Unit 5 Textbook

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Questions and Answers

What is instrumental behavior?

An activity that is automatic and not influenced by consequences

An activity that occurs without any specific purpose

An activity that is not influenced by the environment

An activity that occurs because it is effective in producing a particular consequence or reinforcer (correct)

According to Thorndike's Law of Effect, what happens if a response is followed by a satisfying event?

The association between the stimulus and the response will be strengthened (correct)

The response will be forgotten

The association between the stimulus and the response will be weakened

The response will become automatic

What is an example of a compulsive habit as per the text?

Seeing the popcorn

Smelling the popcorn

Eating popcorn beyond enjoyment (correct)

Enjoying the taste of popcorn

What does running speed measure in discrete-trial procedures?

How fast the animal runs down Signup and view all the answers

What is an operant response defined by?

The effect it produces in the environment Signup and view all the answers

What is response shaping in the context of instrumental conditioning?

Reinforcing certain behaviors to eventually get them to perform the desired behavior Signup and view all the answers

What does shaping usually involve?

Combining familiar behaviors to get to a new behavioral response Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an aversive stimulus?

Sound of yelling Signup and view all the answers

What does positive reinforcement involve?

Instrumental response producing an appetitive stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of positive punishment as per the text?

Running in the street followed by mother's yelling Signup and view all the answers

What is negative reinforcement in instrumental conditioning?

Instrumental response turns off the aversive stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is the critical outcome for success in instrumental conditioning?

Operational outcome Signup and view all the answers

What are the three types of operant conditioning mentioned in the text?

Positive punishment, negative reinforcement, and omission training Signup and view all the answers

What does differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) involve?

Periodically delivering a positive reinforcer only if the targeted response is not exhibited Signup and view all the answers

What does reinforcement do to the likelihood of a response being repeated?

Increases it Signup and view all the answers

What does belongingness indicate in instrumental conditioning?

There must be a natural linkage between a reinforcer and an animal for it to be effective Signup and view all the answers

What does behavior systems theory suggest about instrumental conditioning?

It works best if compatible with an animal's feeding system Signup and view all the answers

What influences the effectiveness of a reinforcer?

Quantity and quality Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized by the response-reinforcer contingency?

The importance of both temporal contiguity and contingency in producing reinforcement Signup and view all the answers

What does Skinner's superstition experiment highlight?

The distinction between temporal contiguity and contingency in operant conditioning Signup and view all the answers

What can attention serve as in instrumental conditioning?

A reinforcer for behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental element of instrumental conditioning that involves the instrumental response and the outcome of the response?

The relation or contingency between the response and outcome Signup and view all the answers

What kind of reinforcement is the most effective?

Immediate reinforcement Signup and view all the answers

What does the quantity and quality of the reinforcer influence?

Its effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

What do terminal responses reflect in the context of the Superstition Experiment?

Anticipation of food Signup and view all the answers

What is the Learned Helplessness Hypothesis primarily concerned with?

Expectation of lack of control Signup and view all the answers

What do the Activity Deficit Hypothesis and Attention Deficit Hypothesis propose as alternatives to the Helplessness Hypothesis?

Learning deficits due to freezing and reduced attention Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of exposure to uncontrollable shock on subsequent learning?

Learned helplessness effect Signup and view all the answers

What does the triadic design consist of in the context of the Superstition Experiment?

Exposure phase and conditioning phase Signup and view all the answers

What do interim responses represent in the Superstition Experiment?

Other sources of motivation when food presentation is unlikely Signup and view all the answers

What does strong contingency mean in the context of the Superstition Experiment?

The response controls the reinforcer Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of instrumental conditioning in the context of motivation analysis?

Response-allocation and functional perspectives Signup and view all the answers

What does contingency ensure in instrumental conditioning?

The reinforcer is delivered only after the specified occurrence Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary outcome of exposure to uncontrollable stimulation in the Superstition Experiment?

Undermining the subject's ability to cope Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental element of instrumental conditioning involving the S-R association following the law of effect?

Stimulus context (S), instrumental response (R), and response outcome/reinforcer (O) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary influence of instrumental response in the termination of an aversive stimulus?

Termination of aversive stimulus Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Instrumental Conditioning in Behavioral Psychology

Three types of operant conditioning: positive punishment, negative reinforcement, and omission training
Attention can serve as a reinforcer for behavior, leading to either an increase or decrease in responses
Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) involves periodically delivering a positive reinforcer only if the targeted response is not exhibited
Fundamental elements of instrumental conditioning include the instrumental response, the outcome of the response, and the relation or contingency between the response and outcome
Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a response being repeated and can lead to either behavioral variability or stereotyped behavior
Belongingness in instrumental conditioning indicates that there must be a natural linkage between a reinforcer and an animal for it to be effective
Behavior systems theory suggests that instrumental conditioning works best if compatible with an animal's feeding system
The quantity and quality of the reinforcer influence its effectiveness, with shifts in reinforcer quality or quantity leading to behavioral contrast effects
The relationship between the response and reinforcer involves temporal relation, temporal contiguity, and causal relation
Immediate reinforcement is the most effective, with delayed reinforcement requiring mechanisms such as secondary or conditioned reinforcers
The response-reinforcer contingency emphasizes the importance of both temporal contiguity and contingency in producing reinforcement
Skinner's superstition experiment highlights the distinction between temporal contiguity and contingency in operant conditioning, with accidental or adventitious reinforcement leading to superstitious behavior

Reinterpretation of the Superstition Experiment: Terminal and Interim Responses

Terminal responses are more likely at the end of fixed intervals when the reinforcer is presented, while interim responses have the highest probability of occurring in the middle of the interval between presentations when the reinforcer is unlikely to occur.
Food delivery only reinforced terminal responses, and no accidental reinforcement effects were found, with not much difference between interim and terminal responses.
Terminal responses reflect anticipation of food, while interim responses represent other sources of motivation when food presentation is unlikely.
Strong contingency means the response controls the reinforcer, while exposure to uncontrollable shock disrupts subsequent learning, leading to a learned helplessness effect.
The triadic design consists of two phases: exposure phase and conditioning phase, with animals showing sensitivity to the contingency of shock escapability.
The Learned Helplessness Hypothesis posits that animals expect they will not be in control in the future, preventing them from learning new responses.
The Activity Deficit Hypothesis and Attention Deficit Hypothesis are alternatives to the Helplessness Hypothesis, proposing learning deficits due to freezing and reduced attention following inescapable shock.
Animals find it easier to learn a response if they can escape fear, as instrumental response results in termination of aversive stimulus and internal sensory feedback cues.
Contingency ensures the reinforcer is delivered only after the specified occurrence, while contiguity ensures that other activities do not intrude between the specified response and the reinforcer.
Exposure to uncontrollable stimulation induces behavioral effects undermining the subject's ability to cope, while controllable stimulation may help them cope with uncontrollable later, affecting PTSD and depression.
Motivation in instrumental conditioning is analyzed from Thorndike’s and Pavlovian conditioning perspectives, focusing on response-allocation and functional perspectives.
Instrumental learning involves stimulus context (S), instrumental response (R), and response outcome/reinforcer (O), with the strengthening of the S-R association following the law of effect.

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Test your knowledge of instrumental conditioning in behavioral psychology with this quiz. Explore concepts such as operant conditioning, reinforcement, and the reinterpretation of Skinner's superstition experiment. Dive into the fundamental elements of instrumental conditioning and understand the relationship between responses and reinforcers. Assess your understanding of terminal and interim responses, the Learned Helplessness Hypothesis, and the impact of controllability on coping mechanisms.