Assignment: Application Of Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning has many uses in our everyday lives. Behavior modification uses mostly operant methods in an attempt to change undesirable behaviors such as bad habits. Similar principles are also used in behavioral therapy for a wide range of psychological disorders. Closer to home, operant conditioning can be used to modify the behavior of children and to train pets. In this exercise, we will look at how an animal can be trained by using reinforcement of desired behavior.
• How can the principles of operant conditioning be applied to changing behavior?How does reinforcement contribute to behavior change?
• Explain the principles and processes involved in operant conditioning
Design an experiment in which you teach a dog how to fetch. Include shaping and continuous reinforcement as components of your experiment.
Next, train the dog to perform under the appropriate schedule of reinforcement. This exercise will allow you to use the operant conditioning principle of reinforcement to train a dog to fetch. By reinforcing the dog with food, you will be able to increase the desired behavior over time. This same technique can be used for training zoo/circus animals or for helping children to develop good habits.
After completing the experiment, view the brief video Pigeon Ping Pong. The same technique you just used to promote a simple behavior was used in the experiment shown to build up a more complex series of behaviors. Using a word processor, write a brief report (about one page, double spaced) describing the changes that you have observed in your dog's behavior via shaping and continuous reinforcement. What behaviors would you have noticed if you had stopped reinforcement? What behavior did you condition? What reinforcement schedule did you use to condition the behavior?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.