Comparisons of Discrete-Trial and Normalized Behavioral Language Intervention for Young Children with Autism

1. Operant conditioning is a type of behavioral learning developed by made famous by psychoanalysis B.F. Skinner in the late 1930’s. Operant conditioning is the act of learned behavior through consequences. Types of operant conditioning are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment.

“Few fields of study offer more career opportunities than does psychology” (Sternburg 3). There are a wide selection of specialties a person could go into with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. In graduate school, which is a must to attend, there is the option to explore the different specialities or to go into the desired specialty without any research of the others. There are also many options within a specific specialty. There is the option to be a teacher, to work for various organizations, be a speaker, to have your own practice, and many others. In the psychology field these options can all be combined. In fact it is expected of psychologists to do more activities involving their specialty than solely sit in an office and listen to patients. There are two specialities that I am interested in however, over the years, these specialties have become very similar. Clinical and counseling psychology have evolved to become one in the same. Someone who specializes in clinical psychology are more

An example of classical conditioning can be experience during first two week of a newborn. For example, if a woman breastfeed, she holds her baby near her breast. As a result, in few weeks, when mother takes a child just to hold him/her, a child reflectively begins to make sucking movements. Another approach is operant conditioning. It concentrates on the reward or punishment of the behavior. So, for example, parents use this approach with school grades. If a child gets good marks, parents may buy him/her some toy or go to the cinema. If a child gets bad grade, parents would probably forbear from this present. Moreover, they may use a punishment, such as staying at home during the weekend or doing homework all evening. Parent can also use social learning. This theory is based on the idea that every person has his/her idol. So, parents can become an example for their children. If parents are able to achieve respect from their children, parents become idols for their children. As a result, children unconsciously start to repeat parents’ actions, try to look like them and think like

Operant Conditioning Theory by B.F. Skinner is a psychological manipulation using rewards and punishments to enforce positive behavior. It uses an individual person’s response to events or stimulus. When a particular Stimulus-Response pattern is rewarded, the individual is conditioned to respond. The distinctive characteristic of operant conditioning is related to previous forms of behaviorism. The Operant Conditioning theory comprises of neutral operants, positive/negative reinforcers, and positive/negative punishers. Through these factors, we get the desired behavior of our subject because they do not want to be punished for under performing so they do what they’re told to or do more of what they were assigned to to receive positive stimulus

Operant conditioning is the effects punishment and reinforcement have on behavior; “the law of effect, which states that behaviors associated with good consequences (satisfiers) are more likely to occur again in the future, whereas behaviors associated with bad consequences (annoyers) are less likely to occur again” (Durwin 162). This is a necessary component used by many psychologists and educators to provide the best positive outcome in a child’s behavior. When analyzing the “Billy Scenario,” it is obvious that the teacher, Ms. Allen, tried different techniques of punishment to decrease the students’ misbehavior, but was unsuccessful; leading to an increase in the frequency of response or more disruptive behavior.

Psychology is a discipline that involves monitoring mental processes and behaviour scientifically. Psychologists try to delve into the basic functions of a person and animals cerebral activity. This usually involves studying relationships, emotions, personality and many more areas of a person or animals day to day life. Psychology tends to steer towards finding reasons for a person or animals actions in an attempt to resolve them.

The same website goes on to speaking about the classic and operant conditioning. "Classic conditioning occurs when a natural reflex responds to a stimulus. We are biologically 'wired ' so that a certain stimulus will produce a specific response." (On Purpose Associates, para. 5) We as human beings are all different but we each can learn the different from right and wrong just as Pavlov had taught the dogs. "Behavioral or operant conditioning occurs when a response to a stimulus is reinforced. Basically, operant conditioning is a simple feedback system: If a reward or reinforcement follows the response to a stimulus, then the response becomes more probable in the future." (On Purpose Associates, para. 6) If the behavior is good or bad and if that behavior was either rewarded or punish then it would be more likely kept in the minds of the child.

