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Learn 3A: Operant
Learning 3: Operant
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Describe Thorndike’s puzzle box apparatus and his use of it to study the behaviour of cats (and other animals). | A hungry cat was placed in a puzzle box where the cat could see food but could not get it without using a mechanism |
| What were Thorndike's findings for the cat in the puzzle box | The cat would master the tool and make fewer mistakes on each repetition |
| What did Thorndike theorize? | That behaviour has two consequences/effects - A satisfying state of affairs (like +vs and -ve reinforcement) - an annoying state of affairs (like escape) |
| Define Thorndike's law of effect. | Behaviours followed by satisfaction are more likely to repeat when the situation occurs again. Behaviours followed by annoyance are less likely to be repeated when the situation occurs again. |
| What are the four elements of Thorndike's Law | 1. The environment 2. The behaviour 3. The change in the environment 4. The change in behaviour due to the consequence |
| What did Thorndike speculate about reinforcement's neural effect? | Behaviour is a function of it's consequences |
| How does the capacity to benefit for the consequences of one's actions contribute to survival | Exploration of the environment let's animals know how things work or don't |
| Describe Metzgar's (1967) experiment about the value of exploring your environment | - Metzgar released two groups of mice into a laboratory environment several days apart then released a screech owl - the owl caught 5 new mice for every experienced mouse |
| What were the findings of Metzgar's (1967) experiment regarding exploration of the environment | the mice that had been there longer had time to explore and test hiding places |
| What is operant learning or operant conditioning? What other name refers to operant conditioning? (pp. 131–133) | Experiences are strengthened or weakened by its consequences in the environment. |
| Describe the essential components of a Skinner box. How did the Skinner box get its name? | An electronic food magazine drops pallets into a tray which may eventually include a lever or a contingency sequence |
| Define reinforcement | an increase in the strength or frequency of a behaviour due to it's consequences |
| Name the three essential features of reinforcement. | 1. A behaviour must have a consequence 2. The behaviour must increase in strength 3. The increase in strength must be due to the consequence |
| What are the two basic types of reinforcement? What are their similarities and differences? Be able to provide and recognize original examples of each type. | Positive - behaviour increases due to the addition of a stimulus Negative - behaviour increases due to the removal of a stimulus |
| What is escape training? | negative reinforcement - a behaviour strengthened by escaping an aversive situation |
| Describe some of the potential problems in differentiating positive and negative reinforcement. 3 points | - what is positive or negative varies by person - positive and negative sometimes act together (cat wants to get food and get out of confined space) - what is positive and negative changes over time. |
| Some things that would seem to be distinctly unrewarding can strengthen behaviour. Discuss and provide examples of this. | Alarms, reprimands, threats |
| How does reinforcement of a response give that response momentum? Explain Nevin’s use of the metaphor of momentum to describe the effects of reinforcement. (p. 135) | Behaviour is a boulder. Light boulders can be deflected, but heavy are not. When behaviour is strengthened through reinforcement it will continue due to momentum |
| How did Page and Neuringer show that randomness is a reinforceable property of behaviour? | Pigeons were reinforced when they made 8 taps unique from the last 50 repetitions. The pigeons began producing sequences that were close to random |
| What are primary reinforcers? | unconditioned reinforcers |
| What are secondary reinforcers? | conditioned reinforcers |
| What four advantages do conditioned reinforcers have over unconditioned reinforcers? | 1. They SATIATE more slowly 4. Can be used in many SITUATIONS 2. It is easier to REINFORCE behaviour immediately 3. They are less DISRUPTIVE |
| What are generalized reinforcers? | Reinforcers paired with many different kinds of reinforcers |
| What are contrived reinforcers? | Reinforcers provided by someone else for the purpose of modifying behaviour. |
| Why is it sometimes difficult to distinguish natural and contrived reinforcers | Reinforcers may be bidirectional. - Placing money in a vending machine provides a drink (natural), but the vendor created the scenario where you place money in the machine (contrived) |
| How does operant conditioning differ from Pavlovian conditioning? | Operant is contingent on behaviour Pavlovian is contingent on an event Behaviour modification may be both eg. Albert and the rat |
| Contingency | reinforcement is dependent on behaviour |
| Contiguity | The gap between behaviour and reinforcement |
| How does the size of the reinforcer affect the effectiveness of the reinforcer? | - small improves frequency of behaviour - large may encourage behaviour - the more your increase reinforcer magnitude the less benefit you get from the increase. |
| How do task characteristics affect the effectiveness of the reinforcer? | difficult tasks may not improve regardless of reinforcer |
| competing contingencies | reinforcing a behaviour that also has punishing consequences, or has reinforcers simultaneously available for other kinds of behaviour. |
| What is meant by motivating operations? | anything that changes the effectiveness of a consequence |
| Describe the two types of motivating operations and identify examples of each | establishing - increases the effectiveness of a consequence eg. deprivation abolising - decreases the effectiveness of a consequence eg. satiation |
| Describe the work of Olds et al. (1954) on the electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) | An electrode was implanted into a rat's brain. - whenever the rat pressed a lever it would receive a mild shock - the rat returned to the lever frequently. - the stimulation of the rat's brain was reinforcing |
| Describe the work Talwar et al. (2002) on the electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) | An electrode was implanted into a rats brain so it could be controlled remotely. The rats were free to move around but would comply with researcher directions instead |
| What are the reward centres of the brain? | Septal Region - the area separating the two cerebral hemispheres and running from the mid-brain to the frontal cortex. |
| Describe the role of dopamine in reinforcement. | Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a source of a natural high. - released when anything good happens - All addictive drugs release dopamine |
| How does the research of Hollerman et al. (1998) seem to support the Rescorla-Wagner model | Monkeys who touched a correct picture got apple juice. Dopamine neurons were active in early trials but less active as monkey's became more skilled. Extra, unexpected shots of juice increased dopamine |
| Describe Thorndike's work with regards to reinforcement and practice | Thorndike failed to improve at drawing a 4" line with his eyes closed for 3000 attempts. Students also failed to improve after 400 attempts. Students allowed to open their eyes between each attempt showed improvement within 25 attempts |
| Describe Premack’s relative value theory. | High probability behaviour reinforces low probability behaviour. Rats with free access to water will drink more if an exercise wheel is contingent on drinking and vice versa |
| Timberlake and Allison's response-deprivation theory or reinforcement | A dip below a baseline for an activity becomes reinforcing. This theory is better than premack's as you don't need to define a high or low probability activity |
| How could something that didn’t happen be a reinforcer?” Explain this statement on the basis of Sidman’s (1989) comments | A dog placed in a two sectioned box would jump a hurdle when a light turned off (indicating their side would receive a shock). |
| **Describe the two-process theory of avoidance and the evidence for and against this theory. What is a Sidman avoidance procedure? | Avoidance involves both pavlovian and operant conditioning. Pavlovian - light (CS) is paired with the shock. The dog first fled the shock, and now flees the dark Operant - when the dog jumps the hurdle the aversive stimuli is removed (shock) |
| Describe the one-process theory of avoidance and the evidence that supports this approach. | Avoidance continues because it is working. There is no way for the subject to know that the aversive stimuli has stopped because they do not experience it. To stop aversive behaviour the aversive option needs to be taken away. |
| Miller's mice experiment for avoidance | Millar shocked mice in a white compartment until they moved to a black room. Mice would run to the white compartment even when no shock was administered and escape required a lever or a wheel to open the door. |
Created by:
HarleeM