Psych 202 Lecture March 3 2015 Phobias start with classical conditioning but maintained with operant conditioning In Vivo Desensitization Video clip virtual desensitization fear of going into the glass elevator climbed 72 flights of stairs instead face fears in a virtual world exposure therapy fear will decrease while you re still around it offers hope for many phobics who were originally unwilling to seek treatment treatment worked In Vivo I Desensitization try to reduce fear of snakes by desensitizing him to Fred the snake got closer and closer to it until he actually touched Fred How is operant conditioning different from classical conditioning Skinner s word for behavior that operates on the environment that have effects which are instrumental in producing a reaction Skinner philosophy the consequences of behavior determine the probability that the behavior will occur again Skinner Video clip investigates behavior in terms of environmental variables reinforcement correlates with behavior occurring again pigeon pecking a disk reinforce pigeon with food Skinner box pigeon learned to spin in a circle any behavior changes based on consequences of that certain behavior works for people What are the basic concepts in operant conditioning o Reinforcement and punishment and o Shaping o Schedules of reinforcement and their effects on learning Reinforcement Increases frequency of behavior Skinner used the Skinner box to illustrate shaping reinforcers can be primary or secondary Shaping rewarding of gradual approximations to desired behavior e g pigeon turning around Positive applies stimulus and negative removes stimulus not good vs bad Punishment Decreases frequency of behavior Positive punishment add aversive stimulus i e hitting child negative punishment remove positive stimulus i e grounding someone Negative reinforcement increases behavior in the removal of aversive stimuli Operant Conditioning is Influences by Schedules of Reinforcement o Ratio schedules are based on units of behavior and produce fast learning i e paid for every tree you plant o Interval schedules are based on units of time and produce slower learning i e every two weeks you get a paycheck o Variable schedules result in strong learning because of intermittent reinforcement i e winning at the casino o Fixed schedules when reinforcement stop behavior stops Fixed Schedules and Variable Schedules Examples o Fixed Ratio every 5th box filled if you ask 3 times for every 5 times you get reward o Fixed Interval scheduled exams get a raise every year o Variable ratio slot machines keep winning and every 3 or 8th time you will get candy o Variable interval pop quiz boss checks work periodically Animal and Coaching teaching tip Start with fixed ratio 1 1 and then fade to partial schedules with increasingly infrequent reinforcement To identify contingent responses What is the Behavior Doing o o Increasing Give positive stimulus positive reinforcement Take away negative stimulus negative reinforcement Decreasing Give negative stimulus positive punishment Take away positive stimulus negative punishment Positive Negative Reinforcer o When would alcohol be positively reinforcing o When would it be negatively reinforcing When it s a reward Removes anxiety Punishment The Fundamental Idea o Punishment refers to the process of weakening or reducing the probability of behavior o Is an aversive stimulus always a punisher Ex The case of the class clown o Residential treatment Why is punishment often ineffective Ex The case of the speeding ticket Examples of Reinforcement Events o Anxiety is decreased by performing compulsive rituals ritual is negatively reinforced o Headaches stop when aspirin is ingested o Staying at home reduces social anxiety o Ingesting drugs increases when it removes boredom restlessness anxiety depression o a parent gives in to a whining child buys candy child hugs o what behavior is negatively reinforced for parent Positively reinforced for parent For child How are parent and child both reinforced Kid is more likely to whine Parent is more likely to give in in the future When does play become work The Over justification Effect why use external reward It can change likelihood of engaging in behavior by changing meaning what if the behavior is already rewarding Unneeded justification for a behavior o Ex Give student money for getting good grades even though it s already a reward in itself to get those grades How is operant conditioning different than classical conditioning o Classical Conditioning reinforcement is unrelated to learning the association o Operant Conditioning reinforcement is related to learning Social Learning Theory focuses on the importance of observing and modeling behaviors Bandura and Bobo launch social learning theory Video clip children observe adults being aggressive to Bobo doll and then repeat that behavior children with no aggressive modeling didn t play as aggressively with the doll when aggressive adult is rewarded behavior is extremely likely when aggressive adult is punished behavior is still very likely but not as likely as when adult was punished Studies of modeling seemed to prove that direct reinforcement is unnecessary for learning Research that a child afraid of a dog but is able to observe child playing with dog repeatedly will significantly reduce fear of dogs phobias respond to social learning process Brain Functioning in Learning Reward dopamine is involved in motivation emotion crucial for positive reinforcement absence reduces drive motor control experience of pleasure results from activation of dopamine neurons in nucleus accumbens limbic system amphetamine cocaine increase dopamine self stimulation is a method of reward rat with electrode attached to head to release dopamine Dopamine signals reward inter cranial self stimulation activates dopamine receptors