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LEARNING

Learning is often defined as a relatively lasting change in behavior that is the result of experience. It may also be defined as a relatively enduring or permanent change of behavior that results from previous experience with certain stimuli and responses. Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is also called instrumental conditioning, is a kind of learning in which an animal or human performs some behavior, and the following consequence (reward or punishment) increases or decreases the chance that an animal or human will again perform that same behavior. The law of effect states that behaviors followed by positive consequences are strengthened, while behaviors followed by negative consequences are weakened. Shaping is a procedure in which an experimenter successively reinforcers behaviors that lead up to or approximately the desired behavior. Note: There is an important difference between a reward and a reinforcer in operant conditioning. • A reward is something, which has value to the person giving the reward, but may not necessarily be of value to the person receiving the reward. • A reinforcer is something, which benefits the person receiving it, and so results in an increase of a certain type of behavior. Skinner identified three types of responses or operants that can follow behavior. Neutral operants: Responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated. Reinforces are any event that strengthens or increases the behavior it follows. There are two kinds of reinforcers. 1. Positive reinforcers are favorable events or outcomes that are presented after the behavior in order to increase the probability or chance of the behavior occurring again. In situations that reflect positive reinforcement, a response or behavior is strengthened by the addition of something, such as praise or a direct

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