"Operant conditioning, also called instrumental conditioning..."
Any consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future.
Basic principles of reinforcement: This topic involves understanding the fundamental concepts of reinforcement, including positive and negative reinforcement, punishment, and schedules of reinforcement.
Classical conditioning: This topic focuses on the basic principles of classical conditioning, including the association between two stimuli, the role of timing, and the process of extinction.
Operant conditioning: This topic explores how behavior is shaped by its consequences, including rewards and punishments, and the effect of different schedules of reinforcement.
Reinforcement learning algorithms: This topic covers the practical aspect of reinforcement learning, including the various algorithms used for training agents to learn through trial and error.
Continuous reinforcement: This topic would discuss how continuous reinforcement is the idea that every instance of a behavior is always reinforced, and how it differs from other schedules of reinforcement.
Shaping and Chaining: This topic investigates to shape behavior where we start with rewarding the improved approximations of a behavior and then rewarding the exact target behavior. In chaining, one skill is taught at a time, and these skills are tied together into a more complex behavior.
Extinction: This topic dives deeper into the process of extinction in behavioral psychology, which means that the reinforcement associated with a particular behavior is withdrawn, and the behavior decreases in frequency.
Trial-and-error learning: This topic would cover the idea of learning through repeated attempts and experiencing rewards and punishments which would eventually allow for the successful completion of the task.
Reinforcement theory: This topic would cover reinforcement theory which focuses on how behavior is influenced by environmental factors such as rewards, consequences, and positive feedback.
Reinforcement schedules: This topic would cover the different schedules of reinforcement, including fixed-ratio, variable ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval, and how they are applied in different situations.
Positive and Negative Reinforcement: This topic would cover the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, which enhances and strengthens the behavior as a result of the application of rewards and the reduction of punishments.
Punishment: This topic would explore punishment as a procedure that decreases the chances of the occurrence of an unwanted behavior, and the different types of punishment that can be used.
Rewards and Motivation: This topic would explore how motivation and rewards tie in with reinforcement behavior, and how rewards can increase motivation.
Social Learning Theory: This topic involves the intersection between social learning and reinforcement behavior, including the concepts of modeling and observational learning.
Reinforcement and Neuroscience: This topic would cover the neural mechanisms involved in reinforcement learning and conditioning, including the role of dopamine, reward pathways, and the prefrontal cortex.
Positive Reinforcement: Adding a desirable stimulus to increase the probability that a behavior will be repeated in the future. For example, giving a treat to a dog when it performs a trick correctly.
Negative Reinforcement: Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase the probability that a behavior will be repeated in the future. For example, removing an electric shock when a rat presses a lever.
Punishment: Administering an unpleasant stimulus to decrease the probability that a behavior will be repeated in the future. For example, giving a child a time-out when they misbehave.
Extinction: Withholding reinforcement to decrease the probability that a behavior will be repeated in the future. For example, ignoring a child's tantrum when they are seeking attention.
Continuous Reinforcement: Providing a reward every time the desired behavior is performed. For example, giving a rat a food pellet every time it presses a lever.
Intermittent Reinforcement: Providing a reward only some of the time the desired behavior is performed. For example, giving a rat a food pellet only after every fifth lever press.
Fixed Ratio Reinforcement: Providing a reward after a fixed number of desired behavior performances. For example, giving a dog a treat every time it performs a trick correctly five times.
Variable Ratio Reinforcement: Providing a reward after a random number of desired behavior performances. For example, giving a dog a treat after it performs a trick correctly two times, then five times, then three times, etc.
Fixed Interval Reinforcement: Providing a reward after a fixed amount of time has passed since the last reward was given. For example, giving a rat a food pellet every 10 minutes.
Variable Interval Reinforcement: Providing a reward after a random amount of time has passed since the last reward was given. For example, giving a rat a food pellet after 2 minutes, then 8 minutes, then 5 minutes, etc.
"behaviors are modified through the association of stimuli with reinforcement or punishment."
"Operant conditioning originated in the work of Edward Thorndike..."
"behaviors arise as a result of whether their consequences are satisfying or discomforting."
"operant conditioning was studied by behaviorist psychologists..."
"Reinforcements are environmental stimuli that increase behaviors, whereas punishments are stimuli that decrease behaviors."
"Both kinds of stimuli can be further categorized into positive and negative stimuli..."
"operant conditioning is voluntary and depends on the consequences of a behavior."
"The study of animal learning in the 20th century was dominated by the analysis of these two sorts of learning..."
"They have also been applied to the study of social psychology..."
"behaviors are modified through the association of stimuli with reinforcement or punishment."
"Operant conditioning originated in the work of Edward Thorndike..."
"classical conditioning, which is a process where stimuli are paired with biologically significant events..."
"operant conditioning is voluntary and depends on the consequences of a behavior."
"Reinforcements are environmental stimuli that increase behaviors..."
"punishments are stimuli that decrease behaviors."
"Both kinds of stimuli can be further categorized into positive and negative stimuli..."
"they are still at the core of behavior analysis."
"..helping to clarify certain phenomena such as the false consensus effect."
"operants—behaviors that affect one's environment—are conditioned to occur or not occur depending on the environmental consequences of the behavior."