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Operant conditioning handout
Psychology
University of Cambridge
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The approaches
Behaviourist Approach: Operant conditioning
Operant conditioning learning due to the consequences of voluntary behaviour, through positive and negative reinforcement and punishment
Remind yourself of this key study:
The ‘Skinner box’ - a hungry rat would be placed in the box. Inside the box was a lever which, when pressed, would deliver a pellet of food. When the rat pressed the lever, a pellet of food was dropped onto the tray. The rat soon learned that pressing the lever would result in food (a reward). Skinner observed that, as a consequence of its actions (receiving the pellet), the rat continued to display this new learned behaviour – the rat’s behaviour had been positively reinforced.
Read each of the examples below and respond to the questions that follow. Ensure you are using the correct terminology:
- At school pupils are given merits or yellow slips for excellent or sub-standard work respectively.
Explain how the system is designed to promote good work.
- Lindsey is a primary school teacher. All the children in her class are well behaved except Kayla. She always seems to be talking when she should be listening and she spends much of her time doing things that distract, upset or annoy the children around her. Lindsey makes sure that she watches Kayla carefully all the time and she tells her off every time she catches her being naughty. However, Kayla’s behaviour is getting worse, not better.
Why is Lindsey’s punishment not having the effect it should? What else could she try and why?
The approaches
- Billy has broken a window playing football in the living room. He is very anxious about what his parents will say when they find out. When his mother comes home she demands to know what has happened; Billy decides to blame his younger brother, Alfie and tells his mother that Alfie was responsible. His mother goes off to find Alfie and Billy heaves a sigh of relief.
How might this incident shape Billy’s future behaviour and why?
Skinner’s principles of operant conditioning have been applied to many areas of psychology, for example ______________, ______________ and ____________.
EXTENSION: Come up with your own everyday examples of how the following are used: - Positive Reinforcement - Negative Reinforcement - Positive Punishment - Negative Punishment
Write your examples in your notes
Operant conditioning handout
Module: Psychology
University: University of Cambridge
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