Schedule of reinforcement

Summary

The script explains how behavior, specifically a pigeon pecking a disk, can be influenced through schedules of reinforcement. By rewarding the pigeon after certain actions, researchers can study how the frequency of rewards (or reinforcement) affects behavior. This concept is applied to humans, with a focus on gambling, where variable ratio reinforcement schedules drive addictive behaviors. The comparison shows how changing reinforcement patterns in animals can help interpret human behavior, such as gambling, as driven by reward systems rather than psychological motivations.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Behavior can be studied by observing how often a reward is given in response to an action.
• 📊 Pigeons learned to peck a disk in order to receive a reward, which allowed their behavior to be measured.
• 🔄 The concept of 'reinforcement schedules' explains how rewards are given at different intervals.
• 🍽️ Reinforcement doesn't have to occur every time; it can be given after a set number of responses, like every tenth time.
• ⏳ Reinforcement can also be time-based, such as providing a reward once every minute.
• 🔢 There are many different types of reinforcement schedules, each with its own effect on behavior.
• 🎰 A 'variable ratio schedule' is highly effective and is commonly found in gambling systems.
• 🎲 The behavior of pigeons on variable ratio schedules is similar to how humans become compulsive gamblers.
• ⚖️ Gambling behavior in both pigeons and humans is driven by the reinforcement schedule, not emotional factors like excitement or punishment.
• 📉 Changing or removing reinforcement schedules helps in understanding the underlying mechanisms of gambling behavior.

Q & A

What is being studied in the experiment described in the transcript?

The experiment studies the behavior of a pigeon pecking a colored disk and how the frequency of rewards (reinforcements) affects that behavior.

What does reinforcement mean in the context of this experiment?

Reinforcement refers to the reward given to the pigeon after it performs a behavior (pecking the disk), which strengthens the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

What is the purpose of varying the schedule of reinforcement in the experiment?

The purpose of varying the schedule of reinforcement is to study how different patterns of reward delivery affect the behavior of the pigeon, allowing researchers to observe how often and under what conditions the behavior is repeated.

What is a variable ratio schedule in the context of reinforcement?

A variable ratio schedule is when rewards are given after an unpredictable number of responses, rather than after every response. This schedule is known to produce strong and persistent behaviors.

How does the variable ratio schedule relate to human behavior?

The variable ratio schedule is similar to what is found in gambling devices. It reinforces behavior unpredictably, making it addictive and causing humans, like pigeons, to continue engaging in the behavior.

How is the pigeon experiment connected to human gambling behavior?

The experiment shows that pigeons can become 'pathological gamblers' under a variable ratio schedule, similar to how humans become addicted to gambling when rewards are given at unpredictable intervals.

What misconception about gambling does the experiment help to clarify?

The experiment clarifies that people do not gamble because they want to punish themselves or because they enjoy the excitement, but rather because of the reinforcement schedule (variable ratio) that keeps them engaged.

What does Skinner mean by 'schedules of reinforcement'?

Schedules of reinforcement refer to the rules or patterns that determine when and how often a behavior is reinforced with a reward.

Why are variable ratio schedules effective in reinforcing behavior?

Variable ratio schedules are effective because they create an element of unpredictability in receiving rewards, which leads to persistent and repetitive behavior since the subject does not know when the next reward will come.

How can the findings from pigeon studies be applied to human behavior?

The findings can be applied to human behavior by showing that similar reinforcement schedules, like those used in gambling, can lead to addictive behavior in humans, just as they do in pigeons.