Radical behaviorism

The field of behaviorism has been influenced by the work of many psychologists. The two most popular figures in this field are probably Ivan Pavlov and B. F. Skinner. Their theories, Classical and Operant conditioning are still used as part of therapies that have developed since their work has been published. Classical conditioning was developed by Ivan Pavlov in the 1950s. Classical conditioning is a type of behavior modification in which a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus…

The learning theory is a process primarily to a somewhat permanent behavior change or potential behavior change. Operant conditioning or instrumental conditioning is a form of associative learning in which the consequences of a behavior change the probability of the behavior’s occurrence. Keeping the above definitions in mind, I formed two operant conditioning techniques to establish a positive reinforcement for a child who was engaging in behaviors that was affecting others. As a psychologist,…

We are constantly learning all around us, it can be from the media or even a family member. We are grasping information voluntarily or even involuntarily. While not all the behaviors we take in are positive, our behaviors can be altered specific way. To increase or decrease a behavior, we may use punishment or reinforcement. To stimulate a response or action, the process would be classical conditioning. Observational learning can also be latent learning, which is the person or animal didn’t…

The theory behind Skinner’s empirical study was that individuals is subject to superstitious behavior, an act in which one establishes a conditioned behavioral response to a drive regardless of there being no apparent correlation between the behavior and the drive. To test his hypothesis, Skinner established an experiment with pigeons. The pigeons were famished and then put into a cage which had a food hopper attached to it. The food hopper was controlled by a clock, and would therefore give…

1. Behavior: ¬ I would like to increase my physical activity by doing more cardio activities to improve my overall health 2. Describe: ¬ When school started, I set a goal to work out every day after school; however, after my classes are finished each day, I look at my schedule and realize how much homework I have and how little time I have to complete it. Thus, I push back exercising until it is too late and it is time to go to sleep. ¬ I have decided that if I eat extremely healthy…

Introduction: Skinner (1958) believed behaviourism to be a spontaneous event with the environment, causing organisms to either avoid or approach a familiar situation afterwards in which can prolong the effect on the organism. The environment would produce a reinforcing effect resulting in a conditioned stimulus, whatever the organism felt the first time, they are likely to feel that way again when the stimulus is reappears, Skinner (1958). This type of psychology makes an important observation…

Classical and Operant Conditioning Name Institutional Affiliation Classical and Operant Conditioning Classical and operant conditioning are two significant concepts essential to behavioural psychology. Classical conditioning was studied by Ivan Pavlov and it involves pairing a previously neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus. The unconditioned stimulus triggers a response naturally and automatically. In classical conditioning, learning refers to involuntary responses that result…

In Ben Harris’ article, “What Happened to Little Albert?”, Harris explains of how John B. Watson’s famous classic conditioning experiment involving the infant Albert B. had different details than what was referenced and recorded and how the misinformation caused mistakes in other future psychologists’ research. After 60 years if Watson and his graduate student, Rosalie Rayner’s publication of the their trials with little Albert, many undergraduate textbooks that pertain to abnormal,…

Why did God Make a Dog? Throughout the script So God Made a Dog, the author focuses on enhancing why dogs are in this world, and how they affect humans in a positive way. The author utilizes pathos, appeal to emotion, ethos, or ethics, and logos, or reason, to further elaborate and illustrate why dogs are in human’s lives and the positive outcomes that they bring. First is the use of pathos within the script. With the use of dogs and puppies, the author automatically catches reader’s loving,…

This chapter discusses behavioral and social theories of Ivan Pavlov and B. F. Skinner. The theory of classical conditioning by Pavlov explains that we develop a new behavior based on the association we make with the things we interact with, for example; when a child has a painful experience at the dentist he is going to exhibit certain behavior when he comes back for a second visit. In other words, the child responds to a stimulus by exhibiting certain behaviors such as aggressiveness, cry,…