Operant and Classical

Conditioning
BF Skinner
Schedules of reinforcement
• Continuous
• A rat is rewarded every time they press a lever
• Fixed Ratio
• A rat is rewarded every 5th time they press a lever
• Variable ratio
• A rat is rewarded after 3 presses of the lever, then 10 presses, then 7 – after
random numbers of lever presses
• Fixed Interval
• A rat is rewarded every 2 minutes regardless of number of lever presses
• Variable Interval
• A rat is rewarded at random time intervals – for example, after 4 mins, then 1
min, etc
Which Schedule?
• A salesperson earns a commission for every third sale that they make
• Checking you phone to see if you’ve got a message or ‘like’
• Gambling – you know you’ll get a reward at some point if you keep
playing long enough, but you don’t know how many times you’ll need
to play to get it
• Getting a pay cheque at the end of each month
More examples?
• Fixed Ratio
• A salesperson earns a commission for every third sale that they make
• Variable ratio
• Gambling – you know you’ll get a reward at some point if you keep playing
long enough, but you don’t know how many times you’ll need to play to get it
• Fixed Interval
• Getting a pay cheque at the end of each month
• Variable Interval
• Checking you phone to see if you’ve got a message or ‘like’
Classical or Operant Conditioning?
• Is the behaviour voluntary?
• In classical conditioning, the response or behaviour is involuntary, as in dogs
salivating
• In operant conditioning, the behaviour is voluntary, as in dogs choosing to sit
• Training dogs to salivate to the sound of a metronome
• Training dogs to sit by giving them a treat when they do
 Operant or Classical Conditioning?
1. Your favourite snack is peanut butter sandwiches which you always eat off a big blue plate.
Gradually you smile just from seeing the big blue plate
2. Your first love always wore red shoes - now, when you see red shoes, it makes your heart race
3. Your parents give you a credit card at the end of your first year in college because you did so
well - your grades continue to get better in your second year
4. Your car has an annoying red, flashing light if you start the car without buckling the seat belt –
you become less likely to start the car without buckling the seat belt
5. You have frequent injections of drugs, given in a small examination room at a clinic. The drug
causes increased heart rate but after several trips to the clinic, simply being in a small room
causes an increased heart rate
6. A lion in a circus learns to stand up on a chair and jump through a hoop to receive a food treat
7. A teacher lets students skip the final exam if they maintain perfect attendance during the
quarter. His students’ attendance increases dramatically
8. Your hands are cold so you put your gloves on. In the future, you are more likely to put gloves
on when it’s cold
 Operant or Classical Conditioning?
1. Your favourite snack is peanut butter sandwiches which you always eat off a big blue plate.
Gradually you smile just from seeing the big blue plate
2. Your first love always wore a red shoes - now, when you see red shoes, it makes your heart race
3. Your parents give you a credit card at the end of your first year in college because you did so well -
your grades continue to get better in your second year
4. Your car has an annoying red, flashing light if you start the car without buckling the seat belt –
you become less likely to start the car without buckling the seat belt
5. You have frequent injections of drugs, given in a small examination room at a clinic. The drug
causes increased heart rate but after several trips to the clinic, simply being in a small room
causes an increased heart rate
6. A lion in a circus learns to stand up on a chair and jump through a hoop to receive a food treat
7. A teacher lets students skip the final exam if they maintain perfect attendance during the quarter.
His students’ attendance increases dramatically
8. Your hands are cold so you put your gloves on. In the future, you are more likely to put gloves on
when it’s cold
 What’s the UCS and NS?
• Your favourite snack is peanut butter sandwiches which you always eat off a
big blue plate. Gradually you smile just from seeing the big blue plate
• Your first love always wore a red shoes - now, when you see red shoes, it
makes your heart race
• You have frequent injections of drugs, given in a small examination room at
a clinic. The drug causes increased heart rate but after several trips to the
clinic, simply being in a small room causes an increased heart rate
 Positive / Negative Reinforcement?
1. Your parents give you a credit card at the end of your first year in college
because you did so well - your grades continue to get better in your
second year
2. Your car has an annoying red, flashing light if you start the car without
buckling the seat belt – you become less likely to start the car without
buckling the seat belt
3. A lion in a circus learns to stand up on a chair and jump through a hoop to
receive a food treat
4. A teacher lets students skip the final exam if they maintain perfect
attendance during the quarter. His students’ attendance increases
dramatically
5. Your hands are cold so you put your gloves on. In the future, you are more
likely to put gloves on when it’s cold