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 behavior.

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.

While many people may believe that learning is just a natural response that all animals are capable of, there is actually a more complex explanation on how we learn the things we do in order to survive in the world. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are both basic forms of learning, they have the word conditioning in common. Conditioning is the acquisition of specific patterns of behavior in the presence of well-defined stimuli.

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.

Learning is the act of changing an organism’s behavior in response to an experience. Associative learning is when an organism links two events that occur close in time. When an organism learns to make associations, it is being conditioned. There are two types of conditioning. Operant conditioning is when an organism associates an action and the consequence of that action. It results in the organism adapting its behavior to maximize rewards and minimize punishment (Skinner). On the other hand, classical conditioning is a type of learning where an organism associates a certain stimulus and the response to it with a different stimulus. A neutral stimulus is associated with an unconditioned response to an unconditioned

Ana's behaviours have been influenced by a range of learning principles including; operant conditioning, classical conditioning, in addition to social learning. Operant conditioning a process in which positive or negative reinforcements are use in an attempt attempt to change or modify individuals behaviours (Classical and Operant Conditioning, n.d.). An example of operant conditioning in Ana's case is Kat's (Ana's mother) use of chocolate rewards to attempt to modify Ana's behaviour. Ana was upset and crying when first brought into the Cooinda Community Health Centre. Kat used chocolate to calm Ana down, after offering the chocolate if she behaved.

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.

The cartoon demonstrates the idea of operant conditioning by B.F. Skinner who believed that positive outcomes lead to the strengthening of a behavior while a negative consequences leads to the decrease of a behavior. We have a big dog telling its smaller companion to act "dumb" in order to get more treats during their training time. This hints to the idea of reinforcements, when an event is following a response increase the tendency to make that response. We have positive reinforcement which adds a pleasure stimulus thereby increasing the behavior. There are negative reinforcements which removes a negative stimulus thereby increasing the behavior. The way to get a decrease in the behavior is by punishment. Primary reinforcements are biological

The second scenario is operant conditioning; the antecedent is that Sophie is very much used to living on her own without any disturbance, so when they built the fence without asking for her permission. This caused her to become scared and unstable which is consequence behaviour also why she was constantly calling the police for

Operant conditioning focuses on a system of reinforcement and punishers where actions will have a consequence (Skinner, 2016). In operant conditioning, behaviour that is reinforced will be strengthened while behaviour that is not reinforced will weaken with time (Skinner, 2016). There are three types of operants. The neutral operants that will neither increase nor decrease the chances of repeating a behaviour (Skinner, 2016). The reinforcers will increase the chances of repeating a behaviour (Skinner, 2016). The punishers will decrease the chances of repeating a behaviour (Skinner, 2016). Positive reinforcement strengthens a behaviour as an individual gains rewards through it (Skinner, 2016). Negative reinforcement strengthens the behaviour by removing an unpleasant consequence

In this class, we learned how operant conditioning you have to have a stimulus, response, and outcome. I feel as if this training that I did was in the pre-training portion. I say this because there was a low spontaneous rate of response to the stimulus. I would have to stay that it is slowly in training, but the conditioned stimulus is not enough of a motivator. In a sense, it is more like the shaping of operant conditioning. I was slowly getting towards going to bed at eleven and it may have helped if I gave myself small reinforcements each time I got close to going to bed at

Operant conditioning is best described as the process that attempts to modify behavior through the use of positive and negative reinforcement. During this process the subject you are working with either animal or human learns to perform a specific task, through the use of positive or negative reinforcement (Chance, 2014). This model is best suited for teaching Ben the appropriate behavior as it relates to stealing. Operant conditioning will be used to teach Ben not to steal; this will be supported by the use of positive reinforcers. In order for this to be effective Ben should be placed on a continuous reinforcement schedule; consisting of positive reinforcements. These should be age appropriate; these reinforcers are verbal praise and 30 minutes of television (Cartoon Network); this will be rewarded only if he does not engage in stealing. No forms of punishment will be used on Ben; although punishment has an immediate effect it does not teach a lesson. With operant learning Ben will learn to decrease his negative behavior and engage in positive actions.

As a dog owner, I know how important it is to teach your pets how to behave. Yet, it is important to understand how learning works so that you can develop a strategy to properly and quickly teach your dog. The example of training a dog to roll over is a great model for analysing the aspects of learning involved with this process. Understanding how operant conditioning works and how to reinforce a desired response to that stimuli will help trainers effectively teach dogs. Psychologists, such as Myers (2013), define learning as the process of acquiring new knowledge and behaviors. In this case we are specifically discussing the acquisition of a certain response to a stimulus. The stimulus is the trainer’s command and the desired behavior is the dog to roll over onto his back. These ideas all are based on Edward L. Thorndike’s principle called the law of effect, wherein he stated that behaviors followed by a positive outcomes are more likely to increase in probability. These are all important components of the learning process, especially on the level of training a dog or instilling a simple behavior.