Operant Learning Theory: The Four Theories Of Behavior

Operant learning theory is about the ways environmental contingencies influence the likely hood of a behavior. It has four different kinds of influences. First is positive rewards; defined as adding something desirable to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Second is negative rewards; defined as to subtract something undesirable to increase the likely hood of a behavior. Third is positive punishment; defined as to add something undesirable to decrease the likelihood of a behavior. Finally, negative punishment; defined as subtracting something desirable to decrease the likely hood of the behavior. During the course of my childhood all four types were used in my raising.

Positive rewards were not often used in my house except when it came to baby sitting my cousins. My parents would tell me they would pay my phone bill for me if I watched my little cousins. Of course I would as much as they wanted me to then because I was getting something that I wanted. Negative rewards on the other hand were used a lot in my house. If I got good grades or woke up on time for school with out fussing, my mother would not make me do my chores for that day.

If I had a smart month or did not listen to her, my mom would make me write a paper on how I should respect my parents. Eventually I learned that I needed to listen to my parents or I would have to do things I did not enjoy. Negative punishment was rarely used in my house. One time, though, my mother took away my phone because I would not stop whining about wanting to go to my friend’s house. As soon as she took my phone away I completely stop whining and was a little angle again.

The operant learning theory is a great tool to use when dealing with indolence’s. I feel that they work for the parent’s favor almost always as long as they use them