Psychsim 5: Operant Conditioning Essay Example
Psychsim 5: Operant Conditioning Essay Example

Psychsim 5: Operant Conditioning Essay Example

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  • Pages: 2 (327 words)
  • Published: August 14, 2018
  • Type: Case Study
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Classical conditioning and operant conditioning differ in the timing of events. Classical conditioning involves an event followed by a conditioned response, while operant conditioning relies on a decision based on anticipation of the subsequent event.

Reinforcement and punishment play a role in both types of conditioning. Reinforcement increases the probability of a behavior recurring, such as giving a dog a treat for coming inside after going to the bathroom outside or removing chores as a reward for a teenager obeying curfew. On the other hand, punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior recurring, such as giving a child a time-out for hitting another child in class.

There is also a distinction between continuous and partial reinforcement.

The behavior might also come to a halt. There are different schedules of reinforcement. On

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e is giving reinforcement after a constant number of responses, such as paying a teenager after they complete 5 chores. Another schedule is giving reinforcement after a response, but only after a constant amount of time has passed, like letting a child take a 15-minute break for every hour of homework they do. There is also giving reinforcement after a changing number of responses, as seen with gamblers at a slot machine who do not know when they will be reinforced. Lastly, there is giving reinforcement after a response, but the amount of time elapsed before reinforcement changes, as with fishermen who do not have a constant reinforcement after casting their line.

The most resistant to extinction long term is the variable ratio in a simulated experiment. In a constant situation, the subject may observe a pattern in the number of responses or the wai

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time for reinforcement. While in a variable interval scenario, the subject will respond more due to uncertainty about the interval length but not continuously. However, in a variable ratio schedule, the subject has to keep responding and is reinforced after a changing number of responses. Consequently, the subject maintains a higher response rate.

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