Conditioning and Schedules of Reinforcement

Different types of conditioning and using the movie Rain Man for examples.

Operant conditioning creates a thinking response.
examples:

1. Charlie takes maple syrup to the diner each time for breakfast, or else Raymond would throw a fit.
2. Charlie buys Raymond a portable television, so Raymond won't miss his shows.

Classical conditioning create an involuntary response.
examples:

1. Raymond brushes his teeth a certain amount of times each morning.
2. Raymond gets to watch TV after he does his routine.

Social conditioning is beginning to imitate what others around you do.examples:

1. Charlie repeats things like an autistic person would. He learns this from Raymond from when they were kids. An example is when Charlie repeatedly says, "I got the rose bush!"
2. Raymond tries to dance after seeing the people dance on TV.
3. Raymond mimmicks Susana's moans.
4. Raymond copies the motor sounds of the car on the bridge.

 Emotional conditioning associates something to an emotional response.
examples (not from Rain Man):

1. Susie had a great time at Disneyland. When Susie thinks of Disney related things, she becomes happy.

Schedules of Reinforcement
fixed ratio: certainty of reward for a patter or behavior

1. Each time the student studies, the student gets an A.
2. Each time the player makes a goal, the student receives a high-five.

fixed interval: certainty of reward from a set amount of time.

1. Every night at 6pm, he eats dinner.
2. Every Friday night, she gets to go out.

variable ratio: uncertainty of reward for a behavior or pattern.

1. She doesn't know how many times a week she had to do the dishes to get an allowance.
2. The child's parents sometimes give him a cookie after he recites the ABCs.

variable interval: unknown amount of time for reward.

1.  The fisherman doesn't know for how much time he has to wait until a fish comes along and takes the bait.