Letter Four: The Theory Of Operant Conditioning

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Letter four deals with a mother who is deteriorated with her child’s behaviour, she claims that her son often throws major tantrums, showing signs of screaming and kicking when he gets rejected or when things did not happen the way he wanted it to be. In this case, his absurd behaviour can be treated by the theory of operant conditioning. According to behavioural psychologist B.F. Skinner, giving punishments and rewards can cause certain actions or behaviours to show on the subject. The mother is advised to use this method to change his bad behaviour, first she must inform him on what he is allowed to do and how to behave properly, giving him warnings and the child will be given treats as a reward for his good behaviour. However, if warnings

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