Unit 6 (E): Operant Conditioning: Applications of Operant Conditioning

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Unit 6 (E)Operant ConditioningApplications of
Operant Conditioning

• Mr. McCormick
• A.P. Psychology

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Do-Now(Questionnaire/In Journal)

• Answer the questions on Hand-Out 7-8 The Work
  Preference Inventory
• Tally up the numbers of your responses
• Intrinsic Motivation
• Reverse the numbers that you gave in statements 9
  and 14 (i.e., 14, 23, 32, 41)
• Next, add the numbers in front of items 3, 5, 7,
  8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 27, 28, and 30
• Extrinsic Motivation
• Reverse the numbers that you gave in statements
  1, 16, and 22 (i.e., 15, 24, 33, 42, 51)
• Next, add the numbers in front of items 1, 2, 4,
  6, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, and 29
• Scores will range from 15-60 for both scales
• Mean scores

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Skinners Legacy
Skinner argued that behaviors were shaped by
external influences instead of inner thoughts and
feelings. Critics argued that Skinner dehumanized
people by neglecting their free will.
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Applications ofOperant Conditioning
Skinner introduced the concept of teaching
machines that shape learning in small steps and
provide reinforcements for correct rewards.
In School
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Applications ofOperant Conditioning
Reinforcers affect productivity. Many companies
now allow employees to share profits and
participate in company ownership.
At Work
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Applications ofOperant Conditioning
In children, reinforcing good behavior increases
the occurrence of these behaviors. Ignoring
unwanted behavior decreases their occurrence.
At Home
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Review

• Why were psychologists critical of Skinners
  theories of behavior?
• What are some ways that operant conditioning is
  applied today
• In School
• At Work
• At Home

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Homework

• Unit 6 FRQ
• Unit 6 Test Learning
• Chapter 8 Outline Memory