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Related Concept Videos

Reinforcement Schedules01:24

Reinforcement Schedules

Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
Once a behavior is learned,...
Timing and Consequences on Behavior01:08

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective. 
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Operant Conditioning01:21

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Primary and Secondary Reinforcers01:23

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

In psychology, reinforcement is a key concept in behavior modification. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments involving rats in what is known as a Skinner box. The rats learned to press a lever to receive food, a primary reinforcer that fulfilled their innate need for nourishment.
Effective reinforcers for humans vary depending on the individual and the context. Primary reinforcers, such as food, water, sleep, shelter, and pleasure, have inherent value and satisfy basic biological...
Reinforcement01:23

Reinforcement

Positive and negative reinforcement are key concepts in operant conditioning, a learning process where the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:
Law of Effect01:06

Law of Effect

B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle boxes...

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Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
09:12

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Published on: March 17, 2019

Delayed reinforcement and fixed-ratio performance.

David P Jarmolowicz1, Kennon A Lattal

  • 1West Virginia University.

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|September 17, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Delayed reinforcement significantly impacts animal behavior, with unsignaled delays causing more pronounced effects than signaled ones. This research explores how reinforcement timing affects fixed-ratio responding in pigeons.

Keywords:
delay of reinforcementfixed ratiokey peckparametricpigeonrapid assessmentreinforcement ratesignaledunsignaledyoked interval

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Animal Behavior Studies
  • Operant Conditioning

Background:

  • Reinforcement schedules are fundamental to understanding behavior.
  • The timing of reinforcement can critically influence response patterns.
  • Previous research indicates delays can alter behavior, but the specifics require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of delayed reinforcement on fixed-ratio (FR) maintained responding in pigeons.
  • To compare the impact of signaled versus unsignaled delays.
  • To examine the generality of these effects across different schedules and parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Pigeons were subjected to increasing delays of reinforcement across sessions.
  • Both signaled and unsignaled delays were implemented under various conditions.
  • Response rates, run rates, and post-reinforcement pauses were systematically measured.

Main Results:

  • Increasing delays led to decreased response and run rates, and increased post-reinforcement pauses.
  • Unsignaled delays had a more significant impact on behavior than signaled delays.
  • Delays affected performance similarly across fixed-ratio and interval schedules.

Conclusions:

  • The delay of reinforcement is a critical factor influencing operant behavior.
  • The discriminability of the delay (signaled vs. unsignaled) modulates its behavioral effects.
  • Findings suggest a general principle of reinforcement delay effects across different schedule types.