Behavior Flashcards
What is the best way to model effective learning behaviors?
Through observational learning
How should teachers use reinforcement and punishment in the classroom?
through Operant Conditioning – widely used in classrooms
Explain Thorndike’s Law of Effect
Reinforcement -> Behavior leads to good outcome, it strengthens the behavior
Punishment - >
If behavior leads to bad outcome, it weakens behavior…
What is the basis of Operant Conditioning?
Thorndike’s Law of Effect
Reinforcement ____________ the probability that a ________ will occur.
Reinforcement (negative or positive) increases the probability that a behavior will occur.
Getting an A in class is an example of what type of reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement
Being excused from chores is what type of reinforcement? Why?
Negative, because we’re removing an undesirable stimulus.
What’s the difference between reinforcement and punishment?
Reinforcement INCREASES a likelihood of behavior occurring while punishment DECREASES a likelihood of a behavior occurring.
What type of reinforcement or punishment is the following example of?
Putting seatbelt on makes the alarm shuts off. My behavior stopped the alarm.
This is a negative reinforcer because I am most likely to do this behavior again because putting my seatbelt on removed the undesirable annoyance of the alarm.
What are things to keep in mind if we want reinforcers to work effectively?
- The reinforcer must be Desirable and of value to the recipient (giving lulu a bacon treat is very desirable, unlike a pat on the head).
- The recipient must understand which specific behavior is being reinforced (lulu is relaxed, so she gets a treat).
- The reinforcement must be immediately following the desired behavior (right when lulu lays down, we give her a treat).
- Use of cues and prompts (when we are giving her food, by looking at her and standing there, she will be prompted to lay down and calm down).
Suppose that Jenny is a very shy girl but does a brilliant science project and the teacher loves the effort. The teacher who is very impressed has arranged Jenny to present at the entire assembly of the class. How nice! Not! Why is this not the right way to reinforce Jenny’s good behavior?
By using something that Jenny would consider a punishment (being shy = not wanting all that attention) is not a Desirable reward. She will probably never do a good science project again, that poor Jenny.
What type of reinforcer is a token economy?
Why might this work well?
What grade children might this work best with?
A token economy is a positive reinforcer because we’re increasing behavior by presenting something.
Works well because it’s flexible and can be redeemed for a reward of student’s CHOICE.
Works with preschool and elementary schools.
How could token economy not work in a classroom?
- Group -> If it’s done as a whole group, there may be one or two kids who become the scapegoat because they’re fucking it up for everyone else.
- Unclear -> The kids may not clearly understand the behaviors they’re getting tokens for.
Ms. Beigh tells Malik, “good job today!” after class. He participated in class discussions, took the trash out, and also figured out a problem - however, he also got in trouble for talking and for making noises.
What did Ms. Beigh reinforce, if anything?
What did she do wrong or right?
Ms. Beigh did NOT specify the behavior that Malik did right, so she didn’t reinforce anything. She should have instead said, “ good job for participating, taking the trash out, and figuring out those problems! Your comments were so wonderful”
What type of antecedents are helpful for a loud and unruly classroom?
Reminders and signals such as, “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me!” and for students to reply, “1, 2, all eyes on you!”
Trasha is a student who is very unruly and talkative. Most of the students tend to listen to her antics and even laugh at her behaviors. One day, she was actually well-behaved while Jaysean was presenting a show and tell. Ms. Chiu saw this and thought “oh em gee, trasha isn’t talking! I need to compliment her later” - after jaysean is done, she tells trasha, good job trasha!!!!
However, trasha was just carving into her desk, which is why she was quiet.
What did Ms. Chiu just do?
Ms. Chiu done fucked up. She just reinforced Trasha for carving into her desk because not only could she not praise her right away, but was not specific. She should have said, “great job listening to jaysean while he was presenting!”
Explain shaping.
How would a coach or a parent use this?
Shaping is Reinforcement in successive steps that LEAD up to the desired behavior.
A good time to use this is for when we are trying to train our small children to wash their hands properly. “good job on turning the water on!” “good job putting your hands under that water” “wow, you’re using soap now! “rinsed off? wow!”
Coaches could use this to be specific about an athlete: “great job moving your shoulder back this time!”
If dana eats all her vegetables, she can eat dessert.
This is an example of?
What’s the process of this method - how does it work?
Pre-mack principle. Doing something shit then doing something they like.
This is a method used to reinforce an undesirable stimulus by giving them a desirable and valuable stimulus after.
Plug positive and negative reinforcements, as well as the technique used in this scenario:
Kids are nagging the teacher to play jeopardy. They promise her they will do the spelling bee after. The teacher tells kids they can play jeopardy first then spelling assignment… her behavior of letting kids play jeopardy removes the complaint of the children’s nagging.
Kids got to play jeopardy
Used the pre-mack principles backwards - not going to work!
Negative reinforcement - teacher tells the kids they can play jeopardy first then spelling assignment… her behavior of letting kids play jeopardy removes the complaint of the children’s nagging.
Positive reinforcement - Kids got to play jeopardy
The Contingency contract is an example of what type of reinforcement principle?
Pre-mack principle.
Turning on the TV is an example of what type of reinforcement?
Continuous - because we are reinforced each and every single time we turn the TV on.
What type of reinforcement schedule is best for initial learning?
Continuous - reinforcing something every single time in the beginning is best.
Mr. Jay has a great reinforcement schedule of variable- interval of pop quizzes with short essay writing. There is always a large attendance record… but what is the issue that he tends to have?
The quality of the work is compromised.
What are the 2 types of punishments? Describe the difference.
Presentational punishment is when something UNDESIRABLE is presented, such as nagging or detention.
Removal punishment is taking away something Desirable, such as games or tv.
