An organism that most receives negative reinforcement associates such reinforcement not only with the undesirable behavior, but also with the trainer. The relationship between the trainer and organism is damaged, and trust is undermined. Trust is important to effective training. A better way to discourage undesirable behavior is perhaps to initially provide positive reinforcement, which is removed when the behavior is repeated, resulting in the organism eventually giving up. This maintains the trust between the organism and the trainer. The organism then also associates the pleasant stimulus with the trainer, which encourages a desire to maintain the trust relationship.

D. SHAPING BEHAVIOR

An example of using operant conditioning to shape behavior could be applied to the teaching context. Desirable behavior for children in a classroom is to sit quietly and listen while the teacher is talking or giving instructions. Unruly children tend to have a disruptive effect upon learning, as instructions are neither heard nor followed. To teach them the skill of listening carefully, I would then use operant conditioning by rewarding them for listening carefully and effectively. From my own school experience, the teachers who are most adored are those who obtain results not only by teaching effectively, but those who do so by reward rather than punishment.

E. REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE

In...

I would ask them to listen carefully to a short story that I tell them. The story will be designed to raise their interest. They will then be ask to create a scene that follows the open-ended story I just told. The story that best follows the details of my own receives the reward of sweets or something similarly pleasant.
I will further reinforce good listening behavior by devising a different listening exercise on a daily basis. The best performance at the end of each listening class will be reinforced by a reward. I will also use rewards such as praise and high grades to reinforce similar behavior. The specific reward will be varied, but consistently applied to the desired behavior.

As a teacher, I believe that establishing a relationship of positive trust with students will result in much better student performance than a premise of punishment.

Bibliography

Boeree, C.George. (2006). B.F. Skinner 1904-1990. Personality Theories. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html

Modgil, Celia, & Skinner, B.F.B.F. Skinner: Consensus and Controversy. Routledge, 1987.

Smith, Louis M. (1994). B.F. Skinner. Prospects: quarterly review of comparative education, Vol. XXIV, no.3/4. Paris: UNESCO. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/publications/ThinkersPdf/skinnere.PDF