ADVANCED PLACEMENT PSYCHOLOGY – Learning MR. FULTON

CONDITIONING ASSIGNMENT

Introduction:

You will be identifying examples of learning through conditioning that have happened in your life. You will need to identify and explain one (1) behavior you learned through classical conditioning, and (3) behaviors you learned through operant conditioning. As a conclusion to this activity, you will conduct your own operant conditioning experiment. As a bonus, you may choose to conduct a classical conditioning experiment. These should be original ideas and not just examples discussed in class. Using class examples or slight modifications will result in an automatic 15% deduction.

Requirements:

1.  Identify 1 behavior you learned through classical conditioning and label the UCS, UCR, CS, CR.

·  (Hint) The UCR and CR must be involuntary behaviors

·  You may not use taste/food aversion as an example

2.  Identify 3 behaviors you learned through operant conditioning and answering the following questions?

·  What behavior was modified/changed?

·  Was the behavior strengthened or weakened?

·  What was the consequence?

·  Was the consequence added or subtracted?

·  Was it positive punishment, negative punishment, positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement? Explain!

·  You may not have two of the same types of operant conditioning (Behavior 1, Behavior 2, & Behavior 3 must all be different types of operant conditioning)

3.  Conduct your own operant conditioning experiment and complete the following.

·  Briefly describe your experiment

·  Answer the questions listed above for requirement 2 to label the type of operant conditioning that you utilized.

4. 

Grading:

4 / 3 / 2 / 1
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING / One example of a behavior that was learned through classical conditioning is present. No errors in identifying the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR. / One example of a behavior that was learned through classical conditioning is present. No more than 2 errors in identifying the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR. / One example of a behavior that was learned through classical conditioning is present. No more than 3 errors in identifying the UCS, UCR, CS, and CR. / An example of a behavior that was learned through classical conditioning is not included, all of the parts is incorrectly identified.
OPERANT CONDITIONING / 3 examples of a behavior learned through operant conditioning are included and the type of Operant conditioning is correctly identified for all 3. / 3 examples of behavior learned through operant conditioning are included. The type of operant conditioning is correctly identified for 2 out of 3. / 3 examples of behavior learned through operant conditioning are included. The type of operant conditioning is correctly identified for only 1 out of 3. / 3 examples are not clearly identified or the type of operant conditioning is not correctly identified for any of the examples.
OWN EXPERIMENT / An attempt to teach a behavior through operant conditioning was made. The type of Operant conditioning is correctly identified and the experiment is thoroughly explained. / An attempt to teach a behavior through operant conditioning was made and the type of operant conditioning is correctly identified but the explanation of the experiment is not very detailed. / An attempt to teach a behavior through operant conditioning was made but the type of operant conditioning is not correctly identified or no explanation was provided. / No attempt to teach a behavior through conditioning was made.

BONUS:

1.  Conduct your own classical conditioning experiment and complete the following (All must be correct to receive the bonus).

·  Explain your experiment

·  Label the UCS, UCR, CS, CR

·  Videotape your experiment and create a video that includes a description and the correctly identified UCS, UCR, CS, CR

Sample:

Review the following sample before beginning your project.

Requirement #1: Classical Conditioning

As a kid, I never liked tuna. When I got older, I decided to try it though. At the time, I had an uneasy stomach due to a recent illness. Well, I ate the tuna and then became extremely nauseated. I now get nauseas whenever I smell tuna.

UCS – Stomach bug/illness

UCR – uneasy stomach/nausea

CS – Tuna

CR – uneasy stomach/nausea when smelling tuna

Requirement #2: Operant Conditioning – 3 behaviors

Tom was pulled over for speeding and received a ticket. He no longer speeds on the highway

·  What behavior was modified/changed? Speeding

·  Was the behavior strengthened or weakened? weakened

·  What was the consequence? Getting a ticket

·  Was the consequence added or subtracted? Added

·  Getting a speeding ticket was positive punishment for speeding. Something that I did not want (ticket) was added to weaken my behavior of speeding.

Whenever I make a good play during my basketball game, my coach pats me on the back and says “good job”.

·  What behavior was modified/changed? Making a good play

·  Was the behavior strengthened or weakened? strengthened

·  What was the consequence? A pat on the back and coach said “good job”

·  Was the consequence added or subtracted? Added

·  Getting a pat on the back was positive reinforcement for making a good play. Something that I want (pat on the back) was added to strengthen the behavior of making a good play.

I was listening to the radio in the car with my mom and she kept singing along with the radio. She doesn’t sing very well so it was really bothering me. I started turning the radio off every time she started to sing.

·  What behavior was modified/changed? My mom singing

·  Was the behavior strengthened or weakened? weakened

·  What was the consequence? Turning her radio off

·  Was the consequence added or subtracted? Subtracted

·  Turning the radio off was negative punishment for my mom’s bad singing. I weakened my mom’s behavior of singing along with the radio by taking away something she wanted (the song).

Requirement #3 – My Experiment – Operant Conditioning

I was listening to the radio in the car with my mom and she kept singing along with the radio. She doesn’t sing very well so it was really bothering me. I started turning the radio off every time she started to sing.

·  What behavior was modified/changed? My mom singing

·  Was the behavior strengthened or weakened? weakened

·  What was the consequence? Turning her radio off

·  Was the consequence added or subtracted? Subtracted

·  I weakened my mom’s behavior of singing along with the radio by taking away something she wanted (the song).