Environment
Behavior: An Insight
Behavior is something psychologists have been trying to define for ages. Several theories have come up and each has been right in a way. But we still don’t have an exact definition for human behavior. We probably never will have one, because human beings change and each individual is different from one another. It might be possible to have a few generalizations but the truth is that each one of us does things differently.
The operant conditioning model is one such model used to explain human behavior. Conditioning is a “systematic procedure through which associations and responses to specific stimuli are learned” (Lefton 119). Operant conditioning is defined as “a type of learning in which the desirable or undesirable consequences of a behavior determine whether the behavior is repeated”(Uba 184). It is also known as instrumental conditioning. The probability of an event occurring depends on its consequences. Much of the research on the operant model was done by B. F. Skinner and E.L. Thorndike (Jensen). But the basic principle that governs operant conditioning is known as the law of effect. The law states that behaviors followed by desirable outcomes are more likely to recur than behaviors with unpleasant outcomes and vice versa. Rewards and Punishments do affect our behavior.
Before we enter the realms of operant conditioning, it is necessary to know the basic concepts and terminology used in this theory. Reinforcement is the “process by which a stimulus or event strengthens or increases the probability of the response that it follows”(Wade 273). Punishment, on the other hand, is “the process by which a stimulus or event weakens or reduces the probability of the response that it follows”(Wade 273). There are two types of reinforcements and punishments. A positive reinforcement is the “presentation of a stimulus after a particular response in order to increase the likelihood...
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