Operant conditioning (Assump 2)

• Who conducted this?

  Skinner
• What was he proving?

  That we learn though the consequences of our behaviours
• Positive reinforcement

  By adding something pleasurable to the situation, the behaviour is strengthened.
• Negative reinforcement

  By taking something aversive from a situation, the behaviour is strengthened
• Example of positive reinforcement

  Praise or food if hungry
• Example of negative reinforcement

  Pain stops or anxiety lessons
• Punishment

  By taking something pleasurable from the situation or adding something aversive to the situation, behaviour is weakened
• Punishment examples

  pocket money taken away, physical punishment
• Evaluation - Useful application

  Training techniques - business incentives and disciplinarian. Our justice system! Token economies in prison ( rewards for good behaviours)
• Evaluation - Deterministic


  Skinner argued that free will was an 'illusion' and all influences are external e.g. your 'decisions' are always made based on the consequences and therefore behaviour is really determined by operant conditioning.