...Operant Conditioning Paper Operant conditioning relies on the consequences of an exhibited behavior, and the impact the behavior has on certain learning experiences. This type of conditioning requires stimuli and reinforcers (both positive and negative) (Olsen & Hergenhahn, 2009). Along with using punishments that exhibit both positive and negative influences, both of which contribute to behavior and learning. Operant conditioning can be observed on a daily basis. It is a typical form of learning that some might take for granted. Operant conditioning can be used to influence certain behaviors as well as to decrease certain behaviors (Kirsch & Lynn, 2004). This is done when punishments or reinforcements are used to adapt or eliminate a specific behavior (including fear, anxiety and phobias). Reinforcements can be used strengthen or increase a behavior that accompanies the reinforcement (Barash, 2005). Positive reinforcers are events or outcomes that are presented after the behavior, thus allowing for better or continuous behavior. Children attaining good grades would receive a positive reinforcement that would allow them to continue to do well in school. Negative reinforcement is the removal of unfavorable events or outcomes after the behavior is displayed (Barash, 2005). This would strengthen the response by removing something that is considered to be unpleasant. Like an unruly animal that causes fear, taking the animal away creates a peaceful environment. When it comes...
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...longing results that a person desires. Operant conditioning is the prudent method to use to reach such goals. B. F. Skinner, the behaviorist that came up with the operant conditioning theory, began the innovative experiments that led to the detection of the effects of positive and negative reinforcements. These two methods are effective tools that alter behavior in any home, school, or social environment that a person could manifest unpredictable behavior. The schedule of reinforcement is also a vital component of the learning process, which maintains positive behavior and a constant rate of response. The theory of operant conditioning Operant conditioning is an acclimatizing method of learning in which an individual’s behavior modifies by the use of positive or negative reinforcement. Therefore, the individual’s behavior changes in use, regularity, and strength. Operant conditioning came to be notable from classical conditioning; entails the conditioning of reflex behaviors, which stimulates by the manifestations of precursor conditions. The difference between the two is that classical conditioning does not uphold its method by the use of reinforcement. Alternatively, operant conditioning uses reinforcement to modify voluntary behavior. American psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner, mostly known by B. F. Skinner, was the first to revolutionize the term “operant conditioning.” Skinner develops his theory by creating the operant conditioning box or Skinner box, which he uses...
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...Operant Conditioning Georgia University of Phoenix PSY/390 April 18th, 2011 Operant Conditioning The operant conditioning is a fundamental theory in psychology and is also known as instrumental conditioning. This theory emphasizes the use of consequences to alter certain occurrences and forms of behavior. Furthermore, learning is the outcome of rewards and punishments used as consequences for specific behaviors. B. F. Skinner is one of the most famous behaviorists who initiated the operant conditioning theory, and until today, most theorists refer to it as the “ Skinnerian Conditioning” to further their studies. Skinner established his theory from Thorndike’s earlier work and demonstrates that the most efficient way to understand behavior is by observing the causes of people’s actions, based on the effect of reinforcement or punishments. This paper will discuss the theory of the operant conditioning by explaining the significant actions that stimulates people’s behavior. Theory of Operant Conditioning Skinner did not consider people inner thoughts or intentions to be responsible for the way their behavior is shaped. Instead, he believed that external factors are most likely to be accountable for the way humans behave in their environment. The reason he uses the term operant, is to refer to certain behaviors that operate within the environment and initiate consequences. According to Skinner,” the emphasis is on behavior and its consequences, and...
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...Phobias and Addictions Paper Psy/300 4/26/14 Phobias and Addictions Paper Introduction Several individuals develop phobias or addictions in their lifetime. Phobias are an illogical fear that is of no danger to anyone else. Phobias are developed through classical conditioning. According to Barlett (2013) “addiction is defined as the need for and use of a habit forming substance despite knowledge that the substance is harmful” (p. 349). Additions can be developed through operant conditioning. Phobias and addictions are different forms of behaviors just as classical and operant conditioning are responses learn responses. Extinction is also a form of classical conditioning. Both classical and operant conditioning differ in how an individual responds. Phobias and Addictions Phobias are human developed fears. They are fears seem irrational or harmless to other individuals. Phobias can be developed through classical conditioning according to Kowaski and Westen (2011) “In classical conditioning, an environmental stimulus leads to a learned response, through pairing of an unconditioned stimulus with a previously neutral conditioned stimulus” (p. 169). An environmental stimulus anything in an individual’s surroundings that may affect them. A neutral conditioned stimulus is when a response does not happen automatically. This means that an environment that may not affect others has the potential to leave a person frightened based on a negative experience. For example, if a woman...
