Topical Blog Week #3 (Due Thursday)

I read an article about a jet carrying a Russian hockey team crashing and killing 43 people.
1) The target behavior is the jet carrying the hockey team.
2) The consequence of this behavior is the jet crashing and killing 43 out of 45 people.
3) This consequence will probably decrease the carrying of people on planes because many people will not want to ride these types of jets anymore.
4) This consequence involves the removal of something, since it removed both the jet and peoples' lives.
5) The antecedent is the hockey team needing to travel to another location.

A= hockey team's need to travel
B= traveling
C= crash

This would be an example of negative punishment. It took away those peoples' lives and will decrease the likely that any of those people or their families will travel on jets of that nature again. I could be wrong about this, but I think extinction is involved in this situation. Usually the team would be reinforced by flying to their destination because they'd get to go play a game or come back to see their families. This was not longer a reinforcement obviously because it ended in tragedy. Also, traveling elicited the crashing response which in turn probably elicited some very aversive responses to the jet as well as the team crashing.

1) Another behavior in this news piece is the pulling of bodies from the crash.
2) The consequence is that it saved two people, but also saved the bodies from the wreckage so their families could have closure.
3) The consequence will increase the behavior because if they saw that a few people were still alive and the families were able to get closure by this then they would continue to do it.
4) This consequence added closure to the families who lost loved ones and also added the chance of pulling out somebody who was still alive.
5) The antecedent of this would be the crash.

A= crash
B= pulling bodies from wreckage
C= closure for families, saving 2 people

This would be considered positive reinforcement because it is adding the closure and the saved lives. The crash elicited the response of the rescuers to try and save as many lives as possible, even though it was very few. Although the consequence of this crash was very aversive, there was still a chance that people could be saved and closure was provided to the families as well.

Terms: consequence, antecedent, target behavior, response, elicit, positive reinforcement, negative punishment, extinction

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/07/140246013/jet-carrying-russian-hockey-team-crashes?ps=cprs

The news story I emitted a behavior of reading concerned the US Postal Service, and methods it could implement to reinvent itself. The postal service has suffered net losses of $20 billion over the last 3 years as mailing service usage has declined 20%. The postal service will default on its employee pension on September 30, and only have enough money to operate for the first week of October.

1)One of the methods suggested by Postmaster General Donohoe was emitting a target behavior of ending Saturday mail delivery. Lack of funding has elicited a need for a scaling back behavior on money spent throughout the Postal Service.
2) The consequence of eliminating Saturday delivery is avoiding the termination of US Postal Service operations. An intended response of this measure could be saving $3 billion a year.
3)The consequence of saving $3 billion a year, and remaining in operation will decrease the frequency of Saturday delivery behavior occurring, thus increasing the likelihood of the terminating Saturday delivery.
4)The consequence of saving $3 billion and remaining in business, involves the addition of something.
5)The antecedent is the Postal Service lacking funds to operate.

A= USPS lacking funds to operate
B= eliminating Saturday delivery
C= saving money and remaining in operation

This is an example of positive reinforcement because the addition of money to the USPS bank account increases the frequency of Saturday mail delivery being terminated.
The fact that the postal service has emitted a behavior of being low on funds is an establishing operation for the increase of money to the postal service to be more reinforcing.

1)Donohoe emitted a behavior of suggesting another method to save the post office money and remain operational. He suggests individual post offices emit a target behavior of pre-loading delivery trucks and making sure they are fully stocked (currently not a requirement).
2) The consequence of emitting pre-loading and fully-stocking behaviors is getting carriers on route sooner and delivering more mail per day.
3)Emitting behaviors of being on route sooner and getting more mail delivered per day will increase the behavior of pre-loading and fully-stocking postal vehicles. If money is spent more efficiently (less is wasted), the USPS will have more money and be able to remain in operation longer.
4)The consequence involves the addition of more time on route, thus more mail delivered per day.
5)The antecedent is the US Postal Service lacking funds to continue operation.
A= USPS lacking funds to operate
B= pre-loading and fully-stocking postal vehicles
C= carriers on route sooner and more mail delivered per day

This is an example of positive reinforcement because the addition of time on route and mail delivered per day increases the frequency of pre-loading and fully-stocking vehicle behavior. As a response to employees emitting time-efficient behavior (decreasing money-wasting behavior), the USPS will have more money to use for operation.
The postal service has emitted a behavior of being low on funds, an establishing operation for the increase of money to the USPS to be more reinforcing.

Terms: target behavior, emit (all tenses), elicit (all tenses), consequence, response, positive reinforcement, establishing operation, reinforce (all tenses)

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/07/140230142/five-ways-the-postal-service-could-reinvent-itself

The article I chose was about Linn State now requiring drug tests for all of their college students. The best example of the behavior being punished is the usage of drugs. The consequence of people using drugs is the fact that they have to have drug tests for students now because it became a problem. By testing people for drugs, the behavior of doing drugs is likely to decrease because the students are now aware that they will be caught if they chose to involve themselves with drugs, and they may not get to go to Linn State if they chose to do so. In order to decrease the usage of these drugs, they are adding something, which in this case is drug testing. The antecedent to the behavior of doing drugs is that not enough policies were in effect to keep students from using drugs.

