Discussion 1: Identify Whether Each Of The Following Is An O

Discussion 1identify Whether Each Of The Following Is Operant Or Class

Identify whether each of the following is operant or classical conditioning. If it is classical conditioning, name the unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and the conditioned response. If it is operant conditioning, determine if positive or negative reinforcement or punishment was used.

You give your dog a treat when he barks at the mailman. Your neighbor got food poisoning after eating fish, and now every time he smells fish, he gets nauseous. A manager decides to reward his employees who are not late for a month with tickets to a theater. Jack’s parents take away his video games because he earned a bad grade in school. Mini’s cat starts to associate the sound of the can opener with dinner and comes running whenever she hears the sound. A teacher decides that any student who earned an A on their exams during the term does not need to take the final.

Paper For Above instruction

The distinction between operant and classical conditioning is fundamental in understanding how behaviors are learned and modified. Classical conditioning, first described by Ivan Pavlov, involves forming associations between stimuli, whereas operant conditioning, introduced by B.F. Skinner, relates to behavior changes based on consequences.

In the first scenario, giving a dog a treat when he barks at the mailman exemplifies operant conditioning, specifically positive reinforcement. Here, the dog's barking behavior is strengthened because it is followed by a reward, increasing the likelihood of barking at the mailman in the future. Similarly, the manager rewarding employees with tickets for punctuality is a positive reinforcement strategy aimed at encouraging timely attendance.

The case of the neighbor experiencing nausea upon smelling fish is an example of classical conditioning. The unconditioned stimulus (US) is the fish, which naturally causes nausea (unconditioned response, US → UR). Over time, the smell of fish becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) after being paired with the food poisoning. The conditioned response (CR) is nausea triggered by the smell alone, even without consuming fish.

Jack’s parents taking away his video games due to poor grades is an example of negative punishment, where a desirable stimulus (video games) is removed to decrease undesirable behavior (bad grades). The goal is to reduce the occurrence of poor academic performance through the removal of access to the video games.

Mini’s cat associating the sound of the can opener with dinner demonstrates classical conditioning. The unconditioned stimulus (US) is the food, eliciting an unconditioned response (UR) of salivation. The conditioned stimulus (CS) is the sound of the can opener, which becomes associated with the arrival of food. Over time, the conditioned response (CR) is salivation or coming to the sound of the can opener, even before the food appears.

The teacher offering exemption from the final exam for students earning an A uses positive reinforcement because the reward (exemption) increases the likelihood of students striving for high grades. This strategy aims to motivate academic performance by associating good grades with desirable consequences.

Understanding these different forms of conditioning provides valuable insights into how behaviors are learned and maintained, whether through stimuli associations or consequences that modify actions.

References

• Cherry, K. (2020). Classical Conditioning. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-classical-conditioning-2794863
• Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. Macmillan.
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• McLeod, S. (2019). Classical and Operant Conditioning. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
• Rescorla, R. A. (1988). Pavlovian conditioning: It's not what you think. American Psychologist, 43(3), 151–159.
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