Skinner, S Theory Of Skinner's Behavioral Theory

1188 Words3 Pages

(SKINNER 'S BEHAVIORAL THEORY )
Mashael Alghamdi

Skinner 's behavioral theory

Skinner 's theory
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was born on 20th March 1904. He was born in the small city of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. At his starting age, Skinner displayed his interest in building different gadgets and machines. As a student at Hamilton College, B.F. Skinner established a passion for writing. He tried to become an expert writer after graduating in 1926, but with little achievement. After two years, Skinner decided to follow a new direction for his life. He registered at Harvard University to study psychology. The Skinner 's works contain The Behavior of Organisms (1938) and a novel based on his theories Walden Two (1948). He worked and …show more content…

Skinner (1938) created the term operant conditioning; it means unevenly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is assumed after the desired response. Skinner acknowledged three kinds of responses or operant that can follow behavior. • Neutral operant: replies from the environment that neither increases nor decreases the chances of a behavior being frequent. • Reinforces: Responses from the environment that raises the probability of a behavior being frequent. Reinforces can be good or bad. “The only important characteristic of a reinforcing stimulus is that it strengthens” (Skinner, 1953, p. 72). Positive reinforcement fortifies a behavior by providing a value to individual finds rewarding. For example, if your teacher provides you £5 each time you complete your homework (i.e. a reward) you will be more probable to recap this behavior in the future, thus reinforcing the behavior of finishing your homework.
Negative reinforcement the elimination of an unfriendly reinforce can also strengthen behavior as it is the elimination of an opposing stimulus which is ‘satisfying’ to the animal or person. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior as it stops or eliminates a disagreeable experience. For example, if you do not finish your homework, you give your teacher £5. You will finish your homework to evade paying £5, thus strengthening the behavior of finishing your …show more content…

The challenge is for a teacher to work out what establishes reinforcement and punishment for each child and then very precisely target the desirable and undesirable behavior. This method is well-known as contingency contracting. Skinner underlined the importance of generalized reinforces such as praise, stars, and points. He also believed that punishment should be avoided; extinction i.e. ignoring is the way to remove inappropriate behavior. Certainly, classical conditioning would suggest keeping a positive environment, or the opportunity arises for the pupils of developing a negative attitude towards a subject because of the unkind feelings associated with how it was learned.

Example "A child is in a school classroom. When he is silent (reading or drawing) the teacher pays no consideration to him. He throws a ball of paper at another child. The teacher expresses him off. He starts reading, but after a while, he throws somewhat again. The teacher pays to care for him. Eventually, he frequently throws things." (pg. 53 Greene and Hicks, 1984)
The child obviously does not find being told off a punishment, rather a reward because it establishes a form of attention/consideration.
In a classroom where the teacher either uses reinforcement or punishment efficiently, there is to see:
1-The required behavior being quite precisely rewarded, perhaps by

Open Document