A= Lack of policies against drugs
B= Students use drugs
C= Drug testing is now required at Linn State

Because this punishment involves the addition of something, it is better known as “positive punishment.”

Another example of a behavior in this news piece is that Linn State created the drug testing policy. The consequence of the drug tests is that less students will use drugs in the future. Because the results of drug testing are that less students will use drugs, drug testing will probably increase in the future because of the desirable results. In this case, the consequence involves the removal of something, which would be the removal of students doing drugs. The antecedent to the behavior of adding the policy of drug tests would be that too many students are using drugs.

A= Too many students using drugs
B= Drug testing is required
C= Less students will use drugs

This type of punishment is also known as “positive punishment.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/linn-state-technical-coll_n_952586.html

My news article was about a man who tried to sell important information about U.S. security secrets to Israel. He was caught by an undercover FBI agent that was posing as a member of Mossad. He pleaded guilty to one count of espionage and is facing 13 years in jail, under a plea agreement made with the prosecutors. If he had not taken the plea agreement, he would have faced the death penalty.

1. The target behavior is getting Nozette (the man charged) to stop trying to sell U.S. government secrets.
2. The consequence is that he will be put in jail.
3. This consequence should decrease the frequency of the behavior.
4. The consequence involves the removal of his freedom.
5. The antecedent was talking with Nozette.

A = talking with Nozette.
B = Nozette agrees to sell government information.
C = Nozette goes to jail for a long time.

This is an example of negative punishment, because it is the removal of his freedom that is supposed to decrease this type of activity in the future. Putting Nozette in jail is supposed to elicit a disgust behavior, which will make him emit a feeling of remorse and guilt. This punishment should involve extinction in that he will not engage in this behavior again. The establishing operation could be that he really wanted the money that he thought he would be paid (and that he was given). The discriminating stimulus could be the undercover FBI agent approaching him about making a deal if that’s what happened.

1. Another target behavior could be the prosecutor trying to get Nozette to plead guilty by giving him a reduced charge and a reduced sentence.
2. The consequence is that the government doesn’t have to pay for a trial.
3. The consequence should increase the times a prosecutor will try to make a deal.
4. The antecedent was Nozette being charged.

A = Nozette was caught
B = Prosecutor gets Nozette to take a plea deal
C = Government saves money on trial

This could be an example of positive or negative reinforcement. Positive because it adds a deal where none existed before, negative because it takes away the need for a trial. It’s reinforcement because it increases the likelihood that the prosecutor will try to make more deals in the future. Since I’ve been saying that the consequence is no trial, I’m going with negative reinforcement. The prosecutor could have elicited a talking behavior about the deal to Nozette, who emitted an approval behavior back to the prosecutor. Because of this, the deal was able to be made. The discriminative stimulus in this case would be the deal because the prosecutor didn’t have to make it and Nozette didn’t have to take it. An establishing operation would be that Nozette didn’t want to face the death penalty. Nozette’s response is to take the deal being offered.

Terms: positive, negative, reinforcement, punishment, establishing operation, target behavior, elicit, emit, consequence, antecedent, discriminating stimulus, response, behavior, decrease, increase, extinction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14825820

This news story from BBC is about Somali Pirates who have recently let a Danish family and two members of the crew go free after being held since February. They were all said to have been in good condition, in spite of their ordeal, and would soon be back home. A ransom of $3 million was paid for their release.
The target behavior that I would like to take a look at in this report is pirating a boat. According to this report the consequence for their behavior was to get away scot free and with $3 million in their pocket. What an amazing positive reinforcer! As a result of this consequence the behavior will likely continue into the future and will increase in its frequency. The consequence in this example involved the addition of $3 million to the pirates. The antecedent in this case is pretty complex. Somalia is a very poor country, and thus acts as an establishing operation, making the chance to make money a very enticing reinforcer. The extreme poverty in the country has elicited illegal behavior, such as pirating, in the residents of the country. The Somali’s in turn emit the behavior of piracy. That then brings them to the antecedent that got them the family and crew which would be having a heavily armed boat going against an unarmed family.
A= Opportunity to pirate a ship, extreme poverty
B= Pirating the ship
C= Being paid $3 million ransom money + 1 boat
Another possible behavior to look at in this article is that there was an attempt back in March to rescue the hostages from the pirates. A group of soldiers from a region in Somalia attempted to board the ship and to rescue the hostages. The result from this was the death of several of the soldiers and the hostages were not saved.
The target behavior to look at here would be attempting to rescue hostages from a pirated ship. According to this report the consequence was the death of several of the soldiers in the brave attempt. The consequences of the death of several soldiers at the hands of a rag-tag pirate company will certainly decrease the frequency of the saving behavior. The consequence in this case would be a negative punishment because it resulted in the deaths of soldiers; the removal of life was the consequence. The antecedent here was that the Somali government is under immense pressure to take care of the pirating problem off their coasts. When a Danish family, who was simply traveling around the world on their yacht, is kidnapped and their ship pirated it calls for immediate action; the hostages were taken and the soldiers response was to attempt to save them. In short the antecedent was that there were hostages that had been taken.
A= Hostages had been taken by pirates
B= Attempt to rescue the hostages
C= Several soldiers killed in the process and the hostages were not rescued

