Operant conditioning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, first systematically studied by B.F. Skinner. It refers to a learning process in which the consequences of a behavior influence the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future. Unlike classical conditioning, which associates stimuli, operant conditioning focuses on behavior and its consequences.
Key Concepts:
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Reinforcement – Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior.
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Positive reinforcement: Adding something desirable to increase behavior (e.g., giving a child candy for doing homework).
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Negative reinforcement: Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior (e.g., turning off a loud alarm when you wake up on time).
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Punishment – Anything that decreases the likelihood of a behavior.
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Positive punishment: Adding something unpleasant to reduce behavior (e.g., giving extra chores for misbehavior).
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Negative punishment: Removing something desirable to reduce behavior (e.g., taking away a toy for not following rules).
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Schedules of Reinforcement – Determines how often a behavior is reinforced:
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Continuous reinforcement: Rewarding every time the behavior occurs (fast learning, quick extinction if reward stops).
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Partial (intermittent) reinforcement: Rewarding only some instances (slower learning, more resistant to extinction). Types include fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and variable interval.
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Shaping – Reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior until the full behavior is achieved.
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Extinction – The decrease of a behavior when reinforcement is no longer provided.
Example:
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Teaching a dog to sit:
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Positive reinforcement: Give a treat when the dog sits.
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Negative reinforcement: Stop a mild annoying sound when the dog sits.
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Shaping: Initially reward when the dog bends its legs, then only when it fully sits.
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Related Concept: Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning explains much of human and animal learning, from classroom behaviours to workplace productivity and even habit formation.
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