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UNIT 3
Theoretical Perspective of Human Development
Mid twentieth century theories
(Continueshelliphellip)
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Behaviorism Social Learning
BEHAVIORISM
Key Players
1Thorndike ndash Connectionism
2Pavlov (and Watson) ndash Classical Conditioning
3Skinner ndash Operant Conditioning
4Bandura ndash Observable Learning and Modeling
THE BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE
The behavioral perspective suggests that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment
If we know the stimuli we can predict the behaviour
Behavioral theories reject the notion that individuals universally pass through a series of stages
Instead people are assumed to be affected by the environmental stimuli to which they happen to be exposed
Developmental patterns then are personal reflecting a particular set of environmental stimuli and development is the result of continuing exposure to specific factors in the environment
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is A theory of learning based upon the
idea that all behavior are acquired through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment
According to behaviorism Behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Behaviorism Social Learning
BEHAVIORISM
Key Players
1Thorndike ndash Connectionism
2Pavlov (and Watson) ndash Classical Conditioning
3Skinner ndash Operant Conditioning
4Bandura ndash Observable Learning and Modeling
THE BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE
The behavioral perspective suggests that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment
If we know the stimuli we can predict the behaviour
Behavioral theories reject the notion that individuals universally pass through a series of stages
Instead people are assumed to be affected by the environmental stimuli to which they happen to be exposed
Developmental patterns then are personal reflecting a particular set of environmental stimuli and development is the result of continuing exposure to specific factors in the environment
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is A theory of learning based upon the
idea that all behavior are acquired through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment
According to behaviorism Behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
BEHAVIORISM
Key Players
1Thorndike ndash Connectionism
2Pavlov (and Watson) ndash Classical Conditioning
3Skinner ndash Operant Conditioning
4Bandura ndash Observable Learning and Modeling
THE BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE
The behavioral perspective suggests that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment
If we know the stimuli we can predict the behaviour
Behavioral theories reject the notion that individuals universally pass through a series of stages
Instead people are assumed to be affected by the environmental stimuli to which they happen to be exposed
Developmental patterns then are personal reflecting a particular set of environmental stimuli and development is the result of continuing exposure to specific factors in the environment
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is A theory of learning based upon the
idea that all behavior are acquired through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment
According to behaviorism Behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THE BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE
The behavioral perspective suggests that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment
If we know the stimuli we can predict the behaviour
Behavioral theories reject the notion that individuals universally pass through a series of stages
Instead people are assumed to be affected by the environmental stimuli to which they happen to be exposed
Developmental patterns then are personal reflecting a particular set of environmental stimuli and development is the result of continuing exposure to specific factors in the environment
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is A theory of learning based upon the
idea that all behavior are acquired through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment
According to behaviorism Behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
WHAT IS BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is A theory of learning based upon the
idea that all behavior are acquired through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment
According to behaviorism Behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Traditional Behaviorism (John Watson)
Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov)
Operant Conditioning (B F Skinner)
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
JOHN B WATSON (1878-1958)
ldquoGive me a dozen healthy infantswell-formed and my own specifiedworld to bring them up in and Illguarantee to take any one atrandom and train him to becomeany type of specialist I might select regardless of his talentspenchants tendencies abilitiesvocations and race of his ancestorsrdquo
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
TRADITIONAL BEHAVIORISM
Born in Greenville South Carolina He was originally involved in animal research but later became involved in the study of human behaviorWatson believed that human are born with a few reflexes and the emotional reactions of love and rage All other behavior is established through stimulus ndashresponse association through conditioning Stimulus elicits a response
1048708 Stimulus any object in the general environment or any change in the tissues themselves due to the physiological condition of the animal
Response anything the animal does Linked stimulus-response association to conditioning like Pavlov did Published lsquoPsychology from the Standpoint of Behaviorism lsquo in 1919
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
WATSON (CONTINUEDhellip)
lsquoBehaviorism is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behaviorrdquo (Watson 1913)
Watson argued that childrenrsquos behavior arises largely from the reward and punishments that follow particular behavior
He agreed with Pavlovrsquos idea He viewed learning as conditioning and
rejected introspection and all lsquomentalisticrsquo concepts of psychology
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT
Watson demonstrated classical conditioning in an experiment involving a young child (Albert and a white cat)
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
WATSONrsquoS EXPERIMENT (CONTINUEDhellip)
Originally Albert was unafraid of the rat but Watson created a sudden loud noise whenever Albert touched the rat
Because Albert was frightened by the loud noise he soon became conditioned to fear and avoid the rat
The fear was generalized to other small animals
Watson then lsquoextinguishedrsquo the fear by presenting the rat without the loud noise
