B.F SKINNER TEORÍA DEL APRENDIZAJE (CONDUCTISMO) RESUMIDA FÁCIL CON EJEMPLOS Ft. @Habiaspensado

Summary

This video delves into the fascinating journey of B.F. Skinner and his development of operant conditioning. Starting with his early literary aspirations, the narrative follows his transition to psychology, influenced by figures like Watson. Skinner's experiments with animals, notably his use of the 'Skinner Box,' reveal how behaviors are reinforced and the role of rewards and punishments in shaping actions. Through the exploration of reinforcement schedules, extinction, and even superstitious behaviors, the video showcases Skinner's groundbreaking work, including its applications in education, behavior therapy, and even societal models, sparking deep discussions on the nature of human behavior and learning.

Takeaways

• 😀 Skinner was inspired by the behaviorist theories of Watson and Pavlov, which led him to develop his own theory of operant conditioning.
• 😀 The foundational concept of operant conditioning is that behavior is shaped by its consequences, either through reinforcement or punishment.
• 😀 Skinner's famous experiments, including those with pigeons in his 'Skinner Box,' demonstrated how behavior could be learned through reinforcement.
• 😀 Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, while punishment decreases it, as shown in Skinner's controlled experiments.
• 😀 Skinner discovered 'extinction' in behavior when reinforcement was withheld, causing previously learned behaviors to decrease over time.
• 😀 A variable interval reinforcement schedule, where rewards are given unpredictably, led to even higher rates of behavior, illustrating how unpredictability can enhance performance.
• 😀 Skinner also explored 'superstitious' behaviors in animals, where they would associate arbitrary actions (like flapping wings) with rewards, demonstrating the formation of irrational behaviors.
• 😀 Skinner introduced the concept of 'shaping,' where complex behaviors can be learned gradually by reinforcing successive approximations of the desired action.
• 😀 Skinner's ideas about behavior modification were applied to education, with some programs designed to improve learning in schools, particularly in challenging subjects like mathematics.
• 😀 Despite facing criticism for neglecting cognitive and emotional aspects of behavior, Skinner’s focus on reinforcement continued to be influential in various fields, including education, psychology, and even entertainment.

Q & A

What initially sparked Burrhus Frederic Skinner's interest in psychology?

Skinner's interest in psychology was sparked after he read a critique of behaviorism by Bertrand Russell, which led him to explore the work of John Watson and eventually study psychology at Harvard.

What is operant conditioning, as described in Skinner's experiments?

Operant conditioning is a learning process where behavior is shaped by consequences, such as reinforcement or punishment. Skinner demonstrated this through his experiments with animals, like pigeons and rats, in which they learned behaviors through rewards (reinforcement) or the absence of rewards (punishment).

What role did Skinner's 'Skinner box' play in his experiments?

The 'Skinner box' (also known as the operant conditioning chamber) was a controlled environment where Skinner could study animal behavior. It contained levers or buttons that animals could press to receive a reward, such as food, helping Skinner study how reinforcement shaped behavior.

How does reinforcement affect behavior in operant conditioning?

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. If a behavior is followed by a positive consequence, such as a reward, the behavior is more likely to occur again in the future.

What is the concept of extinction in operant conditioning?

Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when a previously reinforced behavior decreases or stops because the expected reinforcement (like food) is no longer provided. Skinner discovered this when a machine failure led to a decrease in behavior in his subjects.

What was Skinner’s finding when reinforcement was given intermittently?

Skinner found that when reinforcement was given intermittently (i.e., sometimes after a behavior and sometimes not), the animals exhibited more persistent and frequent behaviors. This increased the frequency of the behavior compared to continuous reinforcement.

What is the difference between fixed and variable interval reinforcement schedules?

A fixed interval reinforcement schedule provides reinforcement after a set amount of time or a specific number of responses, while a variable interval schedule provides reinforcement at unpredictable intervals. Skinner found that variable intervals produced more consistent and frequent behaviors.

How does Skinner’s concept of shaping work in behavior modification?

Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior. For example, in his experiments, Skinner would reward animals for behaviors that were closer to the final goal, gradually reinforcing behaviors that moved them toward the desired action.

What example did Skinner give to explain continuous reinforcement?

Skinner used the example of a job in which workers are continuously paid (the reinforcement) for doing their tasks (the behavior). This consistent reward encourages the workers to keep performing the same behavior.

How did Skinner's work influence the field of education?

Skinner's work influenced educational practices, especially with the development of teaching machines and programmed instruction. His theories on reinforcement were applied to create more effective learning environments by reinforcing desired responses in students.