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...Phobias and Addiction Eugene McDaniel PSY/300 May 22, 2012 Deandriea Bass Abstract * This paper explore how phobias can be developed through classical conditioning this can be thought of as a reaction that is learned through the pairing of stimuli. How addictions can be developed through operant conditioning. Operant conditioning, also called instrumental conditioning, is a method for modifying behavior an operant which utilizes contingencies between a discriminative stimulus, an operant response, a reinforce to change the probability of a response occurring again in that situation. This paper also Distinguishes between classical and operant conditioning. One of the major differences involves the types of behaviors that are conditioned. While classical conditioning is centered on involuntary, automatic behaviors, operant conditioning is focused on voluntary behaviors. * While these two conditioning techniques share some similarities, it is important to understand the differences between them. What extinction means and how it is achieved in both classical and operant conditioning. * * Phobias and Addictions Phobias are an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm. For example, those suffering from agoraphobia fear being trapped in an inescapable place. Addiction has long been understood to mean an uncontrollable habit of using alcohol or other drugs. Because of the physical...
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...Phobias and Addictions Paper Viktorija Canevik-Alex PSY/300 Jacqueline Hall July 20, 2013 University of Phoenix Phobias and Addiction Paper In this paper I will discuss how phobias and addiction are connected to the classical and operant conditioning. I will explain how phobias and addiction are evolve through classical and operant conditioning, what is the difference between classical and operant conditioning, what is extinction and how extinction is accomplish in the classical and operant conditioning. Phobia occur when people are scared or fear without stopping of something genuine and hard to control and usually occur in young age but also it can occur in older age. Phobia is something very common and it influence peoples life every day, but important thing about phobias is that it can be treated. Here are some examples of phobias, like fear from: kissing, drugs, cold, taking medicine, mother-in-law, children, and others. Addiction can occur when people have hard time to control or stop use, do or take something. People can be addictive to many things, not only to alcohol and drugs, people also can be addictive...
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...Addiction as it Relates to Classical and Operant Conditioning Social phobia is also known as social anxiety which is a persistent phobia from negative assessment of others. Most people suffering from this type of phobia or social anxiety would turn to drugs and alcohol to lessen the anxiety (Lak, Sedaghat, and Almadv, & 2012), and then the self-medicated or self with illegal drugs leads to addiction. The paper essay will focus phobias and addictions as related to classical and operant conditional. Phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Phobias can be developed through classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is learning by stimulus from the environment. In layman’s term, a toddler learns that a pot on the stove is hot and should not be touch. The toddler then develop phobia that hot stove burn the skin and as a result stay away from it. Following Pavlov’s observations, John Watson a behaviorist and his associate Rosalie Rayner (1920) did studies on how classical conditioning relates to phobias. Watson and Rayner selected a white rat to be in their experiment and proceeded to condition a fear response in Little Albert and each time Albert would reach out to touch the rat, they struck the steel bar. After doing this a few times, Albert learned to fear the rat. This is all true in adults as well because I have a friend who goes in panic when they see the police or anything that is connected to the police. If he hears a police siren,...
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...Behaviorism and Its Effect on the Understanding of Learning AIU Online Abstract This paper focuses on a brief summary on the history of behaviorism, starting with experiments conducted by Franklin Henry Giddings and Ivan Pavlov, a sociologist and a physiologist whom established the groundwork for behaviorism, particularly in America. In addition, this paper also explains the main components of behaviorism, which are classical conditioning and operant conditioning, connectionism, and the contiguity theory. It moves forward to explain four experiments that are popular through the study of behaviorism: the reason behind conditioned salivation in Ivan Pavlov’s dogs, conditioned responses in humans through Watson’s little Albert experiment, Thorndike’s research with cats and a puzzle box to demonstrate the law of effect through the use of reinforcements, and B.F. Skinner’s experiment with rats to prove how an organism learns through operant conditioning. Finally, this paper examines how, according to behaviorists, there are three principles of learning new and intricate behaviors, known as shaping, chaining, and fading. Behaviorism and Its Effect on the Understanding of Learning Behaviorism suggests that an organism learns from its environment. It is the result of the association between a stimulus and a response. An organism learns new behavior through classical or operant conditioning. It is a theory that does not base its ideals on emotions or prior knowledge. Some say behaviorism...
