The next term is discriminative stimulus, which is a stimulus in the presence of which a given response has a history of being reinforced. For example, if a hungry lab rat receives a pellet (reinforcement) for pressing a bar only when a red light is on, the red light is probably functioning as a discriminative stimulus.
Term | Definition |
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Stimulus | A physical energy change capable of affecting an organism through one of its receptors: photoreceptors, phonoreceptors, chemoreceptors (gustatory and olfactory), mechanoreceptors (touch), thermoreceptors, and free nerve endings. |
Discriminative Stimulus | A stimulus in the presence of which a given response has a history of being reinforced. |
Reinforcement reinforces a behavior, while punishment aims to get rid of that behavior.
discriminative stimulus always has a history of being reinforced
It’s such an excellent way to caption this.
An SD has reinforcing history.
A discriminative stimulus signals that a specific behavior is likely to be reinforced. It tells the organism when a response, like pressing a bar or following a command, will lead to something rewarding. For example, if a rat gets food only when a red light is on, the red light becomes a cue that pressing the bar will pay off.
A discriminative stimulus signals the organism of the presence or absence of reinforcement.
A discriminative stimulus has a history of reinforcement.
A discriminative stimulus signals an organism to make a response that was reinforced in the past.
discriminative stimulus is response with a history of being reinforced.