Operant (Instrumental) Conditioning - The Three Concepts

4 important questions on Operant (Instrumental) Conditioning - The Three Concepts

Briefly explain one of the three concepts of Operant Conditioning called Reinforcement Schedules.

There are different types of schedules in which reinforcement can be used. The first is the continuous schedule: where the behaviour is reinforced every time. The second is a fixed ratio schedule where the behaviour is reinforced every second, third etc time. The third is the variable ratio schedule (intermittent schedule) where reinforcement is given after a series of wanted behaviour.

Briefly explain one of the three concepts of Operant Conditioning called Shaping. An example is getting customers to a store via special deals with the hope that they will buy other things as well - free trials.

Ordering conditions which will change the probability of behaviour, not as the final goal in itself, but to increase the probability of other behaviour - early in the purchase process.

Briefly discuss one of the three concepts of Operant Conditioning called Discriminative Stimuli.

The presence or absence of a stimulus that changes the probability of a behaviour (50% off sign, McDonald's arches). Customers learn that in the absence of such signs they do not get the perks and in the presence they receive their reward.
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What is the relationship between a Reinforcer as a stimulus and the Discriminative Stimulus?

Where the Reinforcer as a stimulus triggers emotions or behaviour, Discriminative Stimuli is the presence/absence of a stimuli that influences the probability of behaviour.

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