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B. F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning

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Recommended: B. F. Skinner's viewpoint

In this research, the writer uses the theory of B.F Skinner explain behavioral psychology. Skinner believed that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. He called this approach operant conditioning. Skinner 's theory of operant conditioning was based on the work of Thorndike (1905). Edward Thorndike studied learning in animals using a puzzle box to propose the theory known as the 'Law of Effect '.
According to Rebber (1995) psychology is what scientists and philosophers of various persuasions have created to understand the minds and behaviors of various organisms from the most primitive to the most complex. From the definition above, it is clear that psychology is related to the mental …show more content…

Operant Conditioning
Skinner is regarded as the father of operant conditioning, but his work was based on Thorndike’s law of effect. Skinner introduced a new term into the Law of Effect - Reinforcement. 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).
Skinner (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using animals which he placed in a 'Skinner Box ' which was similar to Thorndike’s puzzle box.
B.F. Skinner (1938) coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response. Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior.
a) Neutral operants: responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated.
b) Reinforcers: Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behavior being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive or negative.
c) Punishers: Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Punishment weakens …show more content…

4. Punishment (weakens behavior)
Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it.
Like reinforcement, punishment can work either by directly applying an unpleasant stimulus like a shock after a response or by removing a potentially rewarding stimulus, for instance, deducting someone’s pocket money to punish undesirable behavior.It is not always easy to distinguish between punishment and negative reinforcement.
5. Behavior Modification
Behavior modification is a set of therapies / techniques based on operant conditioning (Skinner, 1938). The main principle comprises changing environmental events that are related to a person 's behavior. For example, the reinforcement of desired behaviors and ignoring or punishing undesired ones.
This is not as simple as it sounds — always reinforcing desired behavior, for example, is basically bribery.
There are different types of positive reinforcements. Primary reinforcement is when a reward strengths a behavior by itself. Secondary reinforcement is when something strengthens a behavior because it leads to a primary reinforcer. Examples of behavior modification therapy include token economy and behavior

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Operant conditioning is a type of learning process where the strength of a client’s behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. Dr. Foxx’s work with Harry is an example of operant conditioning because of the techniques he used with different levels of consequences, for example time out and physical reinforcements. With that being said Dr. Foxx used Harrys restraints as both positive and negative reinforcements. In addition, some of the examples Dr. Foxx used to work with Harrys problem behavior

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In chapter 7, I found the concept of punishment to be most intriguing. Punishment is a part of operant conditioning which was theorized by B.F. Skinner. Punishment is often confused with negative reinforcement. However, the main difference between the two is: while the goal of reinforcement is to increase the likelihood of a behavior, the primary goal of punishment is to reduce the chances of the behavior it follows. In 1938, Skinner concluded that punishment produces only temporary suppression of behavior but later research found that effects may be permanent.

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Skinner devised the theory of operant conditioning. Operant Conditioning is defined as an important form of learning “in which a learner’s behavior becomes either more or less predictable depending on the consequences it produces” (Singleman & Rider, 2018, p. 42). To better explain, this theory plays out when a learner behaves in a certain way and associates that behavior with either the positive or negative consequences that follow. The idea is that humans tend to continue behaviors that have positive consequences and extinguish those that have negative consequences. Regina George shows exactly how this theory plays out by using positive and negative reinforcement within her friend group to condition them in behaving how she wants them

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Operant conditioning is a condition in which the desired behavior or increasingly closer to the approximations to it are followed by a rewarding or reinforcing stimulus. “The fundamental principle of operant conditioning is that behavior is determined by its consequences. Behavior does not occur as isolated and unrelated events; the consequences that follow the actions of an animal, be they good, bad, or indifferent, will have an effect on the frequency with which those actions are repeated in the future,” (Laule 2). A reinforcement strengthens a response, reinforcement

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Within this theory there are two types of punishments and two types of reinforcements. Positive reinforcement deals with the presentation of positive stimuli after an action. Negative reinforcement is when a negative stimulus is taken away. Positive punishment is when undesired consequences are attached to a certain behavior. Lastly, negative punishment is when desired consequences are removed such as material items.

