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Salma El Gharabawy
Operant Conditioning Paper 2
Operant Conditioning Paper 3
Salma El Gharabawy
PSY 390
University of Phoenix
Operant Conditioning Paper 4
behavior and its consequences. The famous behaviorist, B.F Skinner (1904 –
1990), was the first to emerge with the operant conditioning theory, which is
why some people still refer to it as “Skinnerian conditioning”. This paper will
Unlike what some people may believe, Skinner was not a believer that
instead, he believed that it was the observable external elements that were
responsible for how humans behaved. When he used the term operant, he
such as praising or a reward of any sort that will increase the chances of the
Operant Conditioning Paper 5
inappropriate behavior.
variable between the committed behavior and the response to it; which
would then result in the likelihood of the same behavior being repeated in
which makes the future likelihood of that response increase (Hergenhahn &
in order to receive the positive reinforcement (food); that said, the removal
food, light, etc, will probably end up in demolishing the undesired behavior.
effective; one has to have a good understanding of both methods, along with
downfalls to this method. So to some, this method would seem like taking a
step in order to then be able to take two steps forward. One might argue that
brings, why not simply add a positive reinforcement; thus, achieving the
same goal without the negative side effects. That said, both situations are
methods are crucial, the defying line though is the current situations which
teacher is trying to address the class; however, when she moves towards the
side of the class, she starts noticing the eyes of the students wondering
around or day dreaming. Therefore, it has been concluded that the best way
to grab their attention, would be to address them from the middle of the
class rather than anywhere else, since is this where she received their full
to use with me, was that for every day of school that I came back with no
after dinner; the ice cream in this scenario acts as the primary reinforcer.
That said, there are several things that are linked to obtaining that ice
Operant Conditioning Paper 7
reinforcement, the obtaining of the ice cream. That said, there’s also the
peer pressure or embarrassment that came along with the teacher warning
behavior.
me the ice cream after me being as good of a student as I can be, then the
withholding of the ice cream would seem like the withholding of the required
or expected reinforcement. The way to avoid losing the good behavior and
occur, in the off chance that the teacher would sympathize with me, and not
mention my bad behavior to my mother, despite the fact that I might have
behavior, rather than good behavior; that’s because in my mind, I’d know
Operant Conditioning Paper 8
that I’d be receiving the ice cream even though I was misbehaving at school.
results, even though it might work with others, it never worked with me.
Punishments such as spanking, only end up with the child being scared and
filled with fear; instead of what was intended, which is to shape their
whole new theory and method of shaping one’s personality. The theory of
operant conditioning, just like any other theory, is naturally faced with those
who disagree with it; some may think that all a person needs to shape their
behavior is their intentions and thoughts. That said, there is no doubt that
that until this very day, they are used in our everyday lives.
References
www.about.com
www.thefreedictionary.com