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.
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
Behavior therapy was studied by Ivan Pavlov and his famous dog study in which dogs were conditioned to salivate upon hearing a bell. It was later continued to be studied by John Watson who has the famous “Little Albert” study in which an 11-month old infant was conditioned to be scared of fuzzy white things because a rat was paired with a loud noise. The conclusion of the two conditioning experiences was that, behaviors followed by satisfying experiences tend to increase in frequency and behaviors followed by aversive experiences tend to decrease in frequency” (Thoma, 2015). Watson’s assistant Mary Jones, used this principle to clinical applications reasoning that, “if conditioning could be used to induce a phobia, perhaps it could be used to undo a phobia as well” (Thoma, 2015). Thus, behavior therapy was developed and began being used for
The BCM is an evidence-based and empirically supported consultation model. The model uses principles of learning to help change problems and behaviors through a step-by-step consultation process. According to Chitiyo, Morgan, and Wheeler (2009) behavioral consultation is chosen more than other models of consultations. The BCM has proven to be effective in school-based programs in helping students to learn and in solving behavioral problems. The model is used to construct interventions to deal with challenging behaviors of students.
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,
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.
In total, Skinner published nearly two hundred articles and over twenty books. Skinner continued to write about his life and theories until he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1989. Today Skinner's preferred field of behaviorism is no longer a dominant school of thought, but his developments in operant conditioning continues to be used by mental health professionals who use reinforcement and punishment to alter behavior in the classroom and even by animal trainers. His work won him several awards from 1966 to 1990 including the Edward Lee Thorndike Award, the National Merit of Science from President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Gold Medal of the American Psychological Foundation and the Human of the Year Award and the Citation for Outstanding
Carla A behavior intervention plan (BIP) is a plan that’s designed to teach reward positive behaviors. This can help prevent for stop problem behaviors in school. The BIP is based on the results of the FBA. The BIP describes the problem behavior, the reason the behavior occurs and the intervention strategies that will address the problem behavior. A BIP can help a child to learn problem solving skills and find better ways to respond in a situation.
After observing the clients behavior, it is evident that she has a problem limiting her excessive cellular device usage. Therefore, the behavioral intervention plan will be targeting the client’s cellular device usage in class, as well as outside of class. The plan will be targeting all cellular device usage, which includes playing games, texting, scrolling though social media sites, and finally listening to music. To prevent the client from using her phone during lectures, the behavioral plan instructed her professors to make her write an essay whenever she is using her phone.
Skinner’s theory claims that our behavior is motivated by positive rewards or outcomes, whereas the behavior that brings negative outcomes are not reinforced. Skinner’s theory is focused on external motivation, the action between individual and the environment. The inner sensation is overlooked in his theory. In the case of Yolanda, positive comments from teachers and parents and good grades motivated her to excel at school work. Compliments from parents and teachers increased her self-esteem and therefore she was positively reinforced to study hard and make her parents proud.
According to the St. Louis Post: “Dr. Anderson, the Georgia pediatrician, explained that he diagnosed kids with ADHD so he could give them the medicine. But he said the real problem is bad schools and a culture that refuses to spend the money needed to fix them.” (St. Louis Post Dispatch). While short term behavioral therapy would be more expensive than medication in a lifelong sum of medications and doctors’ visits behavioral therapy could often end up being cheaper. Behavioral therapy could
The overall goal of this therapy form is to change a persons way of thinking. It just like the conditioning experiments done by Pavlov and Skinner. If the person is exhibiting the wrong behaviors or thinking , than you try to change their thinking/behaviors into the correct behaviors. Starting as children we are forming our personalities thoughts and behaviors. We get older and some behaviors are automatic and this therapy helps us understand the reasoning behind the way we act and how to look past the automatic response.
For Frank Gallagher, this approach to fixing his behaviors could work because his problems are very clear. Frank has many observable issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, lying, and inability to take responsibility. By using forms of conditioning such as operant conditioning, Frank could eventually change his behaviors. Operant Condition is applied by removing the reinforcement, such as alcohol in Frank's case, and replacing it with positive behavior that could ultimately lead to distinguishing his
Ivan Pavlov and Burrhus Frederic Skinner are the behaviourist theorists I studied. Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning became well known, his work encouraged others like Skinner to study and develop his own theory of operant conditioning. The “A,B,C” behaviour model of positive reinforcement is used in many early childhood settings. Skinner believed the best way to understand the behaviour is to look at the cause of the action and its consequence. I observed the ECCE setting for practical examples of numeracy and literacy.
Mr. B.F Skinner’s brought Operant Conditioning into existence. The Operant Conditioning is command feedback with recompense/ penalizing system based on a behavior. The learner requires to strengthen to maintain interests.
