Transcript Operant Conditioning - California State University, Fullerton

Operant Conditioning
B.F. Skinner
Operant
Response
A form of learning in which a specific action
(an operant response) is made to occur either
more frequently or less frequently by
manipulating its consequences in the
environment.
Changes in
Environment
Change in
response
Pole beeps,
Dog taps
Dog taps
food given
target
target
again
An operant response “operates” on the
environment and causes it to change in some way.
The environment, in turn, causes the behavior
to change in some way.
Operant Conditioning
Versus
Classical Conditioning
In Classical Conditioning, the subject’s response has
no consequences; it produces no change in the
environment.
The dog gets the food after the bell is rung whether
or not he salivates to the bell. His behavior doesn’t
matter.
In Operant Conditioning, the dog has to tap the target to
get the food. His behavior does matter.
In other words, in Pavlov’s experiment,
the food is not a reward for responding to
the bell because it is given no matter what
the dog does.
In the Operant Conditioning example, the
food is a reward because it depends on
the dog’s behavior—he has to tap the
target.
Operant Conditioning works on the
Law of Effect: behavior changes
according to its consequences.
The Law of Effect does not apply to Classical
Conditioning. Reflexes are not sensitive
to their consequences.
Operant Conditioning Research
The “Skinner Box”