Psych 1X03 C01 Professor Kim & Professor Cheal 05/09/12

Module 1: Introduction
Instrumental Conditioning Instrumental conditioning: The learning of a contingency between behaviour & consequence o Touch a hot stove get burned o Mess with bull get hurt by it

Module 2: Instrumental conditioning

Thorndike Early theorist tried to understand connection between behaviour and consequences by looking at mental process which could not be measured o Therefore, did experiments on animals Edward L Thorndike studying cats in a puzzle box o Puzzle box = small chamber with door that could be opened by performing task like pulling on a rope o Outside was small dish of food motivation to escape o Cat placed in puzzle box several trials while Thorndike observed Puzzle Box Cats reaction o Hungry random behaviour trying to escape o While struggling, pull on rope by accident Thorndike predicted that during consequent trials after discovery of correct solution, the cat would escape immediately when placed in same puzzle box Actual outcome frequency of random behaviours decreased over time Random behaviours that didnt lead to escape occurred less frequently leaving correct behaviour in place o Suggests animals follow simple stimulus response little credit for consciousness o Unlike humans, never a distinct aha moment cat = long trial & error process The Law of Effect Thorndike hypothesized process called Stamping in & stamping out: determined if behaviour is maintained or eliminated o Stamping in rope pulling o Stamping out random behaviours like turning in a circle This process leads to refinement & cat learns contingency between behaviour of pulling rope and consequence of food

1 of 4

Psych 1X03 C01 Professor Kim & Professor Cheal 05/09/12 Law of Effect: behaviour with positive consequences are stamped in; negative behaviours are stamped out o Not clear on how to define satisfying or annoying states which determine frequency of behaviour

Module 3: Types of Instrumental Conditioning

Four Consequences More precise strategy than the law of effect is to refer to the reinforce any stimulus which when presented after response, leads to change in rate of that response Behavioural responses changed by positive & negative reinforcers (either present or removed) 4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSTRUMENTAL CONDITIONING 1. Presenting positive reinforcer 2. Removing positive reinforce 3. Presenting a negative reinforce 4. Removing a negative reinforce Reward Training Presentation of Positive reinforcer following response puppy treats every time she sits increase behaviour Punishment Presentation of Negative reinforcer following response decrease in behaviour o B.F. Skinner when punishment is used the authority figure may become signal for pain/distress (classical conditioning) contingency may damage parent-child relationship Omission Training Removing Positive reinforcer following response decrease in behaviour being reinforced o Boy teasing sister and watching TV to stop teasing, turns TV off for 30 sec Ex. Time out procedure in schools undesirable behaviour, time out (no positive reinforcers) Removal of positive reinforce does NOT equal presentation of negative reinforce o Both lead to same decrease in responding, but do so by DIFFERENT means Escape Training Removal of a Negative reinforcer following response performing specific response, negative reinforce can be removed which increases target behaviour o Rat moves to opposite side of cage if electric shock on one side o Grumpy landlord avoiding music by banging on the ceiling Conclusion 4 types of instrumental condition differ whether a positive or negative reinforce is presented or removed any type proceeds best when consequence immediately follows response 2 of 4

Psych 1X03 C01 Professor Kim & Professor Cheal 05/09/12

Module 4: Acquisition & Shaping

Contingencies Classical conditioning: acquisition organism learns contingency between stimulus and biologically important event Instrumental conditioning: acquisition learning contingency between response and its consequences o Interested in measuring rate of responding of the new behaviour Graphing Responses Polygraph machine measures response rate for given behaviour in a visual manner o Long line of paper flows through machine @ constant rate as pen draws straight line o Each response made by subject, the pen moves up a notch characteristic pattern of acquisition Flat horizontal line where subject is not responding Upward slope when response has been made o response pattern depends on many factors such as subject, complexity of behaviour, type of reinforcement In this graph, each response is followed by a reward

Autoshaping Pigeon placed in cage with keyhole & if he pecks keyhole, one grain of seed is released o Initially unaware of contingency Over time will come across key hole and peck it then learn the contingency between behaviour and consequence Each peck and the rate of responding over time was recorded o Pecking keyhole can be learned without training, just place pigeon in special cage o Called autoshaping Shaping Not all behaviors can be autoshaped o Some instrumental responses far too complex for subject to discover on their own Shaping complex behaviour organized into smaller steps gradually building up to full response (each step reinforced by reward training) o Used extensively by animal trainers Famous example: BF Skinner2 pigeons playing table tennis in lobby of psych building @ Harvard University 1. Learned to peck ping pong table to receive food pellet 3 of 4

Psych 1X03 C01 Professor Kim & Professor Cheal 05/09/12 2. Pecked moving ball to get food pellet 3. Peck ball all the way across table to get food pellet As pigeons moved through stages, reward criteria became more strict Skinner also trained pigeons to walk in figure-eights, dance, play role in prototype pigeon guided missile system in WW2 military didnt take him seriously though

4 of 4