Skinners Operant Conditioning

Skinners Operant Conditioning:

            Definition of Operant Conditioning:

Operant conditioning refers to a kind of learning process where a response is made more probable or more frequent by reinforcement. It helps in the learning of operant behaviour, the behaviour that is not necessarily associated with a known stimulus.

Definition of Operant:

Skinner considers an operant as an act which constitutes an organisms doing something.

Example: Raising the head, Walking about, pushing  a lever etc.

According to the skinner most of the responses could not be attributed to the known stimuli.

Types of Responses:

1.                  Elicited by known stimuli:

Respondent behaviour which includes all reflexes.

Examples are jerking one’s hand when jabbed with a pin, construction of the pupils on account of bright light, salivation in the presence of food.

Stimulus preceeding the response is responsible for causing the behaviour.

2.                  Emitted by the unknown stimuli:

Operant behaviour which includes the arbitary movements.

Examples are Movement of one’s hand, arms or legs, A child abandoning  one toy in favour of another, eating a meal, writing a letter standing up and walking about, similar other everyday activities.

Stimulus is unknown & knowledge of the cause of the behaviour is not important.

Definition of Reinforcer:

A reinforcer is the stimulus the presentation or removal of which increases the probability of a response being repeated.

Kinds of reinforcers:

1.       Positive Reinforcers::

Positive rein forcer is any stimulus the introduction or presentation of which increases the likelihood of a particular behaviuor. General Examples are food, water. Educational context examples are Praise, Grades, Medals, Other prizes awarded to the students.

2.       Negative Reinforcers:

Negative reinforcer is any stimulus the removal or withdrawl of which increases the likelihood of a particular behaviour. Genreal Examples are Electric shock, A loud noise. Educational context example is Teachers’ saying to the students that whoever does drill work properly in the class would be exempted from homework, Scolding students

Reinforcement:

The concept of reinforcement is identical to the presentation of a reward.

Punishment:

Consequences which are not reinforcing or do not strengthen behaviour and aims at reducing behaviours by imposing unwelcome consequences.

Example: students who feels pleased about being outside the class instead of feeling bad to turn him out of the class.