05.06 Operant Conditioning Analysis

John B. Watson and his assistant Rosalie Rayner conducted an experiment called the “Little Albert” experiment. It was a psychology experiment performed to demonstrate the effects of behavioral conditioning in humans. John was influence by the studies of Ivan Pavlov, where he used conditioning process in dogs. John want to prove that taking Pavlov’s research a step further could show how emotional reactions could be classically conditioned in humans.

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. This was a box designed to hold animals and giving the animal contained access to food after carrying out a certain response. Using this procedure of reinforcement the animal learned to perform the response to get food as it associates this required behaviour with the reward of food. (Toates, F., 2010, p. 164) This principle can be applied to strengthen any behaviours whether it be positive or negative, and this research is an efficient technique used widely by many

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

In classical conditioning, whether we are human beings or animals, our first learning is acquisition. Classical conditioning happens upon the appearance of 2 stimuli put together, this occurs effortlessly and unconsciously. Acquisition is the link of the unconditional stimulus and a conditioned stimulus. US, stimulus that produces a reply without previous knowledge. CS, a formerly neutral stimulus that evokes a conditioned response after being linked with the US. In order for this to function well we need contiguity and contingency. As mentioned above this process is quite effortlessly and it even happens unconsciously. Therefore, dogs can be fairly train within a reasonable amount of time to be service dogs with the help of contiguity and contingency. Just like humans, dogs need as much company as we do. Being able to have that mutual bond and being able to help their owners’ is crucial for both the dog and their owners. Learning is a permanent change within us, it develops through our personal experience. Once a method is learned, we do not have to learn that procedure again. Basically,

Socio-behaviorists often study how children 's experiences model their behaviors (Nolan & Raban, 2015). Behaviorism believes that what matters is not the development itself, but the external factors that shape children 's behaviors (Nolan & Raban, 2015). This theory demonstrates that teachers and mentors dominate and instruct child-related activities, and they decide what children should learn and how to learn (Nolan & Raban, 2015). Reinforcement, which is an essential factor that helps children to learn particular behaviors, generally refers to rewards and punishments (Nolan & Raban, 2015). Children are more likely to repeat actions that result in receiving praise; in contrast, they may ignore or abandon behaviors that make them get punishment. 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. Nevertheless, Pavlov 's theory of classical conditioning is somehow extreme, as it reduces

Skinner mastered. Some think that using Operant conditioning with positive and negative punishment and negative reinforcement works better than positive reinforcement. The positive reinforcement has consequences and comes with a rewarding outlook. This is a consequence that causes a behavior to increase. It would work out better if the adult explains to the child what was done and how to fix it than to punish with negative reinforcement. Whether you’re applying positive punishment and removing negative reinforcement, these two methods do not last very long and don’t benefit the child in any way. Behavior has consequences and consequences influence behavior. This is a voluntary response strengthened by positive reinforcement to increase and strengthen behavior. This type of response is more likely to happen. If you want the right thing to happen, reward it with positive measures. Repetition with positive rewards always makes out to be a better influence for a child’s upbringing and how they react to the set goal. I would like to say that Operant Conditioning is a better form of learning because it is strengthened by positive consequences or weakened by a negative consequence. You reward to improve behavior, or you take away or time-out to give them time to think about what they did wrong. Classical Conditioning is a learned conditioning stimulus, like conditioning yourself to study for exams in advance to pass classes. Effective planning for study time results in passing grades and passing your classes. The example taken from our textbook, where the dog is salivating and wagging his tail when he hears the bell, associating the bell to meal time mentioned in our psychology textbook (Feldman, R., 2015). Another good example would be to take a child, and present a bowl filled with grapes. The child gets excited because he knows what’s about to happen. The

Operant conditioning is a theory which was developed by an American psychologist named B.F. Skinner. This theory has been known as a learning process. It applies to four different methods, that consists of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment. In this case positive is seen as something being added and negative as something being taken away. The most effective method to utilize for changing a behavior in the future is positive reinforcement.

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.

The Little Albert experiment was a case study showing empirical evidence of classical conditioning in humans. The study also provides an example of stimulus generalization. It was carried out by John B. Watson and his graduate student, Rosalie Rayner, at Johns Hopkins University. The results were first published in the February 1920 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

This is the idea that people's behavior is based off of the consequences and reinforcements one receives. Slater agrees when she says, “Operant conditioning- a cold phrase for a concept that might really mean we are sculptors and sculpted, artist and artwork, responsible for the prompts we fashion.” (29). I making this comment Slater is agreeing that people are always in one of two positions. One is either the controller, giving reinforcements, or the controlled receiving the consequences they are given for their actions. Both people in these rolls are reacting based off the the reinforcements they are given. Their actions are pre-trained by cues they receive in their individual environments. Operant conditioning is another idea that goes against the idea of free

I used to love eating seafood when I was around the age years of three through six, especially crabs. However, as I grew up, I began to hate it because I started to recognize the repulsive smell of seafood (including crabs). The smell of seafood is just so disgusting that it makes me want to vomit. Nonetheless, how does this correlate to classical conditioning and what is classical conditioning? According to Rathus (2015) classical conditioning is basically learning to identify occurrences or events with other events (p. 125). My aversion with seafood and classical conditioning is associated with the smell of seafood. When the aroma of seafood is around, I will immediately breathe out of my mouth, or flee to another space.

Operant conditioning Operant conditioning (sometimes referred to as instrumental 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

Basically, operant conditioning involves reinforcement or punishment as the way of changes in behaviour or pattern permanently. Operant describes as voluntary response of living organism. The individual response is affected by the later consequences. In short, it is just an easy process of learning that tends to response more when the outcome is manipulated. Operant conditioning was found by Polish neurophysiologist Jerzy Konorsky. 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.

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. School authorities only use negative reinforcement as a last resort.

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. This special stimulus has the effect of increasing the operant – that is, the behavior occurring just before the reinforcer. This is operant conditioning: "the behavior is followed by a consequence, and the nature of the consequence modifies the organisms