September 2011 Archives

This week's readings deal with schedules of reinforcement and extinction. What I would like you to do is to find a couple of video clips off the internet where one illustrates one of the schedules of reinforcement and the other illustrates extinction.

For this assignment write using the language of behaivor. The TA will be looking for this as a grading point.

For each clip I would like you to briefly describe/summarize the clip. 1) Tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the reinforced or extinguished behavior. 2) Next tell us what the consequence of the behavior is. 3) Then tell us how, that consequence either will increase or decrease the frequency of the behavior. 4) Tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something or if it involves the removal of something. 5) Finally tell us to the antecedent is. (note some of these will not exactly fit for the extinction since the reinforcement is absent - maybe say what the reinforcement was prior to the extinction etc.)

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now do like we did in class and state how the consequence or lack of consequence alters the behavior. Also justify or make a case why a schedule of reinforcement is in place or why extinction is occurring.

Do the same for the second clip

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same videos the four other students before you just used.

When you are done with both clips, copy and paste the URL at the bottom so we can go and see the videos you used.

Let me know if you have any questions....

Can you tell what Zappa is saying in behavioral terms?

Think of a simple behavior that you would like to change for yourself (drink more water, eat less junk food, take the stairs more often, stop speeding, etc.). Next do the following:

1) State the behavior. (ex drink more water)

2) State the behavior as a specific target behavior. (ex drink eight 16oz glasses of water every day)

3) State the contingency or consequence that will occur if you do the desired behavior. (ex if I drink 8 glasses of water in a day, I get a beer at night. And if I do this every day for a week, I get to go out for pizza.)

Please use as many behavioral terms as possible. Make a list of the terms you use at the bottom of your post.

Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this week's topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) there are some good news source links at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

For your news I would like you to briefly describe/summarize your piece. 1) Tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the reinforced or punished behavior (be careful as there are often many behaviors in a video and you need to isolate the behavior of interest). 2) Next tell us what the consequence of the behavior is. 3) Then tell us how, that consequence either will increase or decrease the frequency of the behavior. 4) Tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something or if it involves the removal of something. 5) Finally tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative reinforcement, negative punishment. Tell us if it involves extinction, establishing operations, use as many terms from the chapters we have already covered as you can.

Now find another behavior in the same news piece and repeat the steps (i.e. do it again).

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same pieces of news the four other students before you just used.

When you are done, copy and paste the URL at the bottom so we can go and see the sources you used.

Since we are trying to get you to use terms we are learning, please either underline the terms used (prob with a word processer cut & paste) or make a list of terms at the bottom of your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this week's topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) or any news site listed at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

For your news I would like you to briefly describe/summarize your piece. 1) Tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the reinforced or punished behavior (be careful as there are often many behaviors in a video and you need to isolate the behavior of interest). 2) Next tell us what the consequence of the behavior is. 3) Then tell us how, that consequence either will increase or decrease the frequency of the behavior. 4) Tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something or if it involves the removal of something. 5) Finally tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative reinforcement, negative punishment. Tell us if it involves extinction, establishing operations, use as many terms from the chapters we have already covered as you can.

Now find another behavior in the same news piece and repeat the steps (i.e. do it again).

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same pieces of news the four other students before you just used.

When you are done, copy and paste the URL at the bottom so we can go and see the sources you used.

Since we are trying to get you to use terms we are learning, please either underline the terms used (prob with a word processer cut & paste) or make a list of terms at the bottom of your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Please read sections 1.3 and 1.4

After reading section 1.3, please respond to the following questions.

Section 1.3 is about behavior speak or the language of behavior. What I would like you to do just for fun is try to respond to the following in behavior speak. What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why?

After reading section 1.4, please respond to the following questions.

Section 1.4 provides us with many useful terms that will allow us to talk/communicate using the language of behavior. Which term or concept did you find the most interesting? Why?

What are the terms from the chapter that you think will be easy to incorporate into your verbal and written communication about behavior? What are the terms that you might find difficult to incorporate? Why do you think these will be difficult? What can you do to facilitate learning these terms so you can easily get to the point of being able to use these terms more often?