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
bull Classical conditioning was the first type of learning to be discovered and studied within the behaviorist traditionbull The major theorist in the development of classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov a Russian scientist trained in biology and medicine
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Pavlov was studying the digestive system of dogs and became intrigued with his observation that dogs deprived of food began to salivate when one of his assistants walked into the room
He began to investigate this phenomena and established the law of classical conditioning
Skinner renamed this type of learning lsquorespondent conditioningrsquo since in this type of learning one is responding too an environmental antecedent
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
PAVLOV DOGS AND SALIVA
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
PAVLOV (CONTINUEDhellip )
Behaviors that are classically conditioned are those which involve the learning of involuntary (reflexive) responses over which the learner has no control and to which he or she responds reflexively or lsquoautomaticallyrsquo- Example includes a dog salivating at the sound of the dinner bell someone becoming nauseous at the sight of lsquocreamy-looking food when mayonnaise once made them ill
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
KEY TERMS
Unconditional Stimulus (UCS) ndash A stimulus that elicits a response without conditioning
Unconditional Response (UCR) ndash Automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) ndash A neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits a similar responses
Conditioned Response (CR) ndash A response that is learned by pairing the originally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Neutral Stimulus (NS) ndash It does not elicit the Unconditioned (or reflexive) Response (UCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral orienting stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditional natural stimulus (US)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
The neutral stimulus (NS) is transformed into a conditioned stimulus (CS)
That is when the CS is presented by itself it elicits or causes the CR (which is the same as involuntary response UR)
The name changed because it is elicited by a different stimulus (written as CS elicits gtCR)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING THEORY
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response
Neutral Stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Conditioned Stimulus
Conditioned Response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Remember these are involuntary reflexive (physiological response emotions etc)
Phobias Taste aversions ndashMaple off ice cream
(bernstein) The ldquoChristmas Spiritrdquo feeling Public speaking What happens when you smell good
food
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Acquisition- The acquisition phase is the consistent pairing of the CS (bell ) and the UCS (food) that produces a CR (saliva)
Extinction- The extinction phase is when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus- The dogrsquos response to the bell can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the bell (CS) without the food (UCS)
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
STAGES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING(CONTINUEDhellip)
Generalization- Occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell of a similar tone the dog would still salivate
Discrimination- The opposite of generalization discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus- If Pavlovrsquos dog heard a bell with a different tone and was not awarded the unconditioned stimulus (food) the dog would not to salivated to the second tone
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
In the area of classroom learning classical conditioning is seen primarily in the conditioning of emotional behavior
Things that make us happy sad angry etc become associated with neutral stimuli that gain our attention- For example the school classroom teacher or subject matter are initially neutral stimuli that gain attention
Activities at school or in the classroom automatically elicit emotional responses and these activities are associated with the neutral or orienting stimulus
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN THE CLASSROOM LEARNING
(CONTINUEDhellip) After repeated presentations the previously
neutral stimulus will elicit the emotional response
Example- Child is harassed at school- Child feels bad when harassed- Child associate being harassed and school- Child begins to feel bad when she thinks of school- In order to extinguish the associated of feeling bad and thinking of school the connection between school and being harssed must be broken
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES
Operant Conditioning
BF Skinner (1904-1990)ldquoAll we need to know in order to describe and explain
behavior is this actions followed by good outcomes are likely to recur and actions followed by bad outcomes are less likely to recurrdquo (Skinner 1953)
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
BEHAVIORISM
Environmental consequences shape behavior
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
B F SKINNER
BF Skinner was born in Susquehanna a small railroad town in the hills of Pennsylvania
After attending Hamilton college Skinner decided to become a writer (Majored in English)
Moving back home he wrote a book entitled lsquoDark yearrsquo
Moved to New year city for few months working as a bookstore clerk
There he came across with books by Pavlov and Watson which he found impressive and exciting and wanted to learn more
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
B F SKINNER
In 1928 at the age of 24 Skinner was enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University
In 1931 he earned PhD from Harvard Invented lsquoSkinner Boxrdquo Skinner was a dedicated researcher died on August 18 1990 from leukemia The main principles of operant conditioning
as defined by Skinner are reinforcement punishment shaping extinction discrimination and generalization
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
SKINNER BOX
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
SKINNERrsquoS BOX
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
LABORATORY EXAMPLES
Operant Conditioning
Pigeon
(in a Skinner
box)
Exploring
Scratching
Key-pecking
Grooming
Defecating
Urinating
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behavior
With operant conditioning we are dealing with voluntary behavior
A B C (Antecedent Behavior Consequence) Antecedent ndash stimulus that ldquocuesrdquo certain responses Behavior ndash the action Consequence ndash the payoff
