Operant Conditioning 

• A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment. 

Classical VS. Operant 

• They both use acquisition, discrimination, SR, generalization, and extinction.
• Classical Conditioning is automatic (respondent behavior). Dogs automatically salivate over meat, then bell- no thinking involved. 
• Operant Conditioning involves behavior where one can influence their environment with behaviors which have consequences. (Operant behavior).

The Law of Effect 

• Edward Thorndike
• Law of Effect: rewarded behavior is likely to recur. 

B. F. Skinner 

• Comes up w/ a term - Shaping: a procedure in Operant Conditioning in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer towards the goal. 

Reinforcer 

• Any event that STRENGTHENS the behavior it follows.
• Two types if Reinforcement: positive & negative. 

Positive Reinforcement 

• Strengthens a response by presenting a stimulus after a response. 

Negative Reinforcement 

• Strengthens a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus. 

Primary Reinforcer 

• An innately reinforcing stimulus 

Conditioned (secondary) Reinforcer 

• A stimulus that gains it reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer. 

Punishment 

• An event that DECREASES the behavior that it follows. 
• Does punishment work? 

Continuous Reinforcement 

• Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.
• Ex: putting money into a vending machines, food comes out.

Partial Reinformemt 

• Reinforcing a response only part of the time. 
• The acquisition process is slower. 
• Greater resistance to extinction. 

Fixed - Ratio Schedules 

• A scheduled that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses. 
• Ex: I give Cookie Monster a cookie every give times he sings "C is for cookie". 

Variable-ratio Schedule 

• A schedule if reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses. 
• Ex: I give Homer a donut at random times when he says "DOH!!!" 

Fixed - Interval Schedule 

• A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed. 
• Ex: I give Bart a Butterfinger even minutes after he moons someone. 

Variable - interval Schedule 

• A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time interval. 
• Ex: Pop Quizzes.