Schedules
A researcher is attempting to condition rats to press a lever for food. After every 10 times the rats press the lever, the researcher gives the rat food. What schedule does this scenario describe?
Fixed Ratio (FR)
This response-rate schedule is contingent upon emitting at least a certain number of responses in a certain period of time. Reinforcement is provided for responding at a fast rate. Prime examples of this type of schedule would be athletic events such as running or swimming when winning is directly contingent on a rapid series of responses.
Differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH)
This effect describes an increase in the strength and/or efficiency of responding as one draws near to the goal. An example of this effect would be when you are working on an assignment a couple hours or minutes before it is due. You are more focused on the assignment and do not take breaks, as the deadline is coming fast.
The goal gradient effect
What is a temporary increase in the frequency and intensity of responding when extinction is first implemented? An example would be if the elevator stops working, and you continuously and more forcefully press the buttons in an attempt to make the elevator work again.
Extinction Burst
The tendency for an operant response to be emitted more in the presence of one stimulus than another
Stimulus discrimination
A researcher attempts to use a schedule to train rats to expect food after a predictable period of time. The rats press a lever to obtain food. The researcher gives food to the rats after they press the lever after every one minute has passed. What schedule does this scenario describe?
Fixed Interval (FI)
In this response-rate schedule, reinforcement is provided for responding at a slow rate. An example of this would be a parent that wants their child to slow down on their homework for quality purposes. The child might receive a reward if they take longer to do their homework rather than speeding through the questions.
Differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL)
This theory describes what happens when a physiological drive is reduced in association to a reinforcer. For example, when you are deprived of food, your “hunger drive” propels you to seek out food/nourishment. The behavior that led you to the food is strengthened, while your hunger is reduced.
Drive Reduction Theory
This is a side effect of extinction that is unusual. This is described as the reappearance during extinction of other behaviors that had once been effective in obtaining reinforcement. This would be like asking your dad to go do something when your mom already said no. You have tried this tactic before, and it does not work because your parents already discovered your actions. This is usually the result of desperation
Resurgence
An example of this effect would be training a rat to respond to a high pitch sound, and to not respond to a low pitch sound. Once the rat learns that the low pitch will not produce a result, and the high pitch will, the rat will actually respond to even higher pitches more than the original high pitched tone.
the peak shift effect
During football practice, a coach wants to increase the stamina of his players. He plans to reward them for every 30 minutes of continuous running. If the players do not run for the full 30 minutes, they will not receive a reward. What schedule does this scenario describe?
In this response-rate schedule, reinforcement is provided for responding neither too fast nor too slow. Think of musicians in a band. The band requires that musical instruments are performed at a specific pace.
Differential reinforcement of paced responding (DRP)
Lynn is extremely tired. She wants to go to bed more than anything. However, she can’t go to bed until she finishes her homework. Lynn doing her homework is a low probability behavior where going to sleep is a high probability behavior. She tells herself that she will get to go to bed as soon as her homework is finished. What principle does this scenario describe?
The Premack principle
The extent to which responding persists after an extinction procedure has been implemented. An example would be a dog that begs for 20 minutes at the dinner table when he is not given any dinner scraps.
Resistance to extinction
This is a complex schedule that consists of two or more independent schedules presented in sequence, each resulting in reinforcement and each having a distinctive discriminative stimulus. For example, a red light might signal an FI schedule for a rat where a green light signals a VI schedule. These lights will be shown in random order, but the rat will respond accordingly
Multiple Schedule
Betty’s son has been struggling with school. She wants to reinforce her son to study more for his classes. After about 30 minutes, she gives him a treat to keep him studying. She doesn’t pay too much attention to precise timing, but she uses an estimated average of 30 minutes for the reward. What schedule does this scenario describe?
Variable Duration (VD)
For this noncontingent schedule, regardless of the organism’s behavior, a reinforcer is delivered after a specific amount of time has passed. Imagine Santa isn’t making a list, and doesn’t care if you’re naughty or nice. Every year, you receive a present on Christmas regardless of your behavior.
Fixed Time Schedule (FT)
After every 10 laps around the track, a coach tells their players that they will receive a slice of pizza. This would be an example of what type of schedule?
Fixed Ratio (FR)
The reappearance of an extinguished response following a rest period after extinction. An example would be trying to train your dog to stop responding to a dinner bell. You hide the bell in an attempt to extinguish the association. After a few days, you ring the bell to see if the dog will respond. The dog goes straight to the food bowl when you ring the bell.
Spontaneous Recovery
This occurs when a change in the rate of reinforcement on one component of a multiple schedule produces an opposite change in the rate of response on another component. As the rate of reinforcement on one component changes in one direction, the rate of response on the other component changes in the opposite direction
Behavioral contrast
Different types of intermittent schedules produce different rates of response. The different rates are by-products of the schedule. However, in a _________ schedule, reinforcement is directly contingent upon the organism’s rate of response.
Response-Rate
For this noncontingent schedule, a reinforcer is delivered after an average amount of time has passed, regardless of the organism’s behavior. Imagine if you were to hypothetically run into an old friend about every 3 months. This is an unpredictable amount of time followed by a free reinforcer.
Variable Time Schedule (VT)
After every 45 consecutive minutes of studying, Trina’s mom rewards her with a treat. This would be an example of what type of schedule?
Fixed Duration (FD)
This is a procedure in which there is a reinforcement of any behavior other than the behavior that is being extinguished. In class, there was an example of a child screaming in a supermarket. You reinforce the behavior of the child calming down by telling them they can have a snack in the car if they are calm for the rest of the time spent in the store.
Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)
The process of gradually altering the intensity of a stimulus is known as _______. For example, one can do this with music by gradually changing the volume of the music
Fading