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Reinforcement Schedules: Experimental Analyses and Applications (THE FOUR…
Reinforcement Schedules: Experimental Analyses and Applications
PLOTTING MOVEMENT-TO-MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR: THE CUMULATIVE RECORDER
Skinner set up a pen to draw a line on paper than is rolled through. The paper rolling represented time passing and the pen represented the number of responses that had occurred, The shape made by the graph is influenced by reinforcers.
THE FOUR SIMPLE REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES
Fixed Ratio
The
postreinforcement pause
is when the subject stops producing responses for some time after they are reinforced
Ratio strain
refers to subjects taking pauses outside of the postreinforcement pause because of excessive ratios
A reinforcement is delivered after every n responses
Variable Ratio
A reinforcement is delivered after a varied amount of responses
Postreinforcement pauses are quite short compared to fixed ratio
Fixed Interval
Daily quizzes showed students studying more constant and three week quizzes started low and dramatically increases closer to the exam date
A reinforcement is delivered only once every x seconds after an appropriate response
Variable Interval
A reinforcement is delivered only once every variable seconds after an appropriate response
Extinction and the Four Simple Schedules
Humphrey's paradox
questions why intermittently following responses with reinforcers is stronger than constantly reinforcing
A possible explanation to Humphrey's paradox is the
discrimination hypothesis
which states that for a subject's behavior to change they have to be able to discriminate the change. It is easier to tell when constant reinforcement stops
The
partial reinforcement effect
states that extinction is more rapid in a continuous reinforcement schedule as opposed to the ratio or variable procedures. Violates principle of frequency
A more widely accepted explanation to Humphrey's paradox is the
generalization decrement hypothesis
which states that during extinction responding will be weak if the stimuli during extinction are different than that were present during reinforcement. So when there is no reward after being constantly reinforced, the new situation will stop responding as opposed to interval and ratios where the subject is used to completing the action without being rewarded
Other Reinforcement Schedules
A
differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH) schedule
is when a reward is presented iff enough responses are completed within a time limit
In a
concurrent schedule
subjects are given multiple response alternatives each associated with its own reinforcement schedule
A
differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL) schedule
is when a response is rewarded iff a certain amount of time has elapsed since the previous response
In a
chained schedule
subjects must complete the requirement for two or more simple schedules in a fixed sequence, and each schedule is signaled by a different stimulus
FACTORS AFFCTING PERFORMANCE ON REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES
Three most important features of reinforcement schedule are (1) quality, (2) rate of presentation, and (3) delay of reinforcer
Behavioral Momentum
It is harder to disrupt behaviors that have greater reinforcers because they have built momentum
Being in an environment where bad behaviors occurred may happen again because of the momentum the location carries
Contingency-Shaped vs Rule-Governed Behaviors
People show both behaviors, animals follow contingency-shaped behaviors
Contingency-shaped behaviors
are those that follow the model graphs in figure 6-2
Rule-governed behavior
is also found in humans who make rules for themselves about how to respond
Reinforcement History
Humans and animals show predispositions to reinforcement schedules when they are primed with different schedules before both trying the same. This may have to with the wide variety of life experiences subjects have before testing
THE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES
Cause of the FR Postreinforcement Pause
One possibility is that the subject is fatigued
Another possibility is that the subject is temporarily satsified
Another is they are overwhelmed by the remaining responses
In a
multiple schedule
the subject is presented with two or more different schedules, one at a time, each signaled by a discriminative stimulus
In an experiment, there were long pauses after both FR 10 and FR 100 meaning that fatigue hypothesis must be rejected. The long pauses were seen when the upcoming task was FR 100 leading us to accept the remaining-responses hypothesis
Comparisons of VR and VI Response Rates
The
interresponse time (IRT) reinforcement theory
is a molecular theory that states response times are slower on VI schedules that VR schedules because long paues between responses are being reinforced more frequently in VI schedules.
The
response-reinfrocer correlation theory
is a molar theory that states in a VR the reinforcers per hour are earned by the responses of the subject whereas in VI the responses per hour are maximized easily and reach an asymptote.
Why is VR preferred over VI? Two theories:
Molecular
focuses on the moment by moment relationships between responses and reinforcers. Animals are more sensitive to these changes.
Molar
focuses on the large-scale relationship between behavior and reinforcement
APPLICATIONS OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
Teaching Language to Children with Autism
Fading
is the gradual withdrawal of prompts
Behavior therapy in this way is the only effective method in teaching Autistic children language
A
prompt
is any stimulus that makes a desired response more likely
Token Reinforcement
A
token
is an object that may be exchanged for good and services
All token systems allow each individual to earn tokens by performing desired behaviors and can later exchange these tokens for primary reinforcers
Token system has declined in popularity because (1) it takes a long time to produce lasting changes in behavior, (2) they are difficult to implement, and (3) there has been an increased emphasis on pharmacological treatments for patients.
Organizational Behavior Management
Antecedent-based interventions
are those that take place before the work is done (appropriate worker training, goal setting, task clarification)
Consequence-based interventions
are those that happen after work is complete (praise, monetary reward, feedback)
Behavior Therapy for Marital Problems
--evolution of system