AP Psychology Flashcards: Operant Conditioning

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Operant Conditioning, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Psychology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Identify: A dog gets a treat for sitting on command.

Answer: Positive reinforcement. Adding a treat increases likelihood of sitting behavior.

Flashcard 2: What is the law of effect?

Answer: Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened, and vice versa. Thorndike's principle that consequences determine future behavior likelihood.

Flashcard 3: What is a primary reinforcer?

Answer: A reinforcer that satisfies a biological need, such as food or water. Naturally reinforcing because it meets basic survival needs.

Flashcard 4: Determine type: Removing a positive stimulus to decrease behavior.

Answer: Negative punishment. Taking away something pleasant weakens the target behavior.

Flashcard 5: What is a variable-interval schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given at unpredictable time intervals. Unpredictable timing maintains consistent response rates.

Flashcard 6: What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers?

Answer: Primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs; secondary reinforcers are learned. Primary are innate; secondary are learned through association.

Flashcard 7: Determine type: Adding a positive stimulus to increase behavior.

Answer: Positive reinforcement. Adding something pleasant strengthens the target behavior.

Flashcard 8: What is positive punishment?

Answer: Adding a stimulus to decrease an undesired behavior. Present something unpleasant to weaken behavior (typical punishment).

Flashcard 9: What is a token economy?

Answer: A system where tokens are earned for desired behaviors and exchanged for rewards. Uses secondary reinforcers as intermediate rewards for target behaviors.

Flashcard 10: What is a secondary reinforcer?

Answer: A reinforcer that gains value through association with primary reinforcers. Learned reinforcer through pairing with primary reinforcers.

Flashcard 11: What is an operant response?

Answer: A behavior that is modified by its consequences. Voluntary behavior that operates on the environment for consequences.

Flashcard 12: Identify: Slot machine payouts at casinos.

Answer: Variable-ratio schedule. Payouts occur after unpredictable numbers of plays.

Flashcard 13: What is a variable-ratio schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses. Unpredictable reinforcement creates persistent, steady responding.

Flashcard 14: What is shaping in operant conditioning?

Answer: Reinforcing successive approximations toward a desired behavior. Gradually reinforces behaviors closer to the final target behavior.

Flashcard 15: Identify the effect of a fixed-interval schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces responses that increase as the time for reinforcement approaches. Shows scalloped pattern with low rates early, high rates near deadline.

Flashcard 16: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after unpredictable time intervals.

Answer: Variable-interval schedule. Reinforcement timing varies randomly, maintaining steady behavior.

Flashcard 17: Determine type: Removing a positive stimulus to decrease behavior.

Answer: Negative punishment. Taking away something pleasant weakens the target behavior.

Flashcard 18: What is a discriminative stimulus?

Answer: A cue that signals the availability of reinforcement. Environmental signal indicating when reinforcement is available.

Flashcard 19: What is a fixed-interval schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after a set amount of time. Predictable time-based reinforcement regardless of response frequency.

Flashcard 20: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement every 5 minutes.

Answer: Fixed-interval schedule. Reinforcement occurs at consistent 5-minute intervals.

Flashcard 21: Identify: A child receives a sticker for every completed homework.

Answer: Fixed-ratio schedule. One sticker per homework creates a 1:1 response-reinforcement ratio.

Flashcard 22: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses.

Answer: Variable-ratio schedule. Response count varies randomly before reinforcement occurs.

Flashcard 23: What is a variable-interval schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given at unpredictable time intervals. Unpredictable timing maintains consistent response rates.

Flashcard 24: What is positive reinforcement?

Answer: Adding a stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Present something good to strengthen behavior (reward system).

Flashcard 25: What is the Premack Principle?

Answer: A more preferred activity can reinforce a less preferred activity. High-probability behaviors reinforce low-probability behaviors.

Flashcard 26: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after unpredictable time intervals.

Answer: Variable-interval schedule. Reinforcement timing varies randomly, maintaining steady behavior.

