Psychology Final – Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning

A type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior

Psychologist who is most associated with operant conditioning. Used pigeons in most of his experiments, but at one point even used his own child in his "box". Studied the role of responses in learning.

A pleasant consequence that strengthens the tendency to repeat a behavior.

Ex: Getting candy for a correct response

A unpleasant consequence that weakens the tendency to repeat a behavior. Ex: being told by the teacher that your response was stupid leads you to raise your hand in class less.

When a behavior is followed by desirable event or state. Doing well on a test after studying.

You study more often after receiving the good grade.

When a behavior ends an undesirable event or state. You get a 0 after copying someone's homework. You stop copying homework.

Reinforcement of behaviors that are more and more similar to the one you want to occur; new technique used to establish new behaviors. Ex: Teaching a dog how to roll over.

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses. Ex: Gambling

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards only the first correct response after some defined period of time. Ex: A teacher who only collects homework on Wednesdays

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards a response only after some defined number of correct responses. Ex: Buy 3 t-shirts get the 4th t-shirt free.

In operant conditioning, a partial reinforcement schedule that rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time. Ex: Pop Quizzes - you never know when they are coming.

Learning by observing others. Ex: Violence on TV or learning from Sesame Street

Children would watch adults toss the bobo doll around and shout things like "sock him in the nose...

hit him down... kick him" and then put the children in a room with the same doll and they would mimick the exact thing the adults did

Psychologist who conducted the Bobo doll experiment - leader in observational learning. Believed that humans learn from observing others.