Learning - 5 - Instrumental Conditioning Foundations

an instance in which the delivery of a reinforcer happens to coincide with a particular response, even though that response was not responsible for the reinforcer presentations.

a pleasant or satisfying stimulus that can be used to positively reinforce an instrumental response.

an unpleasant or annoying stimulus that can be used to punish an instrumental response.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which the instrumental response prevents delivery of an aversive stimulus.

the theoretical idea that an organism's evolutionary history makes certain responses fit, or belong with, certain reinforcers. belongingness facilitates learning.

a stimulus that becomes an effective reinforcer because of its association with a primary or unconditioned reinforcer.

the simultaneous (or almost simultaneous) occurrence of two events, such as a response and a reinforcer.

an automatic event recorder that records occurrences of a particular response cumulatively as a function of the passage of time.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which a positive reinforcer is periodically delivered only if the participant fails to perform a particular response.

a method of instrumental conditioning in which the participant can perform the instrumental response only during specified periods, usually determined either by placement of the participant in an experimental chamber or by the presentation of a stimulus.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which the instrumental response terminates an aversive stimulus (negative reinforcement).

a method of instrumental conditioning that permits repeated performance of the instrumental response without the participant being removed from the experimental chamber.

a gradual drift of instrumental behavior away from the responses required for reinforcement to species-typical or "instinctive" responses related to the reinforcer and to other stimuli in the experimental situation.

an activity that occurs because it is effective in producing a particular consequence or reinforcer.

a response that increases in frequency after the delivery of a periodic reinforcer and then declines as time for the next reinforcer approaches.

the time between the start of a trial (or the start of a stimulus) and the instrumental response.

a rule for instrumental behavior which states that if a response in the presence of a stimulus is followed by a satisfying event the association between the stimulus and the response will be strengthened; if the response is followed by an annoying event the association will be weakened.

interference with the learning of new instrumental responses, as a result of exposure to inescapable and unavoidable aversive stimulation.

a theoretical idea that assumes that during exposure to inescapable and unavoidable aversive stimulation, participants learn that their behavior does not control environmental events.

a preliminary stage of instrumental conditioning in which a stimulus is repeatedly paired with the reinforcer to enable the participant to learn to go and get the reinforcer when it is presented. eg. the sound of the food delivery device may be repeatedly paired with food so that the animal will learn to go to the food cup when the food is delivered.

a procedure in which the instrumental response is immediately followed by a distinctive event (eg. participant is picked up or a flash of light is presented) that makes the instrumental response more memorable and helps overcome the deleterious effects of delayed reinforcement.

less responding for an unfavorable reinforcer following previous experience with a more desired reinforcer that in the absence of such prior experience.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which there is a negative contingency between the instrumental response and an aversive stimulus. if the response is performed, the aversive stimulus is terminated or prevented. if the response is not performed, the aversive stimulus is presented.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which the instrumental response prevents the delivery of a reinforcing stimulus.

a response that is defined by the effect it produces on the environment. eg. pressing a lever, opening a door. any sequence of movements that depresses the lever or opens the door constitutes an instance of that particular operant.

greater responding for a favorable reinforcer following previous experience with a less desired reinforcer that in the absence of such prior experience.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which there is a positive contingency between the instrumental response and a reinforcing stimulus. if the participant performs the response it receives the reinforcing stimulus. if the participant does not perform the response it does not receive the reinforcing stimulus.

an instrumental conditioning procedure in which there is a positive contingency between the instrumental response and an aversive stimulus. if the participant performs the instrumental response it receives the aversive stimulus. if it doesn't perform the response it doesn't receive the aversive stimulus.

the relation of a response to a reinforcer defined in terms of the probability of getting reinforced for making the response as compared to the probability of getting reinforced in the absence of the response.

how fast an animal moves in a runway [v]

reinforcement of successive approximations to a desired instrumental response (eg. dancing pigeons).

behavioral contrast effects (positive and negative) that are produced by frequent shifts between a favorable and an unfavorable reward condition, with each reward condition associated with its own distinctive stimulus.

behavior that increases in frequency because of accidental pairings of the delivery of a reinforcer with occurrences of the behavior (eg. pigeon running in circles).

a response that is most likely at the end of the interval between successive presentations of a reinforcer at fixed intervals.