Individual Programmatic Assessement : Operant Conditioning - Research Paper Example

Operant Conditioning Theory Operant Conditioning Theory Operant conditioning is changing a behavior roughly by using reinforcement which is offered after the anticipated response. At other times, it is denoted to as instrumental conditioning as it is a learning method that takes place through rewarding and punishing certain behavior (McLeod, 2007). Through operant conditioning, a person makes a connection between a specific behavior and a consequence. An example is when a child who has good grades being rewarded with good prizes by the parents or guardians.

The child realizes eventually that when he/she gets good grades, he/she gets prizes. Operant conditioning was first habituated by B.F. Skinner, a behaviorist, who supposed that an individual needs to put focus on the external and recognizable causes of behavior. Skinner went on to think that the internal motivations and thoughts of an individual could not be used in explaining a behavior. The term operant was used by Skinner in referring to any active behavior operating upon the environment in generating consequences (McLeod, 2007).

Operant conditioning theory by Skinner explained how individuals acquired different learned behaviors exhibited daily. ReinforcementReinforcement is an event increasing or strengthening the behavior it follows. Skinner stated that reinforcement came into negative and positive forms. He also believed that to condition behavior, reinforcement was needed (McLeod, 2007). Reinforcement is seen to be a punishment or reward, depending on the exhibited behavior. Positive ReinforcementThis reinforcement strengthens a given behavior by giving a consequence found rewarding by an individual.

For example, when parent gives a child prizes when he/she performs well in school, the parent is more likely to replicate this behavior, thus strengthening the child’s behavior of performing well in school (Coon & Mitterer, 2008). Negative ReinforcementA behavior can also be strengthened by removing an unpleasant reinforcer after the anticipated behavior (McLeod, 2007). A behavior is strengthened by negative reinforcement because it removes or stops an unfriendly experience. In both these reinforcement cases, the goal is increasing the behavior.

Moreover, punishment in Operant Conditioning is the exhibition of a hostile event or results that lead to a decrease in the following behavior. There are two types of punishment:Positive PunishmentIt is also referred to as application punishment involving the presentation of a hostile outcome or even so that the following response may be weakened. Negative PunishmentIt is also referred to as removal punishment which takes place when a satisfactory outcome or event is removed after the occurrence of a behavior (McLeod, 2007).

In both these punishment cases, the behavior decreases. Effective ReinforcementPositive reinforcement is seen to be the most effective kind of reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement. This is because there is a positive emotional effect in positive reinforcement (Coon & Mitterer, 2008). On the other hand, consequences of an anticipated behavior and the desirable behavior are identified by positive reinforcement. Operant Conditioning ScenarioA scenario in which an individual could apply in shaping behavior would be seen when a child does not finish eating his food and sometimes does not eat any food at all.

The mother decides to give the child a desert that he likes to eat with food, till he takes a larger portion of food. This is seen to be a continuous reinforcement plan. ReferencesCoon, D. & Mitterer, J. (2008). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning.McLeod, S. (2007). Skinner – Operant Conditioning. Simply Psychology. Retrieved October 15, 2014, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html