Transcript O.C. Day 1

Classical Conditioning Review
• An individual receives frequent injections
of drugs, which are administered in a small
examination room at a clinic. The drug
itself causes increased heart rate but after
several trips to the clinic, simply being in a
small room causes an increased heart
rate.
US: Drug
CS: small rooms
UR: increased heart rate
CR: increased heart rate
Operant Conditioning
The Learner is NOT passive.
Learning based on
consequence!!!
Classical vs. Operant Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
Behavior is determined
by what PRECEDES it.
Operant Conditioning
Behavior is determined
by anticipation of what
FOLLOWS it.
Involuntary
Voluntary
Dog salivates after a
tone.
Dog sits in anticipation
of getting a treat.
They both use acquisition, discrimination, Spontaneous
Recovery, generalization and extinction.
Operant Conditioning
• A type of learning in which behavior is
strengthened if followed by
reinforcement or diminished if followed
by punishment.
Edward L. Thorndike
• Animals placed in
puzzle boxes
• String pulled, latch
released, animal jumps
out and receives food
• Learning by random
trial and error
• Law of Effect –
Thorndike’s principle
that responses are
“stamped in” by
rewards and “stamped
out” by punishments.
Law of Effect: rewarded behavior is
likely to reoccur
B.F. Skinner
Operant Chamber
Using Thorndike's law of effect as a
starting point, Skinner developed
the Operant chamber, or the Skinner
box, to study operant conditioning.
Walter Dawn/ Photo Researchers, Inc.
Skinner’s: Operant Conditioning Chamber
B.F. Skinner: Project Pigeon
• Pigeons would guide WWII missiles to
targets
• However, pigeon equipment was bulky =
plans were abandoned 
Giant Rats in Mozambique
Dolphins in Vietnam to sniff
out mines too!
(higher survival
rate than any Sea World or
academic center!)
How do we actually use Operant
Conditioning?
Do we wait for the
subject to deliver the
desired behavior?
Sometimes, we use a
process called
shaping.
Shaping is reinforcing
small steps on the way
to the desired
behavior.
To train a dog to get your
slippers, you would have to
reinforce him in small
steps. First, to find the
slippers. Then to put them
in his mouth. Then to
bring them to you and so
on…this is shaping
behavior.
Reinforcer
• Any event that STRENGTHENS the
behavior it follows.
Two Types of Reinforcement:
Positive and Negative
Positive Reinforcement
• Strengthens a response by adding a
stimulus after a response.
Negative Reinforcement
• Removes something unpleasant that was
already in the environment following a behavior,
making that behavior more likely to occur again
• (think avoiding/escaping)
Positive or Negative?
Putting your seatbelt on.
Faking sick to
avoid psych
class.
Studying for a test.
Having a headache and
taking an aspirin.
Breaking out
of jail.
Getting a kiss
for doing the
dishes.
Punishment
• An event that
DECREASES
the behavior that it
follows.
Punishment
Meant to decrease a
behavior.
Positive Punishment
• Addition of something
unpleasant.
Negative Punishment
• Removal of something
pleasant.
Punishment works best
when it is immediately
done after behavior
and if it is harsh!
Types of Reinforcers
Primary Reinforcer
• An innately reinforcing stimulus
Conditioned (Secondary)
Reinforcer
• A stimulus that gains its reinforcing
power through its association with a
primary reinforcer.