Introductory Concepts
Elementary Relationships
Extensions of Verbal Behavior
Multiple Controlling Relationships
Building on the Elementary Relationships
;

1.5 Definition of Discriminative Stimulus

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.

TermDefinition
StimulusA 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 StimulusA stimulus in the presence of which a given response has a history of being reinforced.      
Post a comment
This section is for the civil and public discussion of the content of this page. We reserve the right to moderate and remove comments that are irrelevant, disrespectful, hateful, harassing, threatening, or spamlike. If you are experiencing a technical issue, please contact our helpdesk for assistance.

Leave a Comment