operant conditioning question

[theonlytycrane]

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I interpreted the self-administration of cocaine as the stimulus (positive), and removal of boredom / discomfort as decreasing in likelihood as a result (punishment). I'm trying to correct my approach. Am I off base or is this example a bit ambiguous?

 

[aldol16]

I interpreted the self-administration of cocaine as the stimulus (positive), and removal of boredom / discomfort as decreasing in likelihood as a result (punishment). I'm trying to correct my approach. Am I off base or is this example a bit ambiguous?

Well it can't be a punishment because operant condition refers to the perpetuation or extinction of behaviors. Removing boredom isn't a behavior - cocaine-seeking is. So if cocaine-seeking is the behavior, then it's being upregulated, or reinforced.

 

[theonlytycrane]

@aldol16 Thanks for the clarification. What do you think about the negative ~ removal of boredom? I feel like it would be more clear to consider the uplifting (positive) effects from the behavior.

 

[aldol16]

@aldol16 Thanks for the clarification. What do you think about the negative ~ removal of boredom? I feel like it would be more clear to consider the uplifting (positive) effects from the behavior.

Well, to answer that one you have to think about whether the stimulus, i.e. what they're doing, is adding something positive or removing something negative. Pressing the lever very clearly removes boredom, as the question states, so it's negative. A similar scenario could be positive, but it would have to say something like "the mouse pressed the lever to gain more of the euphoric effects of cocaine..." In that case, you would be adding the euphoric feeling and it would be positive.

 

[theonlytycrane]

@aldol16 thanks this helps! I wasn't understanding that the behavior is associated with reinforcement / punishment while the stimulus is associated with negative / positive.