Reinforcement=behavior increases Punishment=behavior decreases
Remember voluntary behavior
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reward Reinforcement
Punishment
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FREQUENCY OF RESPONSES
A reinforcement is an event that increases the probability that a response will be repeated
A punishment is an event that decreases the probability of a response
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT
A reinforcement can be either the presentation of a desirable item such as money or food or the removal of an unpleasant stimulus such as verbal nagging or physical pain
A punishment can be the removal of a desirable condition such as driving privileges or the presentation of an unpleasant condition such as physical pain
All things being equal most people will respond better to both immediate reinforcement and immediate punishment
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
REINFORCEMENT AND PUNISHMENT(CONTINUEDhellip)
Most punishments in American society are given for behaviors that are immediately reinforcing while the threat of the punishments for these deeds is delayed and uncertain
Punishment tends to be ineffective except for temporarily suppressing undesirable behavior
Mild logical and consistent punishment can be informative and helpful
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
OPERANT CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by administering a reward
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs
PUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus following a behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
EXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
REINFORCEMENT
The process in which a behavior is strengthened and thus more likely to happen again
Positive reinforcer ldquoRewardsrdquo or something desirable is received after a behavior occurs- Positive Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by following the behavior with a pleasant stimulus For example
A rat presses a lever and receives food The dog gets attention from his people when he
barks The child gets ice-cream for begging
incessantly The toddler gets picked up and comforted for
screaming
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
REINFORCEMENT
Negative Reinforcement Making a behavior stronger by taking
away a negative stimulus Negative reinforcer ldquoEscapesrdquo or
something undesirable is avoided after a behavior occurs For Example
A rat presses a lever and turns off the electric shock
We put on boots to prevent sitting in class with wet socks on
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
REINFORCERS AND REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcers can be- Primary (food water etc) which is innately rewarding no learning necessary- Secondary (money good grades and words of praise etc) which is a consequence that is learned by pairing with a primary reinforcer
Reinforcement can be continuous or intermitted (whenever required)
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
PUNISHMENT
An undesirable stimulus received after a behavior occurs
Any stimulus presented immediately after a behavior in order to decrease the future probability of that behavior
The process in which a behavior is weakened and thus less likely to happen again
For example- If your kid runs into the middle of the street and you flip out and lsquoexpress to him how bad he isrsquo this (at least in psychological terms) is only considered to be punishment if it does in fact lead to a decrease in that childrsquos behavior of running into the street
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
Must be delivered immediately amp consistently
May result in negative side effectsUndesirable behaviors may be
learned through modeling (aggression)
May create negative emotions (anxiety amp fear)
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
NEGATIVE VS POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
Negative Punishment Positive Punishment
Reducing a behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus when behavior occurs
Reducing a behavior by presenting an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs
- If the rat was previously given food for each lever press but now receive food constantly when not pressing the lever (and not when it presses the lever) the rat will learn to stop pressing the lever
- If the rat previously pressed the lever and received food and now receive a shock the rat will learn not to press the lever
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Reinforcement Punishment
Positive Chocolate Bar Electric Shock
Negative Excused from Chores
No TV privileges
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
SHAPING
Technique of reinforcement used to teach new behaviors At the beginning peopleanimals are reinforced for easy tasks and then increasingly need to perform more difficult tasks in order to receive reinforcement- For example originally the rat is given food pellet for one lever press but we gradually increase the number of times it needs to press to receive food the rat will increase the number of presses
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
COMMON CONCEPTSCommon concepts Generalization A behavior may be performed in more than one
situation you do the same behavior in different situations
because it pays off in both situationsbull raise hand before speaking in class raise hand
before speaking in meeting discrimination A behavior will be rewarded in one situation but not
in another situation you do different behaviors even though the situation
is similar because what pays off in one situation doesnrsquot pay off in the other
bull lower voice at a theater raise at basketball arena
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
COMMON CONCEPTS
ExtinctionThe elimination of the behavior by
stopping reinforcement of the behaviorBehavior disappears because it isnrsquot
reinforcedbull baby no longer cries when put to
bed ldquocry to sleeprdquobull A parent takes away allowance for
breaking curfewbull A teacher ignores a talking student
until he raises his hand
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
EXAMPLES
Child throws tantrum in toy store but not at home
A person plugs a meter on time to avoid getting a ticket
Feeling happy your friend send an e‐mail letter but annoyed when he a forwards spam (junk mail)
A teacher grades similar essays from two students differently
An ice cream dispenser has a red button and a green button Which button will you push to fill your cone
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
COMPARISONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
FOUR CATEGORIES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Thorndikersquos Laws of Learning
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKE AND HIS PUZZLE BOX
Some of Thorndikersquos actual cat puzzle boxes
