Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning

1. Learning occurs when we are rewarded

   • The reward becomes a reinforcer (encourages you to repeat it)
     • S.F. Skinner - Skinner box and rat experiment

2. Shut rat in skinner box

3. when rat passes line given food

4. line gets narrower

5. Eventually rat learns it has to pull on lever to get food

6. pulls lever any time it wants food

7. Similar to baby crying to tell mother its hungry. Gets reward of food so crying is reinforced