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Through The Psychologist Eye In Lauren Slater’s book, “Opening Skinner’s Box,” we discover in the first three chapters the mysteries behind a few psychological experiments and the discoveries that three profound psychologists have made. Each chapter is about a different psychologist, the first is B.F. Skinner; a behaviorist who designed a process of learning in which behavior is controlled, he called this operant conditioning. Lauren Slater wanted people to know about his experiment, she read his books, talked to friends and family members to unearth the features behind this man. She found that he was a loving father, who could train animals to do unordinary things, like play the piano for an example, through the processes of operant conditioning,

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Skinners experiment was based on operant conditioning, using the concept of discrimination learning, he carried out experiments on animals with the idea that their behaviour is predetermined by their environment and using a well controlled environment would allow him to in turn control their behaviours using a range of triggers. Using reinforcement and expectancy, the animal associates acting out certain behaviours with rewards. (Toates, F., 2010, pp. 165-167) After performing a number of experiments on rats using mazes, he subsequently designed the Skinner box.

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Nevertheless, Skinner points out that children learn nothing from the punishment. Instead, they may start to work out how to avoid it (Nolan & Raban, 2015). Another concept is classical conditioning (classical behaviorism) that emphasizes on the relation between stimuli and response. This concept embodies in a famous experiment, in which the food is presented to the dog when the bell rings, and the bell becomes a conditioned stimulus for the dog (Nolan & Raban, 2015). Likewise, if children receive toys in the condition that they behave well, then they will probably repeat this behavior to get the toys.

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Introduction Learning enables you as an individual, to gain more knowledge about something which you have never learned about. Learning also has to do with past experiences which are influenced by behavioural changes (Weiten, 2016). There are different types of ways to learn; through, classical conditioning, operant conditioning and observational learning which will be discussed and analysed in the essay.   Behaviourism Behaviourism is considered one of the main subjects in psychology and the two main people who founded behaviourism were, Burrhus Frederic Skinner, also known as B.F Skinner and Ivan Pavlov who were famous for the work they did on classical and operant conditioning (Moderato & Presti, 2006). According to Moderato and Presti

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Gentrification has had a constructive outcome on Social particularly on neighborhood. Some Neighborhood are experiencing through Gentrification in which destitute poor individuals are requested moved with certain installment while middle class individuals entered, yet at the same time the deplorable ones are agreeable to this idea in light of the fact that they profit by it. Destitute individuals advantage from enhancements in the public arena's administrations which they have a place, in light of that having low salary families have a higher inclination to have a high wage and can be a possibility of beginning another better life. Fundamentally Gentrification in a social level serves as obstruction from poor families to well off families. The most recent issue over urban legitimacy has developed in New York City where in poor people, white collar class, and rich have rubbed shoulders for a considerable length of time.

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In this case, reinforcement is referring to having an increase in behavior and regarding to punishment its defined to decrease a behavior. The reinforcement and punishment can consist of being positive and or negative. In operant conditioning, the most effective method to utilize is positive reinforcement, which is beneficial for the change of one’s behavior. Positive Reinforcement

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Link to reality: Both Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning and Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning can be used every day in an ECCE setting. Today many school systems and childhood authorities follow Skinner’s and Pavlov’s theory by using the approach of positive reinforcement. This encourages good behaviour in the child making the behaviour more likely to be repeated again as they are rewarded and praised for their efforts in reading, writing and general learning. It is important that children’s efforts in a learning setting are rewarded as this will encourage the child to perform to the best of their ability.

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Then, it was B.F. Skinner who made the concept became popular and well-known throughout the world and even pinned the name of operant conditioning to this concept That is why, he is called the Father of Operant Conditioning and his famous experiment, the Skinner Box. Operant conditioning determinants’ are reinforce, nature response and time interval between response and reinforcement. On the other hand, classical conditioning is a learning way that connects between two stimuli which produce natural response. It measures one stimulus that

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1. B.F. Skinner: Behaviour modification Positive and negative reinforcements or rewards and punishments are used to modify or shape learner’s behaviour. B. F. Skinner’s entire system is based on operant conditioning. The organism is in the process of "operating" on the environment, which in ordinary terms means it is bouncing around its world, doing what it does. During this "operating," the organism encounters a special kind of stimulus, called a reinforcing stimulus, or simply a reinforcer.

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Positive reinforcement - adding something positive in order to increase a response Positive reinforcement helps to shape and change behaviour and works by presenting a motivating/reinforcing stimulus to the child after a desired behaviour. Positive reinforcers therefore

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