This document discusses the foundations of operant conditioning. It describes the different types of reinforcement including positive and negative reinforcement, and the different types of punishment including positive and negative punishment. A contingency table shows how behavior is increased or decreased based on whether a stimulus is added or removed. Conditioned and generalized reinforcers are introduced. The three-term contingency of a discriminative stimulus, behavior, and consequence is explained. Complex behaviors are formed from these basic processes combined with an individual's history of reinforcement.

1. Human Learning
Topic 4: Part 1 Operant Conditioning Foundations -
continued
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 1 3/30/2012

2. Punishment
 Probably of response decreases
 Weakening
 Processes: Punishment
 Stimulus: Punisher
 Have to watch behavior
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 2 3/30/2012

3. Reinforcement Types
 Positive reinforcement
 Stimulus is added
 Behavior increases
 Says nothing about good
 Different strokes for different folks
 Negative reinforcement
 Stimulus is removed
 Behavior increases
 Escape / avoidance
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 3 3/30/2012

4. Punishment Types
 Positive Punishment
 Stimulus is added
 Behavior decreases
 No moral value
 Negative Punishment
 Stimulus is removed
 Behavior decreases
 Response cost
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 4 3/30/2012

5. Contingency Table
Probability of Behavior
Increases Decreases
Positive Positive
Stimulus was
Added
Reinforcement Punishment
Negative Negative
Removed
Reinforcement Punishment
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 5 3/30/2012

6. Types of reinforcers
 Unconditional
reinforcers
 Sex, water,
food
 Conditioned
reinforcers
 Paired with
other SR
 Generalized
reinforcers
 Work with
many people
 Work with
many
behaviors
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 6 3/30/2012

7. Three-Term Contingency
SD - R - SR+/-
 Discriminative Stimulus
 Behavior is under „control‟ of a stimulus
 Consequences are still the key.
Describe Increase in
“Well done!” SR+
reinforcement behavior ….
Car not Wobble goes
Get alignment SR-
handling well away.
Add too much
Make Curry Tastes bad. SP+
ginger.
“Confirm
Press “Yes” Lose paper. SP-
Delete?”
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 7 3/30/2012

8. Complex Behavior and
History
 These processes form complex behavior
 Plus a few more
 Individual behavior patterns
 Reinforcement history
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 8 3/30/2012

9. Credits
 www.sxc.hu
 Recycle sign - emitea
 Candy - sylmac
 Nebula - flaivolka
 Scaffold - mattox
 Prison – stockers9
 Start button - ilco
 Stop sign – svilen001
 Beach - brasswatch
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 9 3/30/2012