Skinner’s reinforcement experiments conducted on rats showed the principles of operant conditioning. While working with rats, Skinner would place them in a Skinner box with a lever attached to a feeding tube. After multiple trials, rats learned the connection between the lever and food, and started to spend more time in the box procuring food than performing any other action. He used positive reinforcement, and negative reinforcement to produce or inhibit specific target behaviors. Therefore, if a specific behavior is reinforced then the probability of that behavior occurring again is increased. Based on Skinner’s view, this theory can be applied to learning because learning is nothing more than a change in behavior. Operant conditioning encourages positive reinforcement, which can be applied in the classroom environment to get the good behavior you want and need from students. One of the ways of reinforcing a student’s behavior is through praise. Also teachers can build operant conditioning techniques into their lesson plans to teach children possible skills as well as good behaviors. For example: to give a smiley face, or motivational stamps to encourage children to perform correctly and encourage them to repeat such action again.

Psychology has many different fields. But overall psychology is just the study of the human mind and its functions. You may be asking yourself, what’s the importance of psychology? Well psychology is extremely important for many reasons, such as diagnosing certain diseases, understanding more about who we are and why we do some of the things we do, or why we do them. Psychology helps us understand certain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, bi polar, and even Parkinson’s because of the fact that all these issues are linked to problems in different parts of the brain. With much more research we can begin to understand this diseases more and more, figure out what causes

Operant conditioning is a theory that was pioneered by Skinner, and it is a theory that is based on the type of consequence that is given following a particular behaviour. Skinner divided the consequences of actions into three groups, positive rein forcers, negative reinforcers and punishers. Skinner looked at what would happen to behaviour if giving positive reinforcers at different intervals. Most professionals and practitioners will use this theory in one way or another such as giving rewards for good behaviour or sanctions for bad behaviour so the theory is well used in today’s frameworks and practices.

Operant conditioning has made a significant contribution into the development of psychology. However, as with most psychological theories, this theory it has its strengths and weaknesses. Nevertheless, operant conditioning, with both its positive and negative aspects, is very important in promoting learning of desirable behaviors or removal of undesirable

Determining the best way to raise and teach children is a topic that has been discussed and debated for a long time. As psychology has developed, so has our understanding of how organisms learn and how we can apply that to our lives. One method of teaching is operant conditioning, giving either rewards or punishments after a certain behavior to promote or discourage it. This method could be used to teach children; for example, teaching children to say please when asking for items.

When applied in this case with children operant conditioning is how they will interact with their environment and how the probability of a specific behavior can change when a reinforcement or punishment is applied. A desirable stimulus or better known as a reinforcement will increase the occurrence of that behavior while a punishment will decrease that response. A behaviorist might recommend using operant conditioning with Amelia Rosemary to reinforce the positive interactions with new people and reduce the separation anxiety. Although overall Amelia behaved herself well during her visit to the doctors and according to the summary “Amelia Rosemary readily adapted to the new people and situations in the pediatrician's office” and only faced

Choosing psychology as a major has been very interesting so far and to this point of my education I do not feel I have any misgivings in becoming a psychological practitioner. One of the important experiences that make me confident about psychological practitioner is that I am still not bored with the major and my classes have been very interesting to me so far. Psychologists study mental processes and human behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people and other animals relate to one another and the environment. To do this, psychologists often look for patterns that will help them understand and predict behavior using scientific methods, principles, or procedures to test their ideas. Psychologists formulate theories, or hypotheses, which are possible explanations for what they observe and I enjoy gathering information because I have seen myself creating hypothesis since I was a child about the things I didn’t understand at the time.

Psychology is the study of the science of the mind and the resulting behaviour. Looking to understand and explain to an extent how we think, act and feel. There are many branches of psychology looking at treatments of mental health issues, studying a variety of issues that may impact our health and daily life’s.