Skinner Article

Many people use operant conditioning in their daily lives. What you may not know is what operant conditioning is, what it means, and how you use it nearly every day of your life. Operant conditioning is also called instrumental conditioning, termed by B. F. Skinner (1904-1990). Skinner defined operant conditioning as “learned behaviors that are designed to operate on the environment to gain a reward or avoid a punishment; they are not automatic reflexes caused by biologically important stimuli” (Morris & Maisto, 2005, p. 193). Some of our actions and reactions are simply a product of our environments from our childhoods.

Consequences, not punishment, modify the undesirable behavior. Shaping behavior by reinforcing positive behavior increases the chances a positive response will occur. Consequences increase the desirable behavior, reinforcing the positive change in behavior. Consequences use positive and negative reinforcers to change the undesirable behavior. A positive reinforcer is a reward, adding something positive to the environment. A negative reinforcer is taking something away from the environment.

A negative reinforcer is not the same as punishment. Yelling, spankings, and breaking things are all forms of punishment that do not work. A punishment can bring unwanted emotions, suppress undesirable behavior temporarily, and teach children that pain and aggressive behavior are justified. However, punishment increases the undesirable behavior in the long term. Skinner also coined the term ‘superstitious behavior.’ Most people know what it means to be superstitious, but Skinner is speaking of what we would typically call a ‘good luck charm.’ Superstitious behavior is based on an object that the person believes will bring a reward, even if it has nothing to do with the object. Children seek rewards; finding out what the reward is the child so desperately wants is the challenge. Once a parent can figure out the child’s rewards, the parent can start changing the behavior by using operant conditioning.

References:

Morris, C. G., & Maisto, A. A. (2005). Psychology: An Introduction (12th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.