Description
Write a 1-2 page essay explaining the process of operant (instrumental) conditioning by discussing Thorndike’s law of effect and the work of B. F. Skinner; differentiate between the concepts of reward and reinforcer; discuss the effects of severe punishment versus mild punishment; describe the paw slapping experiment on punishment; and explain why reinforcement must be used to make lasting changes in the behavior of a person or an animal. Proper APA formatting is a requirement for all essay assignments. Cite at least three educational sources (one source may include the course textbook) in the essay.
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head: OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant Conditioning
Institution Affiliation
Date
1
OPERANT CONDITIONING
2
Operant (instrumental) conditioning is used to define the process through which man
and animals learn to behave in a way that they can get rewarded while not being punished.
Thorndike was the first to extensively study it and who after observing the behavior of cats
trying to escape from home-made puzzle boxes concluded that if what follows a behavior is a
satisfying consequence then it is likely to be repeated as opposed to that with the opposite
consequences. This behavior was then termed as the law...