Operant Conditioning

What is Operant Conditioning?

• Forms an association between a behavior and a consequence
• Behavior is affected by its consequences
• Uses reinforcment, not punishment
• Not learning from trial and error
• Burrhus Friederich Skinner had a big impact on operant conditioning

Experiment

• Hungry rat placed in a box for several days is fed through automatic dispenser
• Rat goes to tray whenever it hears dispenser (reinforcer)
• Lever operates food dispenser
• Immediatly after eating, rat presses lever rapidly
• Single consequence caused behavior to strengthen or be reinforced

Experiment Explained

• The behavior was the rat pressing the lever when it heard the dispenser
• Sound of dispenser was the reinforcer since it was followed by food
• When food no longer follows, behavior is extinguished

B.F. Skinner Principles

• Behavior that is positively reinforced will reoccur
• Information presented in small amounts so responses can be reinforced ("shaping")
• Reinforcements generalize across similar stimuli, leading to secondary conditioning.

4 Possible Consequences

• Something good is presented, so behavior increases, which leads to Positive Reinforcement (R+)
• Something good is taken away, so behavior decreases, which leads to Negative Punishment (P-)
• Something ad is presented, so behavior decreases, which leads to Positive Punishment (P+)
• Something bad is taken away, so behavior increases, which leads to Negative Reinforcement (R-)