Operant Conditioning

1. OPERANT
CONDITIONING
by
Burrhus Frederick Skinner
(B.F. Skinner)

2. Edward Lee Thorndike
(E.L. Thorndike)
 A psychologist
 Connectionism
 Law of Readiness
 Law of Exercise
 Law of Effect
 “puzzle box”

3. LAW OF EFFECT
(behavior that is followed
by pleasant consequences
is likely to be repeated,
and behavior followed by
unpleasant consequences
is less likely to be
repeated)

4. Burrhus Frederick Skinner
(B.F. Skinner)
 A psychologist, writer,
and inventor
 Graduated in Hamilton
College
 Completed his masters
and doctorate in Harvard
University

5. Cumulative Recorder
Air Crib Operation Pigeon
Skinner Box

6. Behavior which is reinforced tends to be repeated (i.e., strengthened);
Behavior which is not reinforced tends to die out-or be extinguished
(i.e., weakened).

7. REINFORCEMENT – results that makes us want to
repeat a behavior.
PUNISHMENT – results that makes us NOT want to
repeat behavior.
Study hard?
Good grades are
Positive reinforcement.
Didn’t study?
Bad grades are
Positive punishment.

8. POSITIVE
“adding something
(good)”
NEGATIVE
“taking something
(bad) away”

11. POSITIVE
“adding something
(bad)”
NEGATIVE
“taking something
(good) away”

12. PRIMARY when a reward strengths
REINFORCEMENT a behavior by itself.
when something strengthens a
behavior because it leads to a
primary reinforce.
SECONDARY
REINFORCEMENT

13. RESPONSE RATE
“the rate at which
the rat pressed the
lever ”
EXTINCTION
RATE
“the rate at which
lever pressing dies
out ”

14. EXTINCTION
RATE
“the rate at which
lever pressing dies
out ”

15. Continuous
Reinforcement Schedule
(CRF)
The subject learns that
the result of their
actions will always be
the same.
Partial Reinforcement
Schedule (PR)
Instead of responding every
time a person behaves in a
particular way, partial
reinforcement involves
rewarding behavior only on
some occasions.

16. Fixed Ratio Fixed Interval
Variable Ratio Variable Interval
BONUS! =
Salary
every 15th or
last day of
the month
Pop quiz!
Slot machine

17. Fixed Ratio
BONUS! =

18. Fixed Interval
Salary
every 15th or
last day of
the month

19. Variable Ratio
Slot machine

20. Variable Interval
Pop quiz!

21. Fixed Ratio Fixed Interval
Variable Ratio Variable Interval
BONUS! =
Salary
every 15th or
last day of
the month
Pop quiz!
Slot machine

22. SATIATION
“the degree of need”
IMMEDIACY
“the time elapsed between
the desired behavior and
the reinforcement”

23. CONTINGENCY
“to be most effective,
reinforcement should
occur consistently
after responses and
not at other times”
SIZE
“the magnitude of
a reward or punishment
can have a big effect on
the degree of response”

24. Shaping is a conditioning method much
used in animal training and in teaching
nonverbal humans. It depends on operant
variability and reinforcement.
SHAPING

27. SHAPING

29. You use a shock
collar on your dog
when it jumps on
people or barks at
them.

30. Your boss
removes all the
coffee machines
from the office
until your team
increases sale.

31. You give your
dog a treat for
performing a
trick.

32. Your mom says
you can’t go on a
vacation with
your friends for
summer break
because you got
in trouble at
school.

33. Your teacher colds
you when you
forget to bring
your textbook to
class.

34. Your teacher
gives out candy
to students who
participate the
most.

35. Your boss
posts a list of
which employees
have made the
most and fewest
sales each month.

36. You go to
jail for
drinking
alcohol while
driving.

37. (As a woman)
whenever you wear
make-up, people
give you more
attention.

38. Whenever you kid
screams, cries, or
complains, you give
them candy to make
them quiet.

39. McLeod, S. A. (2018). “Skinner – Operant Conditionig”.
Retrieved from Simply Psychology, on June 19, 2019,
https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-
conditioning.html
Singson, Malyn (2014). “B.F. Skinner’s Operant
Conditioning”. Retrieved from Slideshare, on June 19,
2019, https://www.slideshare.net/Nenemane/operant-
conditioning-32341805

40. Georgi, Sam (2015). “Operant Conditioning”. Retrieved
from Slideshare, on June 19,2019,
https://www.slideshare.net/srgeorgi/operant-
conditioning-46411159