Operant Conditioning Is Based on the Idea Essay

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Operant Conditioning is based on the idea that an individual's response to external stimuli can be modified, or changed, depending upon the consequences of that individual's response. Formulated by famed psychologist B.F. Skinner, operant conditioning deals mainly with voluntary behavior, or operant behavior. While classical conditioning deals mainly with involuntary, or reflex, behaviors, Skinner's theory maintains a system of consequences for reactions which are called punishment and reinforcement. Punishment is a consequence that makes a person not want to perform the specific response. While reinforcement is a consequence that causes a person's response to happen more often. For instance, rewarding someone for a particular response to stimuli can make that person repeat that response more often. There is also a third consequence, extinction, in which there is no consequence what so ever for a particular behavior. ("Operant Conditioning B.F. Skinner")

On one hand is punishment, which can also be divided into positive and negative. Positive punishment is when a response is followed by an adverse stimuli, such as a subject being shocked with electricity. Negative punishment happens when a pleasing stimuli is removed in response to a behavior, such as removing something the subject enjoys. (Operant Conditioning Basics")

Reinforcement can also be divided into two parts: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement happens when a subject performs behavior and then receives a reward as a result of their response.

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It is believed that the presentation of a positive reinforcer results in an increased likelihood for an individual to repeat the desired action. Negative reinforcement happens when an adverse stimuli is removed in reward for the subject performing the correct behavior.("Operant Conditioning Basics") One example could be an automobile feature that emits an annoying beeping or buzzing sound when the driver has not engaged their seatbelt. In order to avoid the annoying noise, the driver is conditioned to buckle up.

Whether or not Positive or Negative reinforcement is more effective is a difficult question to answer. Some studies have proven that positive reinforcement is a more effective method in altering behavior. For instance, Lalli is his study involving subjects with mental disabilities, found that positive reinforcement was a much more effective means of behavioral modification. (Lalli, 1999) But on the other hand, Estep and Hetts assert that when training animals like dogs, negative reinforcement can be a very effective means of training. (Estep and Hetts)

In 1975, J. Michael first claimed that the terms "positive" and "negative" may have some influence on the studies which used them, as well as the outcomes. Baron and Galizio's research seems to confirm that while "the customary distinction between positive and negative continues to play an influential role in the analysis of behavior…we continue….....

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