Introduction: Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is a way of learning in which behaviors are modified with consequences. B.F. Skinner, a psychologist known as the father of operant conditioning theorized that when observable behaviors are shadowed with a reinforcement the behavior is more likely to occur as where if the behavior is shadowed with a punishment the behavior will less likely occur. ("Basic Principles of Operant Conditioning: Skinner - Boundless Open Textbook", 2016) “Behavior which is reinforced tends to be repeated (i.e. strengthened); behavior which is not reinforced tends to die out-or be extinguished (i.e. weakened).” (Mcleod, 2015).
In this paper, I will discuss positive reinforcement and negative reinforcements which are operant conditioning techniques that can modify a child’s behavior. In addition, I explain the effects that positive punishments have on a child, such as spanking.
Positive Reinforcement
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Now the tantrum begins, falling to the floor, arms flaying about crying and demanding they get what they wanted. Panicked and embarrassed the parents gives in and gives the child what they wanted so the tantrum and stares will stop. Positive reinforcement it simply giving praise or reward after a desirable behavior is presented. Given the same scenario as mentioned above try positive reinforcement. Before entering the store explain to the child, today we are not getting a cookie, if you are able to accept this and not have a tantrum in the store when we pass the cookie isle I will take you to the park to play afterwards. This is rewarding the desirable behavior of not having a tantrum over a cookie by positively rewarding him with a fun
... be purchasing snacks to have at home, for his son. Bill could inform Jess that if he does not stop throwing the tantrum, he will not purchases his regular snacks. If Jess does not stop, Bill should put back every item, that jess considers a treat, or really likes. This is another example of negative punishment, because Bill is taking away snacks jess likes. If Jess complies by behaving Bill can begin putting the desired items back in the cart, in which case he would be implementing negative reinforcement, because Jess’s good behavior is stopping the removal of the desired items.
Behavior modification is based on the principles of operant conditioning, which were developed by American behaviorist B.F. Skinner. In his research, he put a rat in a cage later known as the Skinner Box, in which the rat could receive a food pellet by pressing on a bar. The food reward acted as a reinforcement by strengthening the rat's bar-pressing behavior. Skinner studied how the rat's behavior changed in response to differing patterns of reinforcement. By studying the way the rats operated on their environment, Skinner formulated the concept of operant conditioning, through which behavior could be shaped by reinforcement or lack of it. Skinner considered his discovery applicable to a wide range of both human and animal behaviors(“Behavior,” 2001).
Operant conditioning is changing behavior through the use of reinforcement after the desired action is given; a behavior that is rewarded positively is more likely to continue and a behavior that is rewarded negatively would likely stop occurring (Santrock,2014). In addition to reinforcement, Skinner also talks about punishment. Reinforcement increases the probability an action or behavior will be repeated, while punishment is intended to decrease a behavior (McLeod, 2015). When Laurie was younger, she thought she was being sent to school every day to socialize with her friends and that learning was a secondary, unintentional happenstance. In third grade, compared to the other students in her class, she was falling short in reading and math.
“Operant 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” (Cherry). Positive reinforcement which is praising a person for doing something good verses negative reinforcement which is an unpleasant remark a punishment. B.F. Skinner did an experiment on a rat, the rat was taught to push two buttons, one to receive food and the other was a light electric shock. The rat tried both buttons and realized which button was good and which one was bad. This experiment goes to show that upon the rewards and punishment system one can learn their rights from their wrongs through a series of lessons. Kincaid and Hemingway both use operant conditioning to show human behavior under stimulus control.
Since the arrival of our twins undesirable behavior has manifested in one of our 11 yr. old. While initially very conscienscious in helping attend to the infants & her ordinary duties, she has become accustomed to playing with them mostly now. This play in itself is great, except they no longer get the changing & feeding expected. Furthermore she uses them as an excuse now to put off doing the minimal domestic maintenance formerly performed. She is generally unresponsive to negative reinforcement options. Past experience shows she responds best to tactile & humanistic behaviorist techniques, backed up by specific instruction from our sacred texts observed in our household.
