Introduction
Operant conditioning is a plain premise; infusing a reinforcement or punishment will eventually modify one’s behavior. In simple terms, rewards or praises are introduced to increase an event or behavior. Also, punishment is introduced to diminish such behavior. So, it is clear that behavior is controlled by its consequences. This learning process was postulated in animals and humans, intending to modify the behavior.
What Is Operant Conditioning?
Operant conditioning, sometimes known as instrumental conditioning, is a learning process that modifies behavior through reinforcement, punishment, or omission. It relies on the point that external stimuli control the behavior. Here, the association is built between the consequence and behavior required for a change, so operant conditioning is a form of associative learning. For instance, if a child scores first grade in academics and is rewarded with a poppet, she will persevere in succeeding days with great conviction.
History of Operant Conditioning:
Edward L. Thorandike, an American psychologist, first studied operant conditioning comprehensively. He put forth the law of this effect when keenly observing how the cats try to escape the puzzle box. So, based on its behavior, he brought animal learning curves into the limelight.
Over and above, a psychologist and social philosopher, B.F. Skinner expounded on the actual essence of operant conditioning. He is designated as the father of operant conditioning as he went through a lifelong analysis of the theory and its applications. Skinner contended that operant conditioning better explains complex human behavior, highlighting intentional conduct's causes and consequences. He invented an operant conditioning chamber or skinner box for the approach. He considered rats and pigeons as the subjects left isolated inside the chamber and studied by provoking meticulously controlled stimuli. Reinforcements were also given in the state of schedules. Then, his study and applications were on human behavior, and he published the writings in 1948.
What Are the Types of Behaviors?
Respondent Behaviors:
Respondent behaviors are reflexive, automatic actions, like jerking the leg when the doctor taps on your knee or moving the object in the hand away from a hot stove. These are not behaviors that are easy to pick up. They just happen instinctively and without any thought.
Operant Behaviors:
Conversely, we have conscious control over our operant activities. While some may happen accidentally and others on purpose, the results of these acts ultimately determine whether or not they happen again in the future. A significant portion of learning is understanding the effects of our activities on the environment and the resulting lessons.
What Is the Principle of Operant Conditioning?
Human’s complex systems and their behavior are complicated, though. Skinner unearthed the consequences when the stimulus was brought nearby. Hence, the basic principle of operant conditioning is well-portrayed as the consequence of behavior itself is a stimulus that, in turn, affects the future behavior response. So, the person learns to produce a positive response where the stimulus is recurrent, and its outcome is instrumental. Thus, reinforcement or expanding previous experiences changes the person's response.
What Is the Purpose of Operant Conditioning?
Operant conditioning is one of the classical methods of learning that helps modify one’s behavior by using rewards and punishments. This theory includes the addition of a reward, the removal of the punishment, the addition of punishment, and the removal of the reward. So, through operant conditioning, the person repeats the rewarded behavior, and those with punishment will occur at rare events.
What Incorporates the Components and Types of Operant Conditioning?
So, it is well-defined that operant conditioning relies on the effect or consequence of behavior. In this manner, reinforcement and punishment are two essential tools of operant conditioning. These tools can be either positive or negative.
Reinforcement:
Reinforcements are any material that strengthens and supports the behavior.
1. Positive Reinforcement: Suppose a response yields a favorable and pleasant outcome and gets positively reinforced. In that case, such behavior leading to this pleasant consequence will be more likely to be practiced. Positive reinforcers may be a direct reward, praise, or a present. For example, if a person receives an increment for his new assignments from the head, he will be reinforced to do more.
2. Negative Reinforcement: In contrast, this involves the withdrawal of unfavorable or unpleasant outcomes after noticing the behavior. So, here, something is eliminated, intended to reinforce.
Punishment: Punishment is the infliction or adverse event employed so that there will be a diminishment in the behavior it makes. This is because the person perceives that the prompted punishment will occur in the future.
Positive Punishment: Positive punishment provides a sentence by the application so that it presents an unpleasant event to alleviate the response.
Negative Punishment: Contrary to positive punishment, a pleasant or favorable event is removed to alter the behavior. So, this is a punishment by disposal. For example, withdrawing the building blocks for a child’s misconduct.
Omission or Time Out:
So here, the pleasant stimulus is removed after a particular response.
Extinction:
Extinction is known for a response that is not effective now that has previously been reinforced. For instance, when the object or outcome is not bestowed, the subject becomes extinguished in presenting a behavior yet weakened with time.
Schedules for Reinforcement:
Reinforcement, a significant component of operant conditioning, is not a natural and forthright process. Nevertheless, certain norms prevail on how and where the reinforcers strengthen the accession. The following are the schedules by Skinner based on the timing and frequency.
Fixed Interval Schedule: Reinforcement is seen after the fixed interval once the response has elapsed.
Variable Interval Schedule: The reinforcement is abrupt after a variable interval from its elapsed time.
Fixed Ratio Schedule: The reinforcement is seen after a fixed number of responses are taken from the previous reinforcement.
Variable Ratio Schedule: Conversely, the reinforcement is abrupt after a variable number of responses are exuded.
Continuous Reinforcement: As the name indicates, reinforcement results from each response.
Where Does Operant Conditioning Apply?
The ideology of punishment and reinforcement significantly impacts humans by modifying behavior and alleviating daily interferences. Hence, it is utilized in diverse applications concerning social interaction.
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Addictions.
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Animal training and pet taming.
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Child behavior management.
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Gambling addiction.
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Military psychology.
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Fear at the workplace.
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Some psychological issues like guilt, fear, doubt, and anger.
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Abuse, blackmailing, and neglect.
Conclusion:
We can observe operant conditioning in all aspects of us, as it significantly affects our daily functioning, academics, careers, and entities. Hence, it is more evident that praise or punishment would mold our behavior and, thus, us. But what happens when it is applied to mischievousness and misconduct? Yes! Sooner or later, it yields a pleasant and favorable outcome.