Flashcard 27: What is positive punishment?

Answer: Adding a stimulus to decrease an undesired behavior. Present something unpleasant to weaken behavior (typical punishment).

Flashcard 28: Identify: Checking phone for messages at random times.

Answer: Variable-interval schedule. Messages arrive at unpredictable times, maintaining checking behavior.

Flashcard 29: What is a primary reinforcer?

Answer: A reinforcer that satisfies a biological need, such as food or water. Naturally reinforcing because it meets basic survival needs.

Flashcard 30: Identify the effect of a variable-ratio schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces high and steady response rates. Unpredictable timing creates resistance to extinction.

Flashcard 31: What is the law of effect?

Answer: Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened, and vice versa. Thorndike's principle that consequences determine future behavior likelihood.

Flashcard 32: What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers?

Answer: Primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs; secondary reinforcers are learned. Primary are innate; secondary are learned through association.

Flashcard 33: Determine type: Removing a negative stimulus to increase behavior.

Answer: Negative reinforcement. Taking away something unpleasant strengthens the target behavior.

Flashcard 34: What is negative punishment?

Answer: Removing a stimulus to decrease an undesired behavior. Take away something pleasant to weaken behavior (time-out, fines).

Flashcard 35: Identify: A paycheck received every two weeks.

Answer: Fixed-interval schedule. Payment occurs every 14 days regardless of work frequency.

Flashcard 36: What is a discriminative stimulus?

Answer: A cue that signals the availability of reinforcement. Environmental signal indicating when reinforcement is available.

Flashcard 37: Identify the effect of a variable-interval schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces slow and steady response rates. Unpredictable timing eliminates the scalloped response pattern.

Flashcard 38: What is the role of a reinforcer?

Answer: A stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Any consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur again.

Flashcard 39: Determine type: Removing a negative stimulus to increase behavior.

Answer: Negative reinforcement. Taking away something unpleasant strengthens the target behavior.

Flashcard 40: What is extinction in operant conditioning?

Answer: The decrease in response when reinforcement is no longer presented. Behavior gradually weakens when consequences are removed.

Flashcard 41: Identify: A dog gets a treat for sitting on command.

Answer: Positive reinforcement. Adding a treat increases likelihood of sitting behavior.

Flashcard 42: What is the role of a punisher?

Answer: A stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Any consequence that makes a behavior less likely to occur again.

Flashcard 43: What is a fixed-ratio schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after a set number of responses. Predictable reinforcement based on number of behaviors performed.

Flashcard 44: What is a reinforcement schedule?

Answer: A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced. Determines timing and frequency of reinforcement delivery.

Flashcard 45: What is the role of a punisher?

Answer: A stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Any consequence that makes a behavior less likely to occur again.

Flashcard 46: Identify the effect of a fixed-ratio schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces high response rates with pauses after reinforcement. Predictable ratio creates brief pauses after each reward.

Flashcard 47: Identify the effect of a variable-interval schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces slow and steady response rates. Unpredictable timing eliminates the scalloped response pattern.

Flashcard 48: What is positive reinforcement?

Answer: Adding a stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Present something good to strengthen behavior (reward system).

Flashcard 49: Who is the psychologist most associated with operant conditioning?

Answer: B.F. Skinner. Developed the modern framework for studying how consequences shape behavior.

Flashcard 50: What is a fixed-interval schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after a set amount of time. Predictable time-based reinforcement regardless of response frequency.

Flashcard 51: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses.

Answer: Variable-ratio schedule. Response count varies randomly before reinforcement occurs.

Flashcard 52: Identify the effect of a fixed-ratio schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces high response rates with pauses after reinforcement. Predictable ratio creates brief pauses after each reward.

Flashcard 53: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after every 10 responses.

Answer: Fixed-ratio schedule. Reinforcement occurs after every 10th response consistently.

Flashcard 54: What is an operant response?

Answer: A behavior that is modified by its consequences. Voluntary behavior that operates on the environment for consequences.