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...classroom environment. The point is there are different types of learning be it hands on or from learned experience from a situation. This paper is going to describe a single informal learning experience that I have had broccoli. It will discuss three types of conditioning or learning, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive-social learning. This paper will show how each type of conditioning could have been the reason for the response that shaped view of broccoli to this day. As a young child I was never one to eat too many vegetables. My mother would make meals with some type of vegetable on the side because as we all well aware of is that we need a good diet that includes vegetables. However this is something that is hard to enforce into young children and in my case I was no different. One evening my mother cooked a meal with broccoli as the vegetable of choice. Just like most vegetables I did not want to eat it. The smell, color, taste, and texture was not something I enjoyed. After sitting for a long time starring at this frightful food my mother forced me to eat it. What happened next would forever shape my thinking on broccoli, I threw it all up. Fast forward 36 years and to this day I cannot smell broccoli without my stomach turning. Broccoli and I from that one day are as incompatible as oil and water. Classic conditioning according to Carpenter and Huffman (2010) is learning that occurs when neutral stimulus (NS) becomes paired (associated) with an unconditioned...
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...Operant Conditioning and Child Rearing Most people consider that learning takes place as a natural response from animals to diverse experiences. Nevertheless, learning is part of a more complex process that takes place when humans experience diverse events. Classical and operant conditioning are basic learning forms by which diverse patterns of behavior are acquired when a well-defined stimuli is present in a life experience. This paper discusses how the concept of operant conditioning may be applied in educating a child. Prior to discussing the concept it deems pertinent defining “operant conditioning as a form of cognition in which a voluntary response is strengthened or weakened, depending on its favorable or unfavorable consequences" (Feldman, 2009). The concept contrasts with classical conditioning as the later deals with biological responses to stimuli while operant conditioning relates to voluntary responses performed to generate a desired outcome. In sum, operant conditioning emphasizes the notion that organisms operate on their current environments to produce a wanted result. BF Skinner, the most influential proponent of the concept of operating conditioning wanted to confirm that human behavior changes as a result of the environment changes. In this notion, Skinner attested that operant conditioning is learning in which behavioral responses differ depending on the outcomes such behaviors produce. Consequently, humans are able to willingly control the choices of...
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...results of learning must always be translated into observable behavior. After learning, learners are capable of doing something that they could not do before the learning took place (Olson M. H. & Hergenhahn, B. R. 2009). To study learning, behavior is required or there is no way for it to take place. Behavior is changed through conditioning, and there are two types of conditioning mentioned in this paper. Classical Conditioning was discovered by Pavlov during the 1890s, and it was discovered by accident with him doing something as simple as feeding his dogs. Another type of learning is through Operant Conditioning, discovered by B. F. Skinner. This conditioning is described as the behavior being followed by a consequence, and it occurs through the tendency to repeat the behavior. Classical Conditioning is the type of learning introduced by Ivan Pavlov. To summarize, classical conditioning involves learning to associate an unconditioned stimulus that already brings about a particular response with a new stimulus, so that the new stimulus brings about the same response (McLeod, (2007)). In Pavlov’s experiment with Classical Conditioning he went to prove that a dog could learn another behavior by having a different stimulus to create it. Pavlov was...
