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Questions and Answers
What is the term for the stimulus to which a person learns to respond?
What is the term for the stimulus to which a person learns to respond?
What does extinction in classical conditioning refer to?
What does extinction in classical conditioning refer to?
Which concept explains that responses producing a satisfying effect are likely to recur?
Which concept explains that responses producing a satisfying effect are likely to recur?
What is the process called that reinforces steps leading to a complex behavior?
What is the process called that reinforces steps leading to a complex behavior?
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What is the term for an aversive stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a response?
What is the term for an aversive stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a response?
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In Skinner's view, what plays a crucial role in explaining variability in behavior?
In Skinner's view, what plays a crucial role in explaining variability in behavior?
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What is an unconditioned response in classical conditioning?
What is an unconditioned response in classical conditioning?
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Which of the following statements captures the essence of operant conditioning?
Which of the following statements captures the essence of operant conditioning?
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What is reinforcement?
What is reinforcement?
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Which of the following describes negative reinforcement?
Which of the following describes negative reinforcement?
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What happens in a continuous reinforcement schedule?
What happens in a continuous reinforcement schedule?
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In a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule, what remains constant?
In a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule, what remains constant?
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Which reinforcement schedule results in the slowest conditioning?
Which reinforcement schedule results in the slowest conditioning?
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What is superstitious behavior according to Skinner?
What is superstitious behavior according to Skinner?
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What does a variable ratio reinforcement schedule rely on?
What does a variable ratio reinforcement schedule rely on?
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How did Skinner view personality?
How did Skinner view personality?
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What was Burrhus Frederik Skinner's initial career aspiration before turning to psychology?
What was Burrhus Frederik Skinner's initial career aspiration before turning to psychology?
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Which University did Skinner attend to pursue his education in psychology?
Which University did Skinner attend to pursue his education in psychology?
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Which of the following publications was released by Skinner in 1948?
Which of the following publications was released by Skinner in 1948?
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What concept did Skinner emphasize as essential for modifying behavior?
What concept did Skinner emphasize as essential for modifying behavior?
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What was Skinner awarded by the American Psychology Association shortly before his death?
What was Skinner awarded by the American Psychology Association shortly before his death?
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What is the primary focus of Skinner's functional analysis of behavior?
What is the primary focus of Skinner's functional analysis of behavior?
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What was Skinner's stance on the importance of biological variability in personality?
What was Skinner's stance on the importance of biological variability in personality?
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Which term best describes behavior that occurs due to reinforcement but lacks a logical connection to the reward?
Which term best describes behavior that occurs due to reinforcement but lacks a logical connection to the reward?
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What is considered a secondary reinforcer?
What is considered a secondary reinforcer?
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What does stimulus generalization refer to?
What does stimulus generalization refer to?
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What happens during the process of stimulus discrimination?
What happens during the process of stimulus discrimination?
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What is flooding in behavior therapy?
What is flooding in behavior therapy?
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According to Skinner, what can be said about learned behaviors?
According to Skinner, what can be said about learned behaviors?
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How did Skinner view the causes of behavior?
How did Skinner view the causes of behavior?
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What is the primary function of a Skinner Box?
What is the primary function of a Skinner Box?
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What role does money play as a secondary reinforcer in today's society?
What role does money play as a secondary reinforcer in today's society?
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Study Notes
Operant Conditioning: B.F. Skinner
- Operant conditioning is a learning process where behavior is shaped by consequences.
- Skinner viewed personality as a collection of behavioral patterns, not internal traits.
- Behavior can be analyzed solely by environmental factors (causes and effects), not inner mechanisms.
Biographical Background
- Burrhus Frederic Skinner born March 20, 1904, in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.
- Initially intended to be a writer but shifted to psychology.
- Studied at Hamilton College.
- Received his M.A. in 1930 and Ph.D. in 1931 from Harvard University.
- Became chairman of the psychology department at Indiana University (1945).
- Became a professor at Harvard University.
- Received a Citation for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology (1990).
- Died of leukemia at age 86 in 1990.
Publications
- Behavior of Organisms
- Science and Human Behavior (1938)
- Walden Two (1948)
- Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971)
- Studied under Henry Murray and W.J. Crozier.
Functional Analysis
- Functional analysis examines behavior in terms of cause-and-effect relationships.
- It focuses on controllable environmental factors and excludes internal mechanisms.
Structure of Personality
- Skinner was indifferent to structural variables (mental structures).
- Focused on modifiable behavioral responses.
- Biological variability was considered more important than mental processes.
- Behavior modification is achieved by manipulating environmental variables.
Dynamics of Personality
- Inner states are relevant, but must be analyzed within environmental context.
- Acknowledged the existence of thoughts, emotions, and internal states but saw these as variables to be studied within an environmental context.
- Made no distinction between drives and emotions.
Development of Personality: Classical Conditioning
- Conditioned stimulus: stimulus the person learns to respond to.
- Unconditioned stimulus: naturally occurring stimulus eliciting a response.
- Unconditioned response: natural response to unconditioned stimulus.
- Conditioned response: learned response to conditioned stimulus.
- Extinction: decrease in responding when reinforcement stops.
Development of Personality: Operant Conditioning
- Operant: behavior that changes the environment.
- Law of effect: responses leading to satisfying outcomes are likely to recur, those leading to unsatisfying outcomes are less likely.
- Shaping (operant conditioning): gradually reinforcing successively closer approximations to a desired behavior.
- Punishment: aversive stimulus, decreasing future likelihood of behavior.
- Reinforcement: stimulus increasing the future likelihood of a behavior.
- Negative reinforcement: removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
Development of Personality: Skinner Box
- A research device to study operant conditioning.
- Chamber for animals with a lever or bar, pressing which unlocks food/water as a reward.
- Used to study learning and reinforcement schedules.
Schedules of Reinforcement
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Continuous schedule: reinforcement after every response.
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Interval schedule: reinforcement after a set time interval.
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Fixed interval: time interval is consistent.
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Variable interval: time interval varies.
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Ratio schedule: reinforcement after a set number of responses.
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Fixed ratio: number of responses is consistent.
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Variable ratio: number of responses varies.
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Variables schedules (ratio and interval) are slower to result in conditioning, but are more resistant to extinction.
Superstitious Behavior
- Behaviors associated with reinforcement even without a direct relationship.
- Intermittent reinforcement schedules contribute to superstitious behavior.
Secondary Reinforcer
- Stimuli associated with primary reinforcers (like food, water).
- Skinner emphasized continuous association of secondary reinforcers with primary reinforcers to maintain their conditioning.
Stimulus Generalization and Discrimination
- Stimulus generalization: responding similarly to similar stimuli.
- Stimulus discrimination: differentiation between similar yet distinct stimuli.
Psychopathology and Therapy
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Abnormal behaviors are learned through operant conditioning.
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Can be unlearned using behavioral techniques.
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Flooding: rapid exposure to the conditioned stimulus (only effective when the unconditioned stimulus no longer appears).
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Skinner rejected internal explanations of behavior, emphasizing environmental factors as sole determinants in personality development.
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Description
Explore the principles of operant conditioning introduced by B.F. Skinner, which focuses on how behavior is shaped by consequences. Learn about Skinner's life, his contributions to psychology, and some of his significant publications. This quiz covers not just the theory but also Skinner's biographical background and his impact on the field.
