Applications of Operant Conditioning at School Essay

Applications of Operant Conditioning at shoal - Essay ExampleOperant conditioning can be defined as a symbol of learning in which voluntary (controllable non-reflexive) conduct is strengthened if it is reinforced and weakened if it is punished (or non reinforced) 1 . It states that environmental contingencies or the environments reaction to an individuals behaviour controls that individuals behaviour.As an Undergraduate he was an English major, then decided to charter Psychology in graduate school. Early in his cargoner he believed much of carriage could be studied in a single, controlled environment (created Skinner box - address later). Instead of observing behavior in the natural world, he attempted to study behavior in a closed, controlled unit. This prevents any factors not under study from interfering with the study - as a result, Skinner could truly study behavior and specific factors that influence behavior. During the cognitive revolution that swept Psychology (discusse d later), Skinner stuck to the position that behavior was not guided by inner force or cognition. This made him a radical behaviorist. As his theories of Operant Conditioning developed, Skinner became passionate about social issues, such as free will, how they developed, wherefore they developed, how they were propagated, etc. 1Skinner state that actions that are followed by reinforcing consequences are more likely to re-occur, and that actions that are followed by unpleasant or punishing consequences are less likely to re-occur. Again this might count deceptively simple. However, the theory becomes more complicated when one realizes that what constitutes punishment and wages differs depending on the individual. Skinner overly noted that the situation within which the learning took place had to be taken into count on. In analyzing and trying to account for behaviour, the psychologist, as behavioural detective, needs to take into account the antecedent (what happens immediately b efore the behaviour), the behaviour, and the consequences of the behaviour. This method is cognize as the ABC approach (A for antecedent, B for behaviour and C for consequences). There are five prefatory processes in operant conditioning arbitrary and forbid reinforcement strengthen behavior punishment, response cost, and quenching weaken behavior 2.Positive ReinforcementThe term reinforcement always indicates a process that strengthens a behavior the word positive has two cues associated with it. First, a positive or pleasant stimulus is use in the process, and second, the reinforcer is added (i.e., positive as in + sign for addition). In positive reinforcement, a positive reinforcer is added after a response and increases the frequency of the response. 2Negative ReinforcementThe term reinforcement always indicates a process that strengthens a behavior the word negative has two cues associated with it. First, a negative or aversive stimulus is used in the process, and second, the reinforcer is subtracted (i.e., negative as in a - sign for subtraction). In negative reinforcement, after the response the negative reinforcer is removed which increases the fre