Question

Define and explain elements of operant conditioning by applying the Skinner box experiment.

Answer 1

Skinner box was similar to any puzzle. It had two buttons, by pressing one button there would be an electric shock and by another food would come, he had let the mouse inside the box, the mouse while moving around in the box learns that by pressing red button he receives shock and by green button he gets food. Hence the mouse avoids red button and starts pressing green button. These are known as positive and negative reeinforcement which any person learns. Negative reeinforcement (red button) can be any form of punishment or un acceptable behaviour by the other person due to which a person would avoid the other person whereas by positive reeinforcement a person is likely to perform the same behaviour again because of the good feedback or reward he received. Hence the mouse or person in turn in conditioned (learned behaviour) operationally.

Operant condition is seen very important theory in psychology from the behaviour shaping point of view, behaviour modification