Questions and Answers
What is instrumental conditioning?
Learning of behaviors that were previously instrumental in producing certain consequences.
Instrumental behavior is commonly referred to as '________ ________'.
Goal directed
What are some examples of instrumental conditioning?
Studying hard to get a high score in an exam; a baby crying to get attention from parents; putting a coin into a vending machine to get food.
What is the difference between instrumental and classical conditioning?
Signup and view all the answers
In _________ conditioning, the animal has no control over the occurrence of the stimuli. In __________ conditioning, the occurrence/nonoccurrence of the stimuli is dependent upon the animal's response.
Signup and view all the answers
Who was a pioneer in the research of instrumental conditioning?
Signup and view all the answers
Describe Edward Thorndike's puzzle box.
Signup and view all the answers
What was Thorndike's main observation during his puzzle box experiments?
Signup and view all the answers
Thorndike noticed that animals learned on a _________ basis.
Signup and view all the answers
According to Thorndike, what did the successful escapes from his puzzle box lead to?
Signup and view all the answers
What did the consequence of escaping a puzzle box strengthen according to Thorndike?
Signup and view all the answers
Describe Thorndike's law of effect.
Signup and view all the answers
What are the two main current procedures to study instrumental learning?
Signup and view all the answers
Describe a discrete-trial procedure.
Signup and view all the answers
Are Thorndike's puzzle box and a runaway (I-shape) maze examples of discrete trial procedures?
Signup and view all the answers
What are three dependent variables used in discrete-trial procedures? Describe them.
Signup and view all the answers
Describe free-operant procedures.
Signup and view all the answers
Who first devised free-operant procedures?
Signup and view all the answers
Describe the Skinner box.
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Instrumental Conditioning Overview
- Instrumental conditioning involves learning behaviors that lead to specific consequences.
- Instrumental behavior is often termed "goal-directed."
Examples of Instrumental Conditioning
- Studying hard for high exam scores.
- Babies crying to attract parental attention.
- Inserting a coin into a vending machine to obtain food.
Classical vs. Instrumental Conditioning
- Classical conditioning relies on stimuli to produce responses.
- In instrumental conditioning, responses generate stimuli.
Control Over Stimuli
- In classical conditioning, animals have no control over stimulus occurrence.
- Instrumental conditioning requires animals to respond to produce outcomes.
Edward Thorndike's Contributions
- Edward Thorndike was a pioneer in instrumental conditioning research and animal intelligence studies.
- He developed puzzle boxes for his experiments, where animals had to escape to obtain food.
Thorndike's Puzzle Box
- An animal placed in a box must perform specific actions to escape and reach visible food outside.
- Responses included pulling a ring to release a latch blocking the exit.
Observations from Puzzle Box Experiments
- Latency to escape decreased across trials.
- Animals showed varied initial responses, gradually honing in on successful escape actions.
Learning Process in Animals
- Animals learned through a trial-and-error method, with some actions leading to the desired outcome.
Association Learning
- Thorndike identified an association between being inside the puzzle box (S) and the escape response (R).
Strengthening of Associations
- Successful escapes strengthened the S-R association, leading to faster responses over time.
Thorndike's Law of Effect
- Responses followed by satisfying outcomes strengthen the S-R association.
- Responses followed by unpleasant outcomes weaken the S-R association.
Current Procedures for Instrumental Learning
- Two main procedures: discrete-trial procedures and free-operant procedures.
Discrete-Trial Procedure
- Animal is removed from the apparatus after each training trial, allowing only one response per trial.
Applications of Discrete-Trial Procedures
- Thorndike's puzzle box and maze designs utilize discrete-trial procedures, with responses performed once per trial.
Dependent Variables in Discrete-Trial Procedures
- Running speed: time to travel between start box and goal box; increases with conditioning.
- Latency: time taken to leave the start box; decreases with conditioning.
- Choice: in T-mazes, choice accuracy improves with conditioning.
Free-Operant Procedures
- Enable animals to perform instrumental responses repeatedly without constraints.
Origin of Free-Operant Procedures
- Developed by B.F. Skinner for continuous behavior studies.
Skinner Box Design
- Allows animals to receive rewards (food, water) or punishments (shock), with response mechanisms (levers or keys) controlling stimuli.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
This quiz focuses on the key concepts of instrumental conditioning as outlined in Chapter 5. It covers definitions, examples, and terminology related to goal-directed behavior. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of this foundational psychological theory.