Name: ______Date: ______Period: _____
Understanding Operant Conditioning
In operant conditioning subjects voluntarily operate on their environment in order to produce desired consequences. Any type of reinforcement strengthens a behavior, while any type of punishment weakens a behavior. Remember that positive reinforcement and punishment adds (+) something, while negative subtracts (-) something. In the following chart, identify each box as Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment, or Negative Punishment. Each one will be used only once.
Give something to the organism (+) / Take something away from the organism (–)Likes (Appetitive)
Dislikes (Aversive)
Once you’ve completed the chart, read the following scenarios and move your finger to the appropriate box based on the information provided. Make sure to consider whether you are strengthening or weakening the behavior. Label each scenario as the PR, NR, PP, or NP. Options may be used more than once.
PR = Positive Reinforcement
NR = Negative Reinforcement
PP = Positive Punishment
NP = Negative Punishment
_____ 1. You receive a smack across the face for swearing at your father.
_____ 2. You receive $10 for an “A” on a Psychology quiz.
_____ 3. You rush to leave the building while the extremely loud and obnoxious
fire alarm sounds.
_____ 4. You don’t get to use the car tonight because you shoved your younger sibling.
_____ 5. You receive a hug for unloading the dishwasher for your mother.
_____ 6. You take an aspirin to relieve a splitting headache or you put up an umbrella
when it’s raining.
_____ 7. You are put on restriction for a month for sneaking out of the house on Friday night.
_____ 8. You receive extra chores to help pay for a calculator you stole at school.
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement Schedules
The text indicates that in real life, continuous reinforcement is rare. Sometimes responses are reinforced, sometimes not. Among the most important schedules of partial reinforcement are the fixed ratio (FR), variable ratio (VR), fixed interval (FI), and variable interval (VI). Identify the schedule by writing your answer in the space provided. All four options will be used more than once.
Fixed = it is set
Variable = it changes
Ratio = response (how much?)
Interval = time (when?)
FR = Fixed Ratio
VR = Variable Ratio
FI = Fixed Interval
VI = Variable Interval
_____ 1. Checking the front porch for a newspaper when the delivery person is
extremely unpredictable.
_____ 2. A blueberry picker receives $1 after filling 3 pint boxes.
_____ 3. You receive an allowance every Saturday.
_____ 4. Buying state lottery tickets and winning.
_____ 5. Going to the cafeteria for the next meal.
_____ 6. A student’s final grade improves one level for every two book reviews
submitted.
_____ 7. A professional baseball player gets a hit approximately every third time at bat.
_____ 8. You open the oven to retrieve your chocolate chip cookies when baking time
is known.
_____ 9. Calling a garage mechanic to see if your car is fixed yet.
_____ 10. A hotel maid may take a 15 minute break only after having cleaned five
rooms.