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Learning 2

Operant conditioning is a method of learning through rewards and punishments for behaviors. Behaviors that are reinforced through rewards become more frequent, while behaviors that are punished decrease. B.F. Skinner pioneered operant conditioning theory and developed the Skinner Box to study rat behavior. Key components of operant conditioning include reinforcement, which increases behaviors, and punishment, which decreases behaviors. Social learning theory later expanded on these concepts to explain how observation of others can also influence learning.

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13 views

Learning 2

Operant conditioning is a method of learning through rewards and punishments for behaviors. Behaviors that are reinforced through rewards become more frequent, while behaviors that are punished decrease. B.F. Skinner pioneered operant conditioning theory and developed the Skinner Box to study rat behavior. Key components of operant conditioning include reinforcement, which increases behaviors, and punishment, which decreases behaviors. Social learning theory later expanded on these concepts to explain how observation of others can also influence learning.

Uploaded by

faizia
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Operant Conditioning Theory

 Operant conditioning (sometimes


referred to as instrumental
conditioning) is a method of learning
that occurs through rewards and
punishments for behavior.
Through operant conditioning,
an association is made between a
behavior and a consequence for
that behavior.
 Operant conditioning was coined by
behaviorist B.F. Skinner, which is why you
may occasionally hear it referred to as
Skinnerian conditioning. As a behaviorist,
Skinner believed that internal thoughts and
motivations could not be used to explain
behavior. Instead, he suggested, we should
look only at the external, observable
causes of human behavior.
Examples of Operant Conditioning
We can find examples of operant
conditioning at work all around us.
Consider the case of children
completing homework to earn a
reward from a parent or teacher, or
employees finishing projects to
receive praise or promotions.
Operant Conditioning is a term used to
describe behaviour which has been reinforced
by reward or discouraged through
punishment.
The Skinner Box
 The device that Skinner invented to research
is called the operant conditioning apparatus
(also known as the Skinner Box).

 The Skinner Box involved placing a rat into a


sealed box with a lever that would release
food when pressed.
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Components of Operant
Conditioning
Punishment, on the other hand, is the presentation of an adverse event or
outcome that causes a decrease in the behavior it follows.
Assume that your boss tells you that if
you will work overtime during the next
3-week busy season, you’ll be
compensated in the next performance
appraisal. However, when performance
appraisal time comes, you find that
you are given the extra money
promised. So, the next time when your
boss will ask you for the same favour,
you would readily agree to it.
Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory proposed by 
Albert Bandura has become perhaps the
most influential theory of learning and
development. While rooted in many of
the basic concepts of traditional
learning theory, Bandura believed that
direct reinforcement could not account
for all types of learning.
His theory added a social element,
arguing that people can learn new
information and behaviors by
watching other people. Known as
observational learning (or modeling),
this type of learning can be used to
explain a wide variety of behaviors.
Individuals can also learn by
observing what happens to other
people & just being told about
something, as well as by direct
experiences.
For example, much of what we have
learned comes from watching models
– parents, teachers, peers, motion
pictures, television performers, bosses
and so forth.

Thus view that we can learn through


both observation and direct
experience is called Social-Learning
Theory.
The Modeling Process

Not all observed behaviors are effectively


learned. Factors involving both the
model and the learner can play a role in
whether social learning is successful.
Certain requirements and steps must
also be followed. The following steps are
involved in the observational learning
and modeling process:
Attention:

In order to learn, you need to be


paying attention. Anything that
detracts your attention is going to
have a negative effect on
observational learning. If the model
interesting or there is a novel aspect
to the situation, you are far more
likely to dedicate your full attention to
learning.
Retention:

The ability to store information is also


an important part of the learning
process. Retention can be affected by
a number of factors, but the ability to
pull up information later and act on it
is vital to observational learning.
Reproduction:

Once you have paid attention to the


model and retained the information, it
is time to actually perform the
behavior you observed. Further
practice of the learned behavior leads
to improvement and skill
advancement.
Motivation:
Finally, in order for observational learning to be
successful, you have to be motivated to
imitate the behavior that has been modeled.
Reinforcement and punishment play an
important role in motivation. While
experiencing these motivators can be highly
effective, so can observing other experience
some type of reinforcement or punishment.
For example, if you see another student
rewarded with extra credit for being to class
on time, you might start to show up a few
minutes early each day.

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