Question

Tina, a close friend of yours has a three year old daughter who is embarrassing her in public by crying because she wants her mom to buy her a particular toy or candy whenever they go out shopping. Tina often decides to stop this crying by buying the toy or candy for the child. Q.4.1 Using your knowledge of operant conditioning and reinforcement, define and explain the basic principles of operant conditioning in relation to the scenario above. (10) Q.4.2 With reference to your knowledge of reinforcement principles and schedules as well as punishment; what would you advise your friend does when dealing with her child in future.

Answer 1

1. According to the concepts of Operant conditioning, when a behaviour is followed by a reward (reinforcement), there are high chances of that behavior to occur again. In the given case, the child cries and recieves a toy or candy. Here, the mother does this to stop her crying unaware that the child's behavior (crying) is being reinforced by doing so. Therefore, buying the child toy or candy when she cry to stop her crying, is in turn encouraging her to cry to get what she wants.
2. There are various principles of Operant conditioning that can be used to deal with the child's behavior like reinforcement schedules and punishment. Negative Punishment is one way in which a pleasant reward or something desirable is taken away from the child after the undesirable behavior. For example, cutting down on child's screen time or their desert or not taking her to the toy store with them. Positive punishment involves adding something unpleasant after the undesirable behavior. For example, spanking the child or scolding (not much recommended though). Reinforcement schedules involves providing reinforcement only after a certain task or required behavior is fulfilled. For example, to ask the child to finish her vegetables in order to get the candy. Here, the reinforcement or reward is provided only after the child finishes her vegetable. This will help them earn their reward by behaving in a healthy manner. Reinforcement schedules include fixed ratio schedule, variable ratio schedule, fixed interval schedule, variable interval schedule. Fixed ratio schedule involves doing a fixed amount of task in order to get the reward or reinforcement. For example, the vegetable example we gave above. Variable ratio schedule involves doing flexible amount of task to get reinforcements accordingly. For example, token economy method of Operant conditioning in which the child does good deeds and receives token in return. The number of tokens will get her the reward. Fixed interval schedule involves completing fixed amount of task and get reinforced for it after a fixed interval of time. For example, asking the child to behave for one whole week and giving them an ice cream on Sunday. Variable interval schedule involves providing reinforcement for a desirable behavior after a variable or unfixed period of time. For example, giving a candy for not crying or listening to mommy or whenever a desired behavior is performed.