Skinners Operant Conditioning Theory

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Skinners Operant Conditioning Theory

B.F Skinner (1904-1990), an American psychologist who was the leading exponent of the school of psychology know as behaviourism, maintained the idea that learning is a result of any change in overt behaviour. Changes in behaviour are determined by the way an individual responds to events (stimuli) in the environment. Skinner described this phenomenon as operant conditioning. Action on part of the learner is called a response. When a desired stimulus-response pattern is reinforced (rewarded), the individual is conditioned to respond in a certain way, and learning takes place. Reinforcement is a vital element in Skinner's Stimulus-Response Theory. A reinforcer is anything that strengthens a desired response, such as verbal praise, or a good grade. Skinner's theory also covers negative reinforcers, and punishment that lead to the reduction of undesired responses. Further, attention is given to schedules of reinforcement used to establish and maintain behaviour. This topic will explore the application of Operant Conditioning where learning is controlled through reinforcement of certain stimulus and response patterns.

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Learning through Operant Conditioning

To understand we must look at the laws that control the relationship between two variables:  When an experiment is conducted, the independent variable(s) are manipulated by the experimenter, and dependant variables are measured from the subjects. Skinners system described the independent variables as the type of reinforcement, and schedules of reinforcement, and the dependent variables as acquisition rate, rate of responding, and extinction rate.

Reinforcement


Skinners explanation of learning through operant conditioning is based on the notion that 'the consequences of behaviour determine the probability that the behaviour will occur again (Lefrancois, 1995,pg 95). Skinner ...

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