Skinner's Operant Analysis

A detailed Summary of Skinner's Operant Analysis

1) A scientific technology of behavior can be beneficial in several ways. The way in which society functions requires certain behaviors. Most of these behaviors are learned while we are children both in the home and in school. An effective scientific technology of behavior can be immensely useful in the tasks of teachers and parents. The psychological principles at the basis of such a technology can serve to help parents and teachers understand the root of behavior and how to effectively shape this. Children need to be taught to function effectively in the world they will enter after leaving school. To be effective, functioning members of society, certain behaviors are necessary. The scientific technology of behavior can therefore help not only to understand the general behavior of children at certain stages of their lives, but also the basis of the required behaviors of a well functioning society.

2) Behavior modification, according to Skinner, is the shaping of behavior by means of either positive or negative stimulus. Skinner is against the concept of punishment as a means of behavior modification. This argument is based upon the fact that punishment encourages increasingly sophisticated means of avoiding the punishment rather than the behavior that punishment is meant to discourage. The point is that behavior is encouraged rather than discouraged. Skinner's behavior modification techniques are then meant to encourage rather than discourage. Positive stimulus would then entail rewards for good behavior, while these rewards would be withdrawn or withheld when the desired behavior is absent.

The reward system often manifests itself in Skinner's token economics system. This is a system often used in correctional institutions. Tokens are provided as rewards for desirable behavior according to certain rules explained to t

Some common words found in the essay are:
, scientific technology, technology behavior, scientific technology behavior, behavior modification, token economics system, words scientific technology, words scientific, rewards desirable behavior, behavior children, school effective, shaping behavior, institution rules, token economics, functioning society,

Approximate Word count = 633
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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Skinner's Operant Analysis

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