1. B.F. Skinner Behaviorism- Operant Learning Skinner box-Psychology

2. B.F. Skinner-Bio Was born Burrhus Fredic Skinner March 20, 1904 Received his BA in English from Hamilton College New York He became a writer of poetry, short stories and wrote for the local newspaper In 1930, he earned his MA and PhD in Psychology at Harvard. In 1936, he met and married, Yvonne Blue. The two of them had two girls Both of his daughters were raised in what is called the Skinner box, which was a crib with plastic sides. The crib was air-conditioned and had the appearance of a baby in an aquarium

3. Behaviorism-Operant Learning Theory Skinner’s focus was based on the “effects of consequences”

4. Characteristics of Operant Learning Positive Reinforcement- behavior is strengthened by the consequences of experiencing a positive condition Negative Reinforcement- behavior is strengthened by the consequence of stopping of a negative condition Punishment- behavior weakened by experiencing a negative condition Extinction- behavior is weakened by the consequence of not experiencing a positive condition or stopping a negative condition

5. Examples of the Characteristics Positive Reinforcement: A hungry rat presses a bar in its cage and receives food. The food is a positive condition for the hungry rat. The rat presses the bar again, and again receives food. The rat's behavior of pressing the bar is strengthened by the consequence of receiving food.”

6. Examples of the Characteristics Negative Reinforcement: A rat is placed in a cage and immediately receives a mild electrical shock on its feet. The shock is a negative condition for the rat. The rat presses a bar and the shock stops. The rat receives another shock, presses the bar again, and again the shock stops. The rat's behavior of pressing the bar is strengthened by the consequence of stopping the shock.”

7. Examples of the Characteristics Punishment A rat presses a bar in its cage and receives a mild electrical shock on its feet. The shock is a negative condition for the rat. The rat presses the bar again and again receives a shock. The rat's behavior of pressing the bar is weakened by the consequence of receiving a shock.

8. Examples of the Characteristics Extinction A rat presses a bar in its cage and nothing happens. Neither a positive or a negative condition exists for the rat. The rat presses the bar again and again nothing happens. The rat's behavior of pressing the bar is weakened by the consequence of not experiencing anything positive or stopping anything negative.

9. References Myers, D. (2009). Pyschology. (9th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

10. Discussion This technique can be used to reward students for good behavior and allow them to know when they are not behaving properly. One way of using this method will be for homework and class participation. If the student turns their homework in on time, then the student will be rewarded on a monthly basis based on a point system If the student fail to turn in the homework on time, then a reward will be lesser, than the one that they could have originally gotten. I don’t agree with not rewarding a student for trying. Mainly because I do not believe that the “extinction method” allows for change.