Operant Conditioning theory by skinner

Operant conditioning, also known as instrumental conditioning, is a learning approach that employs rewards and punishments for behaviour. An association is formed between a behaviour and a consequence (whether negative or positive) for that behaviour through operant conditioning.

For example, when lab rats press a lever while green light is on, they are rewarded with a food pellet. They get a minor electric shock if they press the lever when the red light is on. As a result, students learn to press the lever while the green light is on and to avoid pressing it when the red light is on.

Following John B. Watson’s departure from academic psychology, psychologists and behaviourists were keen to offer alternative mechanisms of learning to classical conditioning. Burrhus Frederic Skinner, also known as B.F. Skinner proposed the most important of these ideas, Operant Conditioning, which is why it is also known as Skinnerian conditioning.  Skinner, as a behaviourist, believed that it was unnecessary to examine internal ideas and motivations to explain behaviour. Instead, he proposed that we focus solely on the external, observable reasons for human behaviour.

B.F. Skinner proposed his operant conditioning theory by conducting many animal studies. For his rat experiment, he created a unique box known as the “Skinner Box.”

Experiment 1:

He placed a hungry rat inside the Skinner box as the initial step in his experiment. The rat was first inert within the box, but as it became accustomed to its surroundings, it began to explore. Eventually, the rat discovered a lever that, when pressed, released food from the box. It began exploring the box again after it had satisfied its appetite, and after a while, it pressed the lever for the second time as it became hungry again. This happened three, four, and five times, and after a while, the hungry rat instantly pressed the lever once it was placed in the box. The conditioning was then declared complete.

The action of pressing the lever is an operant response/behaviour in this case, and the reward is the food released inside the chamber. Because the answer is useful in obtaining food, the experiment is also known as Instrumental Conditioning Learning.

Experiment 2:

B.F. Skinner also carried out an experiment to demonstrate negative reinforcement. Skinner did the same thing with a rat, but instead of keeping it hungry, he subjected the chamber to an unpleasant electric current. After feeling the agony, the rat began to desperately move around the box, accidently knocking the lever. The flow of unpleasant current was quickly stopped when the lever was pressed. After a few attempts, the rat had learned to go immediately to the lever in order to avoid the discomfort.

The electric current worked as negative reinforcement, and the result of escaping the electric current ensured that the rat performed the activity repeatedly. In this case, too, pulling the lever is an operant response, and the total cessation of electric current flow is its reward.

Skinner distinguished between two kinds of behaviour.

Respondent behaviours are those that happen spontaneously and impulsively, such as withdrawing your hand away from a hot stove or jerking your leg when the doctor taps you on the knee. You are not required to learn these behaviours. They just happen automatically and unconsciously.

Operant behaviours, on the other hand, are those that we are mindful of. Some may occur spontaneously, while others may occur on purpose, but the repercussions of these activities impact whether or not they occur again in the future. Our environmental behaviours and the repercussions of those acts are a crucial element of the learning process.

Operant Conditioning

There are several key concepts in operant conditioning.

Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning

Reinforcement is defined as any occurrence that reinforces or increases the behaviour that occurs after it. Reinforcers are classified into two types. The behaviour increases in both of these reinforcement instances.

Positive reinforcers are positive events or outcomes that occur after the behaviour. A response or behaviour is strengthened in positive reinforcement settings by the addition of praise or a direct reward. If you perform a good job at work and The removal of adverse events or outcomes following 

Negative reinforcers, the exhibition of a behaviour is referred to as a negative reinforcer. The removal of something perceived unpleasant strengthens a response in these cases. For example, if your child begins to scream in the midst of a restaurant but stops when you hand them a treat, your action resulted in the elimination of the unpleasant condition, negatively reinforcing your (rather than your child’s) behaviour.your boss rewards you, that is a positive reinforcer.

Operant Conditioning Punishment

Punishment is the presentation of a negative event or outcome that results in a reduction in the conduct that follows. There are two sorts of penalties. In both of these circumstances, the conduct becomes less aggressive.

Positive punishment, also known as punishment by application, is presenting a negative occurrence or outcome in order to lessen the response that follows. Punishment by application is demonstrated via slapping for misconduct.

Negative punishment, also known as punishment by removal, happens when a beneficial event or outcome is eliminated following the occurrence of a behaviour. Negative punishment is taking away a child’s video game after disobedience.

Reinforcement is not always an easy process, and there are a variety of elements that might influence how quickly and well new things are learnt.

Skinner found numerous alternative reinforcement schedules that influence the operant conditioning process: 

Continuous reinforcement entails providing reinforcement whenever a response occurs. Although learning happens quickly, the response rate is rather low. Extinction also happens swiftly after reinforcing is stopped.

Partial reinforcement is exemplified by fixed-ratio schedules. Only when a certain number of answers have happened are responses reinforced. This usually results in a pretty consistent response rate.

fixed-interval scheduling another type of partial reinforcement happens only after a specified amount of time has passed. Response rates remain relatively constant and begin to grow as the reinforcement period approaches, but slow soon after the reward is administered.

Variable-ratio schedules are another sort of partial reinforcement in which behaviour is reinforced after a variable number of responses. This results in a high reaction rate as well as a sluggish extinction rate.

Variable-interval schedules is Skinner’s final kind of partial reinforcement. This schedule calls for reinforcement to be sent after a variable length of time has passed. This also leads to a high response rate and a low extinction rate.

Now consider some examples of operant conditioning.

  1. If you fail to complete a project on time, your employer becomes enraged and publicly criticises your performance in front of your co-workers. This functions as a positive punishment, decreasing the likelihood of you finishing assignments late in the future.
  2. A lecturer informs students that if they maintain perfect attendance throughout the semester, they will not be required to take the final comprehensive exam. Students are negatively encouraged to attend class on a regular basis by removing an unpleasant stimuli (the final test).
  3. You teach your dog to fetch by rewarding him with praise and a pat on the head everytime he does it correctly. This is yet another reinforcer.

Conclusion

Both experiments clearly demonstrate how operant conditioning works. The most crucial aspect of any operant conditioning learning is recognising the operant behaviour and the outcome in that specific setting.