Operant Conditioning

For punishment to be effective it must

• occur at any time after a response is made

• be given each time the undesirable response occurs

• be extremely severe

• be given only once

When Mrs Osborne asks her class a question and a student answers correctly, she gives that student a chocolate frog. What type of consequence is provided by Mrs Osborne?

• negative reinforcement

• positive punishment

• positive reinforcement

• negative punishment

Which statement about positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement is correct?

• positive reinforcement strengthens a response; negative reinforcement weakens a response

• positive reinforcement makes it less likely for a response to be repeated; negative reinforcement makes it more likely for a response to be repeated

• positive reinforcement involves applying something pleasant in order to strengthen a response; negative reinforcement involves removing something unpleasant in order to strengthen a response

• positive reinforcement involves removing something unpleasant in order to strengthen a response; negative reinforcement involves applying something pleasant in order to strengthen a response

A group of friends were practising their beach volleyball skills by counting how many passes they could get together. The aim of the game was to get as many passes as possible in a row before the ball hit the ground or became uncontrolled. If one of the friends dropped the ball or made a bad pass, someone would throw sand in their face. According to operant conditioning, what type of consequence was used when the ball was uncontrolled?

• positive reinforcement

• negative reinforcement

• positive punishment

• negative punishment

During a training session, a coach claps every time an athlete performs a skill correctly. The clapping serves as a form of _______ to encourage the athlete to repeat the behavior.

• positive punishment

• negative punishment

• positive reinforcement

• negative reinforcement

When a child throws a tantrum, the parent gives them a toy to calm them down. This action is an example of _______ and is likely to _______ the frequency of tantrums.

• positive reinforcement; increase

• negative reinforcement; decrease

• positive punishment; decrease

• negative punishment; increase

Apply the three-phase model of operant conditioning: Outline how coaches could increase the likelihood of their players training more outside of the scheduled practice sessions.

• Consequence

• the players will be given more time on court

• Antecedent

• positive reinforcement

• Behaviour

• players train more outside of scheduled training sessions

• Type of Consequence

• increase the behaviour of players training more outside of the scheduled training sessions

• Impact on future behaviour

• coach tells players to train outside scheduled training session

Apply the three-phase model of operant conditioning: Outline how a boss could reduce the likelihood of their staff coming to work late.

• Type of Consequence

• the boss gives the staff member a job termination warning

• Impact on future behaviour

• decrease the behaviour of coming to work late reoccurring

• Behaviour

• boss checks the time on his watch

• Antecedent

• staff comes to work late

• Consequence

• positive punishment

When Fido the dog sits, he gets a treat.

Identify which learning theory was most likely used to establish this behaviour:

• Classical conditioning

• Operant conditioning

• Observational learning

• Social learning theory

Your car has a red, flashing light that blinks annoyingly if you start the car without buckling the seat belt.

You become less likely to start the car without buckling the seat belt.

Identify the theory which best describes how this behaviour was learnt.

• Classical conditioning

• Operant conditioning

• Observational learning

• Social learning theory