Transcript Analyzing Behavior - California State University, Fullerton

Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Antecedents
1. Discriminative
Stimulus (SD)
2. Delta
Stimulus (S )
Behavior
Consequences
Operant
Response
1. Reinforcers
2. Punishers
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning Chamber
(“Skinner Box”)
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Behavior
Operant Response: a set of actions that all have
the same effect on the environment.
For example, in an operant conditioning chamber
(“Skinner Box”), the response is defined as a “bar
press”. The bar has to go down a certain distance.
It doesn’t matter which paw the rat uses.
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Consequences
Reinforcer: a stimulus that follows a response and
results in an increase in the chances that the
response will be repeated.
For example, after the rat presses the bar, a food
pellet (stimulus) is presented. The rat is then
more likely to press the bar again (compared to a
condition where bar pressing produced no food).
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Consequences
Punisher: a stimulus that follows a response and
results in a decrease in the chances that the
response will be repeated.
For example, every time the rat presses the bar
for food, he receives an electric shock. He will
probably keep pressing but with longer delays
between bar presses.
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Consequences
Key point: reinforcers and punishers are defined by
their effects on behavior, not by your intentions...
While watching the 3 Stooges, 5-year-old Billy pokes his 4year-old sister. His father says, “Stop that!” A minute later,
Billy does it again, and his father yells at him. A few
seconds later, Billy laughs and gives little Kelly another
poke. In terms of operant conditioning, why did the
poking response increase rather than decrease?
Answer: the scoldings are a reinforcer.
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Antecedents
Discriminative stimulus: a stimulus that comes
before a response; it signals that if the response
occurs, it may be reinforced.
Delta stimulus: a stimulus that comes before a
response and signals that it will not be reinforced.
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Analyze this...
Billy’s father leaves the room for a few minutes to
answer the telephone. While he is out of the
room, Billy stops poking his sister. But when his
father comes back in, Billy starts doing it again.
Why?
Answer: The father’s presence is an SD; it signals that poking
responses will be reinforced by attention. His absence is an S .
It signals that poking responses will receive no attention.
Analyzing Behavior
The
A B C ‘s of Operant Conditioning
Antecedents
Discrimination: a situation in which a certain
response (like poking) is more likely to occur when
one stimulus is present (father present) than when
another stimulus is present (father absent).
Stimulus control: control of a response by a
discriminative stimulus. Billy’s poking response is
under stimulus control: his father’s presence.