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

2. History
 Cats
 Law of Effect
 Satisfying event
Stamped in
 Annoying event
stamped out
 Unobservable
 Discrete trials
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 2 3/30/2012

3. History
 Skinner
 Removed
inference
 Free
operants
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 3 3/30/2012

4. Operant Conditioning
 Voluntary behavior
 Consequences determine probability
 Eliciting vs. Emitting
 No blank slate here!
 Behavior operates on environment
 Environment operates on behavior
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 4 3/30/2012

5. Natural Selection
 Species Level
Selection
 Phylogeny
 Cultural Level
Selection
 Change over time
 Individual Level
Selection
 Ontogeny (selection
by consequences)
 Operant
 Variation
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 5 3/30/2012

6. Consequences
 Stimuli
 Future behavior only
 No moral value
 Immediate consequences
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 6 3/30/2012

7. Reinforcement
 Probably of response
increases
 Strengthening
 Processes: Reinforcement
 Stimulus: Reinforcer
 Have to watch behavior
CEDP 324 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 7 3/30/2012