY
behavior.
Operant Origins

Edward Thorndike’s
Law of Effect
 Rewarded
behavior
likely to occur again
B.F. Skinner

Behavior influenced
by history of its
consequences
 Reinforcements:
Repeat, increase
 Punishments:
Decrease, stop
Skinner Box & Shaping
Principles of Operant Conditioning
PLEASANT 
PRESENTED
(+)
TAKEN
AWAY
(-)
UNPLEASANT 
Operant Conditioning Chart
Pleasant
+
_
Unpleasant/ Aversive
Positive
Reinforcement
Punishment
Omission
Training
Negative
Reinforcement
Review

Which principle of operant conditioning…

Presents something unpleasant?

Takes something pleasant away?

Takes something unpleasant away?

Presents something pleasant?
Activity
Introduction to Operant Conditioning:
In each example,


Identify consequence for behavior



Identify subject’s behavior
Is it presented or taken away?
Does behavior increase or decrease?
When you’ve worked your way through the problem,
identify which principle of operant conditioning is at
work.
( PR, NR, OT, PUN)
Providing Reinforcement

Continuous
Reinforcement
 Every
time
desired
behavior
occurs

Partial
Reinforcement
 Only
given
sometimes after
desired
behavior
occurs.
4 Schedules of Partial
Reinforcement
FIXED INTERVAL:
Reinforced after set amount of
time has passed.
FIXED RATIO:
Reinforced after a specific,
unchanging # of behaviors.
Ex: Bi-weekly paycheck
Ex: $5.00 for every 20 shirts sewn
VARIABLE INTERVAL:
Reinforced after an
unpredictable time interval.
VARIABLE RATIO:
Reinforced after a changing #
of behaviors.
Ex: Administrator “pop-ins” in
classrooms
Ex: Slot machines
Activity
Schedules of Reinforcement Practice:
Decide if reinforcement comes after


An amount of time (I)...or…
The number (R) of “times” you perform behavior?


Is it set (F)…or…
Does it change (V)?

Write: FI, FR, VI, VR
Closure
Use all 4 principles of operant
conditioning to describe how you’d get a
child to eat spinach without complaining.
