Download Everyone has come across a situation where they want to be able to

Everyone has come across a situation where they want to be able to change the behavior
of a person or animal they are dealing with. Teaching children and pets new things can be
difficult at times, such as children learning to count or dogs doing tricks. Children and pets often
do things that annoy their parents or owners, for instance, when a cat does not use their litter box
or when a child colors on the walls of their home. Operant conditioning is one learning theory
that individuals use to help train individuals and animals to perform certain tasks or stop doing
certain behaviors.
Operant conditioning is teaching people or animals to do a certain behavior or
discontinue another behavior. According to Olson and Hergenhahn (2009), “Two general
principles are associated with Type R conditioning: (1) any response that is followed by a
reinforcing stimulus tends to be repeated; and (2) a reinforcing stimulus is anything that
increases the rate with which an operant response occurs” (p. 76). In order to teach a new
behavior or decrease an unwanted behavior, it is important to give positive or negative
reinforcement, such as rewards or punishments, right after the certain behavior that is being
trained or discouraged happens.
Positive reinforcement is giving a reward for the individual completing the correct
behavior, whereas negative reinforcement is taking something away that the individual would
want or punishing them. They are both tools that need to be used in a certain way to promote the
right behavior or discourage the wrong behavior during operant conditioning. Positive and
negative reinforcement are not necessarily good or bad in itself, but both can be used in a good
or bad manner. For instance, giving too much of a reward or having too harsh of a punishment
in regards to the behavior would be a bad way to use reinforcements.
Positive reinforcement is the most effective of the two forms of reinforcement.
According to Coon and Mitterer (2010), “The overall emotional adjustment of a child or a pet
disciplined mainly by reward is usually superior to one disciplined mainly by punishment” (p.
241). When dealing with children and pets giving them something positive will promote them to
continue them in doing the behaviors that you want because they know that they will get what
they want in return. Negative reinforcement can be effective depending on the circumstances,
but is so easy to use incorrectly and can turn into abuse if not careful.
A scenario that I could apply operant conditioning to shape behavior would be
housebreaking my new puppy. This would make sure that he does not ruin my carpet from
having accidents in the house or other places that we are visiting in the future. After every time
the puppy goes outside to use the bathroom, I would give him negative reinforcement by not
playing with him until after he has gone to the bathroom. When he then goes to the bathroom
outside, I can give him a small treat right afterwards, tell him that he is a good boy, and play with
him for positive reinforcement.
The reinforcement schedule for my selected behavior would be continuous as there is no
reason for me not to be able to continue giving him positive reinforcement for going outside to
use the bathroom. He would get a treat every time as they have ones that work for cleaning teeth
and freshening breath. I know that because I am continuing the positive reinforcement into the
future there is no risk of extinction happening with this behavior. He is getting the reward in
continuing to keep my carpets clean, and I know that I am looking out for his dental health.
A part of life is helping others in learning new things or stopping behaviors that are
unwanted. Operant conditioning is a theory that can be applied to people and animals in helping
them to with this. According to Myers (2005), “Through operant conditioning, subjects associate
behaviors with their consequences. Thus, they become more likely to repeat rewarded
(reinforced) behaviors and less likely to repeat punished behaviors” (p. 259). Everyone learns
differently at their own pace, but using operant conditioning can help them with performing the
new tasks normally or stop doing the unwanted behavior as everyone wants to get positive
reinforcements and stay away from getting negative reinforcement.
References
Coon, D., & Mitterer, J. O. (2010). Introduction to psychology: gateways to mind and behavior
(12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Myers, D. G. (2005). Exploring psychology (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Olson, M. H., & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009). An introduction to theories of learning (8th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.