Flashcard 55: Identify: Slot machine payouts at casinos.

Answer: Variable-ratio schedule. Payouts occur after unpredictable numbers of plays.

Flashcard 56: Identify: A paycheck received every two weeks.

Answer: Fixed-interval schedule. Payment occurs every 14 days regardless of work frequency.

Flashcard 57: Who is the psychologist most associated with operant conditioning?

Answer: B.F. Skinner. Developed the modern framework for studying how consequences shape behavior.

Flashcard 58: What is extinction in operant conditioning?

Answer: The decrease in response when reinforcement is no longer presented. Behavior gradually weakens when consequences are removed.

Flashcard 59: Identify the effect of a fixed-interval schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces responses that increase as the time for reinforcement approaches. Shows scalloped pattern with low rates early, high rates near deadline.

Flashcard 60: Identify the effect of a variable-ratio schedule on behavior.

Answer: Produces high and steady response rates. Unpredictable timing creates resistance to extinction.

Flashcard 61: What is a reinforcement schedule?

Answer: A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced. Determines timing and frequency of reinforcement delivery.

Flashcard 62: What is the role of a reinforcer?

Answer: A stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Any consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur again.

Flashcard 63: What is a variable-ratio schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses. Unpredictable reinforcement creates persistent, steady responding.

Flashcard 64: What is negative punishment?

Answer: Removing a stimulus to decrease an undesired behavior. Take away something pleasant to weaken behavior (time-out, fines).

Flashcard 65: What is operant conditioning?

Answer: A learning process where behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. Consequences shape future behavior through systematic reward and punishment.

Flashcard 66: Identify: A child receives a sticker for every completed homework.

Answer: Fixed-ratio schedule. One sticker per homework creates a 1:1 response-reinforcement ratio.

Flashcard 67: Determine type: Adding a negative stimulus to decrease behavior.

Answer: Positive punishment. Adding something unpleasant weakens the target behavior.

Flashcard 68: Determine type: Adding a positive stimulus to increase behavior.

Answer: Positive reinforcement. Adding something pleasant strengthens the target behavior.

Flashcard 69: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement after every 10 responses.

Answer: Fixed-ratio schedule. Reinforcement occurs after every 10th response consistently.

Flashcard 70: What is the Premack Principle?

Answer: A more preferred activity can reinforce a less preferred activity. High-probability behaviors reinforce low-probability behaviors.

Flashcard 71: Determine type: Adding a negative stimulus to decrease behavior.

Answer: Positive punishment. Adding something unpleasant weakens the target behavior.

Flashcard 72: Identify which schedule: Reinforcement every 5 minutes.

Answer: Fixed-interval schedule. Reinforcement occurs at consistent 5-minute intervals.

Flashcard 73: What is a fixed-ratio schedule?

Answer: Reinforcement is given after a set number of responses. Predictable reinforcement based on number of behaviors performed.

Flashcard 74: What is a token economy?

Answer: A system where tokens are earned for desired behaviors and exchanged for rewards. Uses secondary reinforcers as intermediate rewards for target behaviors.

Flashcard 75: What is negative reinforcement?

Answer: Removing a stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Take away something unpleasant to strengthen behavior (escape/avoidance).

Flashcard 76: What is a secondary reinforcer?

Answer: A reinforcer that gains value through association with primary reinforcers. Learned reinforcer through pairing with primary reinforcers.

Flashcard 77: What is negative reinforcement?

Answer: Removing a stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Take away something unpleasant to strengthen behavior (escape/avoidance).

Flashcard 78: What is shaping in operant conditioning?

Answer: Reinforcing successive approximations toward a desired behavior. Gradually reinforces behaviors closer to the final target behavior.

Flashcard 79: Identify: Checking phone for messages at random times.

Answer: Variable-interval schedule. Messages arrive at unpredictable times, maintaining checking behavior.

Flashcard 80: What is operant conditioning?

Answer: A learning process where behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. Consequences shape future behavior through systematic reward and punishment.