Psych 1X03: Instrumental Conditioning

What is the over-justification effect?

a change in perception caused by reward (ex. volunteering for fun vs. for resume)

Variable Interval Graph:

straight slope

Law of Effect...

actions maintained if followed by pleasant consequences, or eliminated if unpleasent

What is the S-Delta (Sδ)?

-a cue that indicates when the contingent relationship is not valid -also signals no contingency (ex. diff. environment)

Partial Reinforcement: Fixed Ratio...

a set amount.. 1 cake for every A+ (ex. FR-1: Cake for every A+)

What does reinforcer mean?

a stimulus that changes frequency of a certain behaviour (most effective if specific behaviour immediately leads to specific consequence)

What is successive approximation?

chaining; learning complex contingency by smaller, gradual steps through reward training

Punishment Training...

ex. being scolded after teasing

Escape Training...

ex. no chores after good grades

Omission Training...

ex. time out after being grumpy

Reward Training..

ex. treat after dogs trick

What is instrumental conditioning?

explicit training for learning contingency between voluntary behaviour and consequences (ex. touching a hot stove)

What are reward contrast effects?

having a higher response rate with better reward

What is autoshaping?

learning behaviour-consequence contingency without explicit training

What is acquisition?

learning contingency that response leads to consequence

Variable Ratio Graph:

more frequent reward, steeper rate

What is Partial Reinforcement?

more likely to form longer contingency than continuous, after reinforcement stops

Fixed Ratio Graph:

pause and run

Thorndike...

put cats in a box opened by rope, randomness of behaviour gradually decreased, but nothing is learned (never a distinct "aha" moment for cats)

Partial Reinforcement: Variable Interval...

receiving reinforcement at any time... *approx every 2 min (ex. VI-2: studying for quizzes approx. 2/month; cake approx. every 2 min)

Partial Reinforcement: Variable Ratio...

reinforcement is delivered after some random # of responses around characteristic mean (ex. VR-10: cake odds of 1 in 10)

Partial Reinforcement: Fixed Interval...

reinforcement is delivered following the first response after a set interval of time.. *every 2 min (ex. FI-2: exam studying 2/year; cake every 2 min)

What is continuous reinforcement?

reinforcement presented after each trial of behaviour

Fixed Interval Graph:

scalloped

What is generalization?

the greater the similarity to the SD, greater rate of behaviour

What is extinction?

when the SD is presented without reward, so contingency and behaviour stops (ex. eating no veggies after grandparents stop giving cookies)

What is discrimination?

when the Sδ is presented without reward, so contingency and behaviour is specific (ex. eating veggies only in grandparents house, but not at a friend's house)

Stamping In/Stamping Out...

•behaviours with + consequences are stamped in •behaviours with - consequences are stamped out (behaviour refinement; response->reward)

Increase frequency of behaviour (stamped in)...

•present + reinforcer (reward training) •remove - reinforcer (escape training)

Decrease frequency of behaviour (stamped out)...

•present - reinforcer (punishment training) •remove + reinforcer (omission training)

What is the discriminative stimulus (SD)?

-sets the occasion for a response (environment) -also signals contingency between response and reinforcement