Summary: Behaviorism
In this chapter we were introduced to classical conditioning and operant conditioning, along with the many terms that go along with each. In 1904, Ivan Pavlov developed classical conditioning. He did so by training a dog to salivate every time he heard a bell. The bell at first was just a signal that the dog was going to get food. The bell was the neutral stimulus with the food being the unconditioned stimulus because the dog naturally salivates when it gets fed. The salivation of the dog to the food is the unconditioned response. Pretty soon, the dog started salivating every time it heard the bell, even without the presence of food, making the bell now the conditioned stimulus and the salivation to the bell the conditioned response. This is the way classical conditioning works. The neutral stimulus always becomes the conditioned stimulus. Moving on to operant conditioning, B.F. Skinner developed different types of reinforcements and punishments in 1948. There is positive and negative reinforcement, and although the word ‘negative’ is in there, it does not mean that is it consequence to an action. Positive reinforcement is adding something as a reward for an individual’s behavior. An example would be giving a a two-year-old a fruit snack as a reward for using the potty. Negative reinforcement also is encouraging an individual behavior but this time, something unwanted is taken away to make life more enjoyable. An example would be, not having to take an exam if you make a 100 on all the quizzes. The exam is the unwanted thing in someones life and by taking it away, it is the reward for making 100’s on all the quizzes. Moving on to punishments, there is punishment one and punishment two. Punishment two is the most common among parents and their children. It is taking away something favorable when an undesired behavior is exhibited. For example, if a child makes an F on a test, the parent may take away his or her phone until they make a better grade on the next one. Punishment one is adding something negative when an undesired behavior is exhibited. This could be a child getting a spanking for throwing a tantrum or talking back. (Kibe, 2017)
Behaviorism and My Development
Behaviorism was not something I thought about until this class. Growing up I experienced a lot of punishment one and two. I would get grounded or have my phone taken away for talking back. Although it was understandable it did not really change my behavior. When I was a child, I would get spankings for being mean to my brother. To this day my brother and I still do not get along so I am not sure operant conditioning worked very well for me. The most common negative reinforcement I can remember was I got to leave the table early if I finished all my dinner. I did not want to sit there I wanted to go play games. But this helped me learn that not everything can be that easy. I developed into someone who works for what they want and I know I cannot achieve goals without working. My mom conditioned me to be that person.
Behaviorism and My Work
Thinking of behaviorism and my intended profession comes naturally. I have been a nanny since my freshman year of college so I have easily used all of operant conditioning on the children I take care of. For my intended profession however, I will use different methods such as positive and negative reinforcement the most. I will never use punishment one but will use punishment two. I will use positive reinforcement to make the children and parents I work with also work when they are alone at home and not just with me. I want to praise them while they are in my care so they feel encouraged to continue while I am not there. Negative reinforcement may be used by allowing a child I am working with to stop the exercise early if they get it done correctly and with no crying or getting upset. By telling them this before they begin this may encourage them to be good and try their best. Punishment two may be used if a child does not want to cooperate. Depending on what type of reward system I have in place I will tell the child that they do not get a reward or will get something they have achieved taken back if the uncooperativeness does not stop.
Picture Reference: https://edu.glogster.com/glog/classical-conditioning-association-theory/2dc3s07uphs
AK's Final Project EDPR 