Sample content Instrumental Conditioning PSYCH 550 Instrumental Conditioning As psychologists found that behavior is somewhat shapeable, they have devised techniques for behavior adjustment. By virtue of constant research that spans over centuries, study, and trials, psychologists like B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov came to know that some behaviors can be induced, adjusted, or eliminated through conditioning. There are two distinct forms of conditioning: classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning, which is the central theme of this paper. The Theory of Instrumental Conditioning Instrumental conditioning is the induction of reinforcements or interventions to adjust the manner and occurrence of behavior. B.F. Skinner stated that “learning is a process of modification in an apparent behavior” and that shifts in behavior are caused from an individual’s reaction to a stimulus in the environment. (Kearsley, 2010) As per Skinner’s hypothesis, a reaction to this stimulus re

1. PSYCH 550 Week 4 Individual Assignment Instrumental Conditioning Paper
Link : http://uopexam.com/product/psych-550-week-4-individual-assignment-instrumental-
conditioning-paper/
Sample content
Instrumental Conditioning
PSYCH 550

2. Instrumental Conditioning
As psychologists found that behavior is somewhat shapeable, they have devised
techniques for behavior adjustment. By virtue of constant research that spans over
centuries, study, and trials, psychologists like B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov came
to know that some behaviors can be induced, adjusted, or eliminated through
conditioning. There are two distinct forms of conditioning: classical conditioning and
instrumental conditioning, which is the central theme of this paper.
The Theory of Instrumental Conditioning
Instrumental conditioning is the induction of reinforcements or interventions to
adjust the manner and occurrence of behavior. B.F. Skinner stated that “learning is
a process of modification in an apparent behavior” and that shifts in behavior are
caused from an individual’s reaction to a stimulus in the environment. (Kearsley,
2010) As per Skinner’s hypothesis, a reaction to this stimulus results in a
consequence and as soon as this “stimulus-response practice is augmented, the
subject is adapted to respond” (Kearsley, 2010). The two major factors of
instrumental conditioning are incentive and penalty; incentive or push enhances a
behavior, while punishment diminishes a behavior.
The theory of instrumental conditioning states that there are four probable
outcomes of any given behavior. These four outcomes are: (1) Something lucrative
is presented; (2) Something productive is taken away; (3) Something poor is
presented; and (4) Something poor is taken away (Braslau- Schneck, 1998).
Whenever something is offered it is deemed as reinforcement, and when
something is seized it is contemplated as penalty. When something productive is
granted, it is termed as positive incentive, but when something lucrative is seized, it
is termed as negative punishment. Furthermore, when something poor is offered it
is termed positive punishment, and when something poor is taken away it is termed
negative punishment.
Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement
Reinforcements are affiliated with an incentive. Positive reinforcement grants
incentive for exhibiting a desired behavior. We give positive reinforcement
whenever the subject demonstrated a behavior which is relevant to the anticipated
behavior. For instance when babies begin to feed at the table, their tab
http://uopexam.com/product/psych-550-week-4-individual-assignment-instrumental-
conditioning-paper/