Skinner's operant conditioning- Learning theories

• Positive reinforcement


  Behaviour that is strengthened by a reward

  • Behaviour is more likely to be repeated
• Negative reinforcement 


  Behaviour that is strengthened by removing an undesirable outcome

  • Behaviour is more likely to be repeated
• Punishment


  Behaviour that is stopped by an undesirable outcome

  • Behaviour is not likely to be repeated
• Behaviourism


  Rewards and punishments shape our behaviour and criminality
• Key idea


  If behaviour results in a reward, it will be repeated

  If behaviour results in an undesirable outcome, it will not be repeated
• Link to criminality


  Jeffrey's differential reinforcement theory (DRT) suggests crime must have more rewards for criminals than punishments
• Skinner's procedure (Research evidence)- Positive reinforcement condition

  Rat was placed in the 'Skinner box' that had a small lever inside which they trained the rat to press with a chute that disposed food

  • Hungry rat pressed lever which expelled food (positive reinforcement)
  • Disposal of food increased chance of rat repeating the behaviour
• Skinner's procedure- Negative reinforcement condition

  Rat was placed into Skinner box again with the lever but instead of it dispensing food, it stopped the electric current in the floor of the box.

  • Floor was electric when rat was placed inside the box
  • Rat would run around the box and hit the lever which immediately stopped the shocks
  • After a few times, the rat learnt to press the lever to stop the shocks straight away (Negative reinforcement)
• Skinner's procedure- Punishment condition

  Rat placed inside Skinner box with just the lever expelling the food at regular intervals (No electric floor)

  • If the rat waited for the food to be disposed, the food would expel from the chute
  • If the rat pressed the lever whilst waiting for the food, the food was withheld (Punishment)
• Strengths of Skinner's operant conditioning


  + If a behaviour results in a reward, it will be repeated. If it results in an undesirable outcome if not

  + Jeffrey's differential reinforcement theory (DRT) suggests crime therefore must have more rewards for criminals than punishments
• Limitations of Skinner's operant conditioning


  - Animals are not the same as humans (cannot be generalised to humans)

  - Theory ignores mental processes such as thinking, attitudes and values

  - Ignores free will of humans (Deterministic)