Operant Conditioning Chart

Increase Behavior / Decrease Behavior
A
C
T
I
O
N / Given + / Positive
Reinforcement
Something you like / Punishment
Something you don’t like
Taken Away
_ / Negative
Reinforcement
Something you don’t like / Omission
Something you like

Classical & Operant Conditioning Assessment

Directions: read the scenarios below and answer the questions asked on your own paper. Work in pairs to see if you agree.

(1) Robert gets a ticket for driving under the influence which results in a $500 fine and suspension of his driving license.

  1. Is this classical or operant conditioning?
  2. How do you know?
  3. What's the behavior involved?
  4. Will it increase or decrease?
  5. What kind of consequence is involved?

(2) Chris is bitten by the neighbor's German Shepherd. Now whenever she sees a dog in the neighborhood, she becomes afraid and runs away. She still enjoys petting her own family's cocker spaniel.

  1. Is this classical or operant conditioning?
  2. How do you know?
  3. What is the conditioned stimulus?
  4. Unconditioned stimulus?
  5. Conditioned and unconditioned response?
  6. Is this an example of stimulus generalization or stimulus discrimination?

(3) Jacob's date was wearing a very alluring cologne on their recent date. The date itself was quite passionate. The following day when Jacob gets into his car he smells the lingering scent of his date's cologne and becomes transfixed with joy.

  1. Is this classical or operant conditioning?
  2. How do you know?
  3. What is the unconditioned stimulus?
  4. Conditioned stimulus?
  5. Unconditioned and conditioned response?
  6. Is this an example of stimulus generalization or discrimination?
  7. In what scenario would we see extinction of his conditioned response?

(4) Shelly is in the grocery store with her dad. As they near the checkout lane, Shelly starts whining for a candy bar but her dad says no. Shelly begins to cry and cries louder when her dad continues to refuse. At the checkout lane, in front of the cashier, Shelly throws herself onto the floor and begins screaming. Her dad responds by grabbing a candy bar and giving it to her. She quickly quiets down and eats her candy bar. This exchange gets repeated on subsequent trips to the grocery store.

  1. Classical or operant?
  2. How do you know?
  3. What is Shelly's behavior in this example?
  4. What kind of consequence follows her behavior?
  5. What is dad's behavior in this example?
  6. What kind of consequence follows his behavior?
  7. How should dad handle this situation differently?