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE
Born in 1874 BA from Wesleyan University Graduate work with Wm James at Harvard PhD at Columbia Animal Intelligence Teachers College (Columbia University) Career in education amp mental testing in
Teachersrsquo College (Columbia University) Died in 1949
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
EDWARD LEE THORNDIKE(1874 ndash 1949)
Father of modern educational psychology amp founder of behavioral psychology
Started his research with animals using stimulus-response (classic conditioning) and developed the idea of Connectionism
1928-Thordike conducted his first major study with adults
ConnectionismDefined learning as a connection or
association of an increasing number of habits (More complicated associations means higher levels of understanding)
Three Laws of Learning
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THE BLACK BOX
Stimulus Response
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
Thorndikersquos laws were based on the stimulus ndash response hypothesis He believed that learning occurs when you recognize that one event predicts another
He did research in animal behavior (Most of his work was done with cats) before becoming interested in human psychology
His theory lsquoConnectionismrsquo stated that learning was the formation of a connection between stimulus and response
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise Law of Readiness Law of Effect
In order to make strengthening of the S-R bond more effective Thorndike suggested three laws
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Exercise The performer must practice the task regularly in
favourable conditions strength of association increases when connection is
made between situation and response Justifies drill repetition and review Seen today in behavior modification and basic skill
instruction Law of Use- S-R (Stimulus Response) connection (and the skills
they underlie are strengthened by use When more S-R bond is practiced the stronger it will become
Law of Disuse- S-R connections and the skills they underlie are
weakened by disuse (If you do not give chocolate repeatedly for doing something the bond will disconnect
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Readiness performer is physically and mentally
able to complete the task for example the performer has the appropriate motivation
Ready to conduct=satisfying- If the learner is ready
Not performing the activity = annoying
Not ready to conduct=annoying
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
The Law of EffectldquoOf several responses made to the same situationthose which are accompanied or closely followed bysatisfaction to the animal will other things beingequal be more firmly connected with the situation sothat when it recurs they will be more likely to recurthose which are accompanied or closely followed bydiscomfort to the animal will other things beingequal have their connections with that situationweakened so that when it recurs they will be lesslikely to occur The greater the satisfaction ordiscomfort the greater the strengthening orweakening of the bond ldquoThorndike (1914)
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS ORIGINAL PRIMARY LAWS
Law of Effect Connectionism Performer is more likely to repeat the task if their
behaviour is followed by experiences of satisfaction for example positive reinforcement
Strength of association increased when connection between situation and response accompanied by a satisfying state
When a connection between a stimulus and response is positively rewarded it will be strengthened and when it is negatively rewarded it will be weakened
Thorndike later revised this lsquolawrsquo when he found that negative reward (punishment) did not necessarily weakened bonds and that some seemingly pleasurable consequences do not necessarily motivate performance
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKE AND HIS EXPERIMENT
In 1911 Harvard graduate student Edward Thorndike developed a simple behaviorist explanation of learning
He used a learning curve a graph of the changes in behavior that occur over successive trials of a learning experiment to record how quickly cats learned to escape from a puzzle box (a type of maze)
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
Each of Thorndikersquos puzzle boxes had a device that could open it Here tilting the pole will open the door (Based on Thorndike 19111970)
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
LEARNING CURVE
Trial and error or insight As the data from one of Thorndikersquos experiments show the time that a cat needs to escape from a puzzle box gradually grows shorter but in an irregular manner Thorndike concluded that the cat did not at any point ldquosuddenly get the ideardquo Instead reinforcement gradually increased the probability of the successful behavior
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
ANALYSIS OF THORNDIKErsquoS EXPERIMENT
The curve of learning for the cats indicated a slow gradual and consistent progress towards the solution
He noted that cats would learn to escape from puzzle boxes more quickly if the response selected produced an immediate escape
The cats would try a repertoire of behaviors to open the box and gradually learn to more quickly select the one that produced escape
But overall it appeared to Thorndike that the cats were not ldquounderstandingrdquo the connections between the solution and the escape There was no sudden increase in the learning curve to support that assumption
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
SUMMARY OF THORNDIKErsquoS LAWS
1 Learning caused by consequences or effects Law of Effect
Satisfying effects increase S-R bond strength Annoying effects decrease S-R bond strength
2 Learning caused by practice (or lack of it) Law of Exercise
Law of Use sheer practice increases S-R strength
Law of Disuse lack of practice decreases S-R strength
3 Learning caused by S-R contiguity Law of Associative Shifting
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKErsquoS LATER REVISION(POST 1929)
Thorndike dropped Law of Exercise and the Negative Law of Effect
According to him repetition or practice (without feedback) did not increase the strength of the most frequent response (eg drawing a line of a given length) as Law of Exercise (Use) requires
For Thorndike then mere practice does not make perfect (but Watson and others disagreed)
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Law of Exercise Rote Memory Repetition repetition repetitionLaw of Effect Correct response = reward Incorrect response = punishment
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
THORNDIKE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Exercise for you
Apply Thorndikersquos laws to a practical situation you have experienced and evaluate their effectiveness
