B. F. Skinner: An Example Of Operant Conditioning

Skinner in 1938.Operant conditioning is a form of learning which explains the relation of behaviors on certain rewards and consequences. The study of the theory only deals with expressible behaviors and not any internal mental thoughts and brain mechanisms. Operant Conditioning works by applying two major concepts, Reinforcements and Punishments, after the behavior is executed, which causes the rate of behavior to increase or decrease. Skinner’s Skinner box experiment with a rat is the base for operant conditioning theory and its concepts. The main principle comprises changing environmental events that are related to a person's behavior.

This is the idea that people's behavior is based off of the consequences and reinforcements one receives. Slater agrees when she says, “Operant conditioning- a cold phrase for a concept that might really mean we are sculptors and sculpted, artist and artwork, responsible for the prompts we fashion.” (29). I making this comment Slater is agreeing that people are always in one of two positions. One is either the controller, giving reinforcements, or the controlled receiving the consequences they are given for their actions.

Operant conditioning is used in my experiment, as I am presenting a consequence as a result of the behavior of sleeping on the couch. This is not a form of classical conditioning, as I am not pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response. Nor am I teaching a correct behavior. I am clearly attempting to decrease the rate of a behavior by presenting a punishment after a behavior. I found that operant conditioning was the best approach for my experiment, as operant conditioning involves increasing or decreasing voluntary behaviors by presenting reinforcement or punishment after the behavior.

Skinners experiment was based on operant conditioning, using the concept of discrimination learning, he carried out experiments on animals with the idea that their behaviour is predetermined by their environment and using a well controlled environment would allow him to in turn control their behaviours using a range of triggers. Using reinforcement and expectancy, the animal associates acting out certain behaviours with rewards. (Toates, F., 2010, pp. 165-167) After performing a number of experiments on rats using mazes, he subsequently designed the Skinner box.

Operant conditioning is a type of learning process where the strength of a client’s behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. Dr. Foxx’s work with Harry is an example of operant conditioning because of the techniques he used with different levels of consequences, for example time out and physical reinforcements. With that being said Dr. Foxx used Harrys restraints as both positive and negative reinforcements. In addition, some of the examples Dr. Foxx used to work with Harrys problem behavior

Operant conditioning is a condition in which the desired behavior or increasingly closer to the approximations to it are followed by a rewarding or reinforcing stimulus. “The fundamental principle of operant conditioning is that behavior is determined by its consequences. Behavior does not occur as isolated and unrelated events; the consequences that follow the actions of an animal, be they good, bad, or indifferent, will have an effect on the frequency with which those actions are repeated in the future,” (Laule 2). A reinforcement strengthens a response, reinforcement

The key is finding a reinforcer valuable enough to evoke the desired behavior.” Operant conditioning is behind Premack’s principles of reinforcement and punishment. Operant conditioning means that one can change behavior of another person through reward or punishment (Operant Conditioning, n.d.). Operant conditioning is a conscious decision which can change a person’s behavior without changing their attitude. With operant

Through The Psychologist Eye In Lauren Slater’s book, “Opening Skinner’s Box,” we discover in the first three chapters the mysteries behind a few psychological experiments and the discoveries that three profound psychologists have made. Each chapter is about a different psychologist, the first is B.F. Skinner; a behaviorist who designed a process of learning in which behavior is controlled, he called this operant conditioning. Lauren Slater wanted people to know about his experiment, she read his books, talked to friends and family members to unearth the features behind this man. She found that he was a loving father, who could train animals to do unordinary things, like play the piano for an example, through the processes of operant conditioning,

Basically, operant conditioning involves reinforcement or punishment as the way of changes in behaviour or pattern permanently. Operant describes as voluntary response of living organism. The individual response is affected by the later consequences. In short, it is just an easy process of learning that tends to response more when the outcome is manipulated. Operant conditioning was found by Polish neurophysiologist Jerzy Konorsky.

Conclusion Operant conditioning is a theory which was developed by an American psychologist named B.F. Skinner. This theory has been known as a learning process. It applies to four different methods, that consists of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment. In this case positive is seen as something being added and negative as something being taken away.

Link to reality: Both Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning and Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning can be used every day in an ECCE setting. Today many school systems and childhood authorities follow Skinner’s and Pavlov’s theory by using the approach of positive reinforcement. This encourages good behaviour in the child making the behaviour more likely to be repeated again as they are rewarded and praised for their efforts in reading, writing and general learning. It is important that children’s efforts in a learning setting are rewarded as this will encourage the child to perform to the best of their ability.

Eventually, the previously neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus. The two elements are then known as the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. 2. Operant conditioning Operant conditioning (sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning) is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that

Mr. B.F Skinner’s brought Operant Conditioning into existence. The Operant Conditioning is command feedback with recompense/ penalizing system based on a behavior. The learner requires to strengthen to maintain interests.

Reinforcement and punishment are methods used in operant conditioning and both can be positive and negative but work in a unique way. Positive means you are adding something so you increase a behaviour and negative means you are taking something away so you decrease a particular behaviour. Reinforcement Reinforcement is used to help increase a specific behaviour in the future and if done correctly this behaviour will increase, occurring more frequently as the child develops.

1. B.F. Skinner: Behaviour modification Positive and negative reinforcements or rewards and punishments are used to modify or shape learner’s behaviour. B. F. Skinner’s entire system is based on operant conditioning. The organism is in the process of "operating" on the environment, which in ordinary terms means it is bouncing around its world, doing what it does. During this "operating," the organism encounters a special kind of stimulus, called a reinforcing stimulus, or simply a reinforcer.