PSYC 6717 Discussion: Respondent and Operant Conditioning
PSYC 6717 Discussion: Respondent and Operant Conditioning
Respondent conditioning is also known as Pavlovian conditioning and classical conditioning. It can occur when formerly neutral stimuli can acquire the ability to elicit respondents. Operant conditioning refers to the process and selective effects of consequences on behavior. Operant conditioning introduces the concepts of reinforcement and punishment and how it affects the acquisition of behavior (Cooper et. al, 2020). Respondent conditioning is unable to work for certain behaviors because it doesn’t take into account the fact that individuals still have free will and abstract minds. This type of conditioning cannot predict the future due to the mind being such a complex place that can yield various responses to one set of stimuli. For example, a child being shocked by a socket may scare then from touching one ever again or encourage them to become an electrician. However, respondent conditioning may work for behaviors that involves an individual conforming to a group around them. Classical conditioning states that nurture is more important than nature. If a disruptive student is placed in a classroom of honor students who don’t laugh or pay attention to their disruptive behavior, odds are the disruptive student will conform to the other students around them. Operant conditioning may not work for behaviors that don’t require such structured methodologies. There may be a parent struggling with a misbehaving child and decides to evoke a reinforcement/punishment procedure for acceptable/unacceptable behavior. However, if the parent simply stopped to talk to the child about why their behaviors were changing and what they could do a s a team to help the child, the results from this method may produce more efficient results. A more suitable behavior that would do well with operant conditioning is potty training a puppy.
Cooper, J.O., Heron T.E., & Heward, W.L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
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Operant and respondent (classical) conditioning are both used to establish and modify behaviors. These concepts originated in the field of behavioral psychology and share similarities and differences. Perhaps the clearest example of the difference between the two concepts is whether the behavior to be modified is automatic (i.e., involuntary) or under the subject’s conscious control (i.e., voluntary).
A thorough understanding of the similarities and differences between respondent (classical) conditioning and operant conditioning can provide you clarity about which would be most appropriate to apply in a given learning situation.
For this Discussion, you will contrast operant conditioning and respondent (classical) conditioning in the acquisition of a behavior and a rationale for the use of each. You will also identify behaviors that could be established using each technique.
To Prepare
- Review the Learning Resources for this week.
- Contrast operant conditioning and respondent conditioning in the acquisition of a behavior and consider why each works with some behaviors and not with others.
- Select two behaviors, one that could be established through operant conditioning and one that could be established through respondent conditioning.
- Review the interactive media in the Learning Resources, “Respondent or Operant Conditioning?”
By Day 4 of Week 8
Post an explanation contrasting operant conditioning and respondent conditioning in the acquisition of a behavior. Be sure to identify why each works with some behaviors and not with others. Then, explain why each of the two behaviors you chose is more appropriate for respondent or operant conditioning.
Read your colleagues’ postings.
Note: For this discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the To Participate in this Discussion link, then select Create Thread to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!
By Day 6 of Week 8
Respond to at least two colleagues’ posts by expanding on each of their explanations of how their chosen behaviors are more appropriate for respondent or operant conditioning.
Be sure to support your posts and responses with specific references to behavior-analytic theory and research. In addition to the Learning Resources, search the Walden Library and/or the internet for peer-reviewed articles to support your posts and responses. Use proper APA format and citations, including those in the Learning Resources.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights that you have gained because of your colleagues’ comments.
Operant conditioning refers to a behaviour that is initiated by receiving a reward for changing a behaviour, “Cooper, et al, 2020 “. Cleaning my room as a child to go out with friends was a reward for me. I continued to increase this behaviour to continue to meet with friends. Respondent conditioning differs from operant conditioning as the behaviour occurs when it is triggered. For example, listening to different songs, each song will trigger different behaviours. Another example can be hearing a cell phone ring in the home that is familiar and you check your phone to answer but the phone ringing is from someone else in the home. There are negative behaviours that cannot be rewarded or repeated. For example, my children have tantrums all the time, I do not reward those behaviours. Respondent conditioning are also behaviours we do not fully have control over.
Resources
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
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