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...Rather than focusing on methods like introspection, Watson strongly suggests that psychological research involve examinations of the measurable and observable behaviors. In his classic study of Little Albert, Watson demonstrates how learning of fear can occur through the principle of classical conditioning. Watson and other behaviorists like B.F. Skinner also emphasize that environmental factors affect and determine behavior. Skinner took the study of behaviorism to the next level by proposing concepts like mind, consciousness, and feelings were neither measureable or observable and were, therefore, not necessary in explaining behavior. Skinner claims that one can explain behavior by analyzing the conditions present before a behavior occurs and by analyzing the consequences that follow the behavior. The principles associated with Skinner’s operant conditioning suggest personality as a function of environmental influences rather than unconscious thoughts and feelings. However, this belief faces criticism for paying little attention to emotions and internal processes. By examining the theories of Watson and Skinner, one can better understand by classical and operant conditioning by explaining their major themes and evaluating their effectiveness in explaining behavior. Watson’s and Skinner’s Theories Identified John B. Watson is typically considered the founding father of behaviorism. Current psychological beliefs at the time were that consciousness could be...
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...Behaviorism as a Theory of Personality: A Critical Look Payal Naik Northwestern University This paper explores the theory of behaviorism and evaluates its effectiveness as a theory of personality. It takes into consideration all aspects of the behaviorism theory, including Pavlov's classical conditioning and Skinner's operant conditioning. Additional research in this field by scientists such as Thorndike is also included. As a result of this critical look at behaviorism, its weaknesses as a comprehensive personality theory are revealed. At the same time, its merits when restricted to certain areas of psychology and treatment of disorders are discussed. For as long as human beings can remember, they have always been interested in what makes them who they are and what aspects of their being set each of them apart from others of their species. The answer according to behaviorists is nothing more than the world in which they grew up. Behaviorism is the theory that human nature can be fully understood by the laws inherent in the natural environment. As one of the oldest theories of personality, behaviorism dates back to Descartes, who introduced the idea of a stimulus and called the person a machine dependent on external events whose soul was the ghost in the machine. Behaviorism takes this idea to another level. Although most theories operate to some degree on the assumption that humans have some sort of free will and are moral thinking entities, behaviorism refuses to acknowledge...
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...Learning Experience Paper Tiffany N. Moore Psy/103 February 22, 2016 Joseph Foster Learning Experience Paper How can anyone be afraid of an insect that is smaller than them? My fear of spiders started when I was seven years old. Every year during summer break I would go out to the country to visit my godparents on their farm. I was always told not to play outdoors in my bare feet because of the insects, snakes, and small rodents. Being an adventurous child I did the total opposite of what I was being told. While playing in the barn one summer day I decided to take my shoes off, which led to me getting bit by a spider, becoming terribly ill, and having to spend several days in the hospital. Every day since that incident occurred I have had a deadly fear of spiders. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder where you have an excessive fear of a certain object or situation, says Raphael Rose, PhD, associate director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Center and associate clinical professor at the University of California-Los Angeles' Department of Psychology and Psychiatry and Bio-behavioral Sciences. An estimated 19.2 million American adults’ deal with specific phobias, the National Institute of Mental Health reports. And specific phobias are twice as common in women as in men, NIMH says. Phobias usually develop during childhood or, if not then, by early adulthood, Rose says. Common specific phobias, according to NIMH, include closed-in spaces, heights, highway driving...
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...of his ancestors. - John B. Watson, 1930 BEHAVIORISM ¡ Ψ A Psychological perspective and a Learning theory that focuses on objectively observable behaviors and defines learning as the acquisition of new behavior through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment. ¡ Ψ A school of Psychology founded by John Broadus Watson based on the idea that behaviors can be measured, trained and changed. KEY CONCEPTS • OPERANT CONDITIONING ( Skinner)- utilizes reinforcement and punishment to create associations between behaviors and the consequences for those behaviors. • CLASSICAL CONDITIONING ( Pavlov) - a process that involves creating an association between a naturally existing stimulus and a previously neutral one. Imagine a dog that salivates when it sees food. The food is the naturally occurring stimulus. If you started to ring a bell every time you presented the dog with food, an association would be formed between the food and the bell. Eventually the bell alone, aka the conditioned stimulus, would come to evoke the salivating response. • LAW OF EFFECT ( Thorndike)- anytime that a behavior is followed by a pleasant outcome , the behavior is likely to recur. UNCONDITIONED RESPONSE- In Classical Conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (such as salivation when food is in the mouth) UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS- a stimulus that unconditionally – naturally and...
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