How to Use Positive Reinforcement to Address Child Behavior Problems - Ways to Effectively Promote Good Behavior By Amy Morin
In second grade I was apart of a wild classroom. Their was a lot of chaos from all the young children. My teacher struggled to get everyone on task and to complete our work. After some time my teacher decided to make up a reward system (positive reinforcement). The children in the classroom were able to earn tickets for doing their homework, being respectful, and many other things. We were able to save these tickets and cash them in on fridays for treats, toys, or even sometimes extra recess. The teacher had a separate system for when we misbehaved. There were 3 colors you could earn everyday. If you weren’t on task, out of your seat, or just being disruptive she would change your color from green to yellow. If it happened again you got a red card and lost your tickets you earned for that day. This is a perfect example of positive punishment. It gave each child an opportunity to earn tickets for good behavior, and a warning system with the cards that possibly would lead to losing your earned tickets. Our teacher was using operant conditioning to produce a change in our
Operant conditioning is a kind of conditioning, which examines how often a behavior will or occur depending on the effects of the behavior (King, 2016, pg. ). The words positive and negative are used to apply more significance to the words reinforcement or punishment. Positive is adding to the stimulus, while negative is removing from the stimulus (King, 2016). For instance, with positive reinforcement, there is the addition of a factor to increase the number of times that the behavior occurs (King, 2016). An example of positive reinforcement is when a child is given an allowance for completing their household chores. The positive reinforcement is the allowance which helps to increase the behavior of doing chores at home. In contrast with negative
There are different ways that a teacher can deal with a student’s undesirable behavior. Some of these strategies are: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment or extinction. The type of r...
First, be sure to recognize the difference between reinforcement and punishment. To increase the desired behavior, reinforcement should be used. Punishment is used to decrease unwanted behaviors. Second, when an adult begins to use positive reinforcement and ignoring the inappropriate behavior, some students may begin to exhibit behavior that get worst. This abnormal behavior is referred to as “extinction burst”. The student is acting out in an effort to generate the reinforcement they use to get from the adult. Thirdly, teachers and adults should use positive reinforces that are attainable quickly and easily. Sometimes, food is not accessible and is not appropriate so positive phrases work well. Lastly, inappropriate behaviors should always be ignored, unless they are
...egative reinforcement are necessary to improve a child’s behaviour and furthermore punishment is effective in not only strengthening mother-child relationships but also increases obedience as opposed to constantly monitoring their activities. However, the limitations to these experiments make them reliable only to a certain extent and my own judgment is that punishment must be used scarcely and with reasoning.
What is Skinner’s Operant Conditioning? Skinner was the first to discuss operant conditioning. McLead (2007) explained that an operant condition means that using reinforcements given after a desired response could change behavior. There were three types of responses that can follow the behavior. Neutral operants, reinforces, and punishers were the three types of responses. According to McLead (2007), Skinner invented a box with levers and lights to test his theory. He placed a hungry rat inside where the rat learned to press the levels for different responses. One level would give it a piece of food and the rat would not receive food when the light was off. This box demonstrated the shaping of behaviors through operant conditioning.
Many early learning settings use what is known as the A-B-C behavior model. The A stands for Antecedent, which is the “trigger” or the event. The B stands for the Good or Bad behavior, and the C stands for consequence which is for the positive or negative reinforcement. It is a known fact that children respond to rewards and praising good behavior. A Prime example is in a nursery setting and there being a behavior chart (McLeoud, 2007).Teachers will state that for every good day you have, you will receive a star, and on Friday if you have been good all week you will be rewarded. This is an example of conditioning. Promising a positive reinforcement is what educators will use to control their classroom environment. If you consider what the theory is proposing it makes a lot of sense. If you ask yourself, what better way is there to get a child to bring home All green on his behavior chart than to entice them with something they really love but may not get often. I can remember a time when my teacher used to entice our classroom to not talk when others were talking and if we successfully did that, she promised us candy out of the special candy jar. Looking back, I see that see was conditioning is by using positive reinforcement which actually worked. Operant conditioning is such a wonderful theory to practice that it comes naturally to you and do not even know that you are controlling the setting and or situation to get the result that you desire. Skinner Theories has opened so many doors in the study of behavior and how it can be
Operant conditioning is a system of learning that transpires through punishment and rewards for behaviors (Kalat, 2011). Through this, a connection linking a behavior and a consequence is made. For instance a kid could be told that she will not get recess privileges if she talks in class. This possibility of being punished leads to decrease in disruptive behaviors from her. The major components of operant condition are punishment and reinforcement (Kalat, 2011).
B. F. Skinner, the most well-known American Psychologist who was the top exponent of the school of psychology that was known as behaviorism, preserved the impression that learning is an end result of change in evident behavior. The changes in behavior are determined by the way individuals reply to stimuli (events) in the environment. B.F. Skinner defined this phenomenon as operant conditioning. Operant conditioning means changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response (McLeod, 2007). This