Psychsim 5: Operant Conditioning

Classical Versus Operant Conditioning: Classical and Operant differ in when an event takes place. Classical conditioning involves an event, and then a conditioned response, while Operant relies on a decision, knowing what the following event may be. Reinforcement and Punishment: Reinforcement increases the likelyhood of the behaviour repeating. Giving a dog a treat for coming in after going to the bathroom outside. Removing chores when a teenager obeys their curfew. Punishment decreased the likelyhood of the behaviour repeating. Giving a child time-out for hitting a kid in class. Continuous Versus Partial Reinforcement

The behaviour could likely stop as well. Schedules of Reinforcement Giving reinforcement after a constant number of responses. Paying a teenager after they complete 5 chores. Giving reinforcement after a response, after a constant amount of time has elapsed. Letting a child take a 15 minute break for every hour of homework they do. Giving reinforcement after a changing number of responses. Gamblers at a slot machine don’t know how often they’ll be reinforced. Giving reinforcement after a response, after a changing amount of time has elapsed. Fishermen don’t have a constent reinforcement after casting their line.

Simulated Experiment: Variable ratio is the most resistant to extinction long term. In any constant situation, the subject may notice a pattern in the number of responses they must provide, or how long they must wait for a reinforcement. In a variable interval senario, it’s true they will respond more because they don’t know how short the interval may be, but they won’t be constantly responding. In a variable ratio schedule, the subject would have to keep responding, and after a changing amount of responses finally be reinforced. This would keep the subject responding at a higher rate.