Operant conditioning in real life
Objectives
• Describe behavior modification
• List why Punishments fail
• Explain internal and external reinforces
Scenario
• If life at work and home full of same old
reinforces and punishers new responses may
fail to generalize
• F.E. Grumpy boss, unresponsive spouse, fridge
full of goodies
• Want to change unwanted, dangerous and self
defeating behaviors in classroom, athletic
field, prison, nursing home, mental hospital?
chapter 9
Behavior modification
The application of operant conditioning techniques
To teach new responses
To reduce or eliminate maladaptive or problematic behavior
Also called applied behavior analysis
Skinners book / Pros and cons of
Punishment
• The Walden Two, Skinner imagined utopia
where reinforces were used so wisely that
undesirable behavior was unlikely
• But no utopia …
• bad habits and anti social acts
• Punishments solution?
• Most western countries outlaw physical
punishment in schools
chapter 9
When punishment fails
When the recipient responds with anxiety, fear, or rage
When it does not immediately follow the behavior
When it does not inform the recipient how it might be avoided in
the future
When a consequence thought to be a punishment proves to be
reinforcing
Problem= Punishment removed
• The power of punishment, to suppress
behavior, usually disappears when the threat
of punishment is removed.
• For example: Drive differently when cop
behind you? Nice to little brother when Mom
around?
More Punishment Problems
• Punishment triggers escape or aggression
• Usually organisms flee, but if trapped get
aggressive
• 2 rats in skinner box will fight
• People who are in school or home with
punishment-aggression links will see this as
acceptable. AS A RESULT IT CONTINUES.
More Problems w/ punishments
• Punishments makes the learner apprehensive,
which inhibits learning new and better
responses
• May surrender to hopelessness (Learned
Helplessness)
• Can produce depression
• Misery does not produce learning
Lastly= Uneven application
• Not fair or equal.
• Boys punished more than girls, minorities
more than Caucasian, children receive more
physical punishment than adults
Uses and abuses of Punishments
• Punishments often create immediate change
in behavior. As a result punishers feel good,
settle the score, getting even, make someone
pay.
• People are still late, commit crimes. = Difficult
to use effectively
Does Punishment EVER work?
• Sometimes with autistic children using small
shock or water in face.
• Rewarding (Reinforcing and extinction are better
• Guidelines for punishments.=Swift. Certain.
Limited in Duration and intensity. Target behavior
and not person. No mixed messages. (Brother hit
you hit’em back)…scientifically bad parenting
• Omission is best. Take something away
chapter 9
External and internal
reinforcers
External reinforcers
Reinforcers not inherently related to the behavior being reinforced
Internal reinforcers
Reinforcers inherently related to the behavior being reinforced
External reinforcers may undermine internal
reinforcers.
chapter 9
Rewards can backfire
Preschoolers played with
felt-tipped markers.
Divided into three groups
Given markers again and asked to draw
Promised a reward for playing with
markers
Played markers, then rewarded
Summary
• Behavior modification
• Punishments fail…WHY
• Internal /external Reinforces
•