Instrumental Conditioning

biofeedback

A system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

instrumental conditioning

A form of learning in which the participant receives a reinforcer only after performing the desired response, and thereby learns a relationship between the response and the reinforcer. Also called operant conditioning.

Response-Deprivation Theory

A model for predicting whether contingent access to one behavior will function as reinforcement for engaging in another behavior based on whether access to the contingent behavior represents a restriction of the activity compared to the baseline level of engagement.

variable interval

A schedule in which the reinforcement is presented after a varying amount of time

partial reinforcement

A type of learning in which behavior is reinforced intermittently.

autoshaping

A type of sign tracking in which a pigeon comes to automatically peck at a response key because the key light has been associated with the response-independent delivery of food.

nonreversal shift

An experimental procedure in which reinforcement shifts to discriminating a new dimension of difference between objects (ex- shape v. size).

escape

An instrumental conditioning procedure in which the instrumental response terminates an aversive stimulus

shaping

An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.

non-continuity approach

Discrimination is achieved by attention to particular dimensions and hypothesis testing. Behavior can change drastically from one trial to another as a different hypothesis is tested.

continuity approach

Discrimination is achieved by gradual association of one stimulus with reward (excitation) and one with non-reward (inhibition). These associations spread to similar stimuli

sequential hypothesis

Each response is followed by a cue: reinforcement or nonreinforcement

reinforcer priming

Exposure to reinforcer may enhance responding

discounting

Future rewards are not valued as highly as immediate rewards; future punishments are not feared as much as immediate punishments

fixed interval

In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed

chaining

In operant conditioning, combining the steps of a sequence to progress toward a final action

species-specific defensive reactions

Innate responses primed in dangerous situations

instinctive drift

Learned behavior that shifts toward instinctive, unlearned behavior tendencies

negative autoshaping

Pigeon continues to peck even though pecking at key light cancels the food.

self-control

Studied behaviorally by requiring choice between immediate small reward and larger delayed reward

learned helplessness

The behavior of giving up or not responding to punishment, exhibited by people or animals exposed to negative consequences or punishment over which they have no control

matching law

The proportion of responses that a subject makes of a certain kind matches the proportion of reinforcement that is received from the responses

frustration hypothesis

There is greater frustration for animals who switch from continuous reinforcement to extinction than for animals who go from partial reinforcement to extinction

peak shift

This refers to the phenomenon in which a bad stimulus in discrimination training can move where the most responses occur away so that it's no longer centered over the discriminative stimulus. It only occurs in intradimensional training

behavior system

a related set of perceptual, behavioral, and motivational elements that function together like a unit.

variable ratio

a schedule where reinforcement happens after a varied number of responses

secondary reinforcement

anything that comes to represent a primary reinforcer, such as money bringing food

two process theory

classical conditioning and operant conditioning can interact to establish new behaviors

cognitive accounts

development of expectations

reversal shift

discriminate between color (respond to black circle/square but not to white circle/square)

Bliss point

ideal distribution of time and effort across all activities.

operant chamber

in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal's rate of bar pressing or key pecking

discrimination hypothesis

it is harder to distinguish (or discriminate) between extinction and an intermittent schedule than between extinction and a continuous schedule.

social reinforcement

motivated by being praised. ex.if study than can go out

stimulus control

performance of a behavior is contingent on the presence of a certain stimuli

resurgence

recovery of an extinguished response after extinction of a competing behavior

omission training

removal of a rewarding consequence that follows a voluntary behavior thereby decreasing the probability the behavior will be repeated.

contrast effect

switch from small to large reinforcement (or vice versa)

drive-reduction theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state that motivates an organism to satisfy the need. Positive reinforcers reduce drives, and negative reinforcers increase drives

law of effect

the principle that behaviors are selected by their consequences (Thorndike)

probability matching

the tendency to choose an alternative with a probability that matches the frequency with which that alternative occurs in experience

goal gradient hypothesis

the tendency to strive toward or achieve a goal increases w/proximity to that goal.

generalization

transfer of a response learned from one stimulus to a similar stimulus

Premack principle

A principle that states that making the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior contingent on the occurrence of a low-frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low-frequency behavior.

behavioral contrast

A response pattern in which an organism evaluates a reward relative to other available rewards or those that have been available recently.

discriminative stimulus

A specific stimulus in the presence of which a particular response is more likely to be reinforced, and in the absence of which a particular response is not reinforced.

spontaneous recovery

Recurrence of an extinguished conditioned response, usually following a rest period

fixed ratio

Reinforce behavior after a set number of responses

incentive motivation

Reinforcers are incentives that elicit responding

discrimination training

Reinforcing behavior in presence of one discriminant stimulus while not reinforcing in presence of another

Sidman avoidance procedure

an escape avoidance training procedure in which no stimulus regularly precedes the aversive stimulus. Also called unsignaled avoidance.