Terms: target behavior, reinforcement, reinforcer, elicit, emit, establishing operation, response, antecedent, consequence, negative punishment?, positive reinforcement

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14823454

The article I read was about Monique Exum, a woman from the Bronx, finding her roommate dead in the apartment. This elicited the response of stuffing her roommate (the operant behavior), John Davis, into a suitcase and to leave it outside an abandoned home.
1) The target behavior Exum emitted was that of stuffing her dead roommate into a suitcase.
2) The consequence of the behavior emitted by Exum was her being arrested.
3) The consequence will decrease the frequency of the behavior because she was arrested for it.
4) The consequence involves the addition of something (jail time).
5) The antecedent was having a dead roommate in her apartment.
A: Dead roommate in the apartment
B: Stuffing the dead roommate into a suitcase
C: Being arrested for improper body removal
This would be an example of positive punishment. Because Exum elicited the incorrect operant behavior and responded by stuffing the roommate into the suitcase rather than emitting the behavior of calling the police, so her consequence was being arrested. I believe that this is positive punishment because she now has to serve time in jail and I do not think that she will ever emit such a behavior again.

Another behavior found in this piece was a person called 911 in response to a strange suitcase sitting outside of the house.
1) The target behavior the person emitted was calling 911.
2) The consequence of the behavior was the police came.
3) The consequence will increase the frequency of the behavior because the person was correct in calling 911.
4) The consequence involves the addition of something (the police coming).
5) The antecedent was the suitcase sitting outside of the house.
A: Strange suitcase sitting outside of a house.
B: A person called 911.
C: The police came.
This would be an example of positive reinforcement because after the operant behavior of calling the police was emitted, the elicited response from the police was to check out the situation. I believe that this will increase the frequency of the target behavior because the person was correct and enjoyed that feeling.

Terms: antecedent, behavior, consequence, reinforcement, punishment, elicit, emit, response, target behavior, operant behavior

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/monique-exum-admits-to-st_n_952162.html

**Behavior #1


I chose an article from the Huffington Post website. The article was about Linn State Technical College in central Missouri demanding drug tests for their students. The school stressed on the drug “screening” because the coursework includes dangerous tasks and the school wants the students to be prepared because they will be faced with working in a drug-free workplace after their schooling. The article mainly talks about why the school chose to make drug testing a requirement, however the article also states many reasons of why it violates rights and the school needs to be cautious.

1.The target behavior is drug testing the students at Linn State Techincal College before starting their classes in the fall. This target behavior is positive punishment according to the representatives at Linn State Technical College.

2. The consequence of the behavior is that students will be able to start their coursework and be enrolled in the college.

3.The consequence will decrease the behavior of using drugs, so the students can go to Linn State Technical College and not fail the drug screening.

4.The scenario consequence results in the addition of being a student at LSTC.

5. The antecedent in this article is the enrollment into the Linn State Technical College.



A- Going to LSTC
B- Taking a drug test
C- Becoming a student at LSTC

This example is positive punishment, because it involves in the decrease of students using drugs to be a student at LSTC, which will result in the students being prepared for their future drug-free workplace. Also, this article involves in using an aversive view to many people due to an individuals rights. I think the situation of drug testing at this college will eventually cause an extinction because many people do not like that they do not have a “choice” or the “right” if they want to refuse in taking the drug test. The extinction could lead to the college shutting down due to legal rights, or a decrease in the student enrollment. 




**Behavior #2

1.The target behavior is paying $50 for the drug test and testing positive and facing a follow-up test. This target behavior is negative punishment because it decreases the behavior of doing the drugs, but also is negative because of the punishment and the students have to pay money.

2.The consequence of the behavior is being on probation for the rest of the semester and put on their record.

3.The consequence of the behavior will decrease the students drug use and decrease their chances of having a good record because of the failed drug test.

4.The consequence involves the removal having a clean record and a removal of rights.

5.The antecedent is the drug test itself.


A- Drug Test
B- Paying money for taking drug test and testing positive
C-Probation for a semester going on school student record

This is an example of negative punishment because the student will have probation on their school records, and this will affect their future career options, and decrease their individual rights. This situation involves emitting an aversive behavior, because the student may be a good student, but is punished by being put on probation. I also believe that satiation could be used in this scenario because if the student keeps testing positive it will result in the student being kicked out of school or leaving the school and giving up.




Terms used- target behavior, negative punishment, aversive, emit, satiation, antecedent, consequence, positive punishment,extinction



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/linn-state-technical-coll_n_952586.html


My video comes from the BBC about the latest smallest car available for roadways.
1. The behavior I am using is this couple making the smallest car in the world.
2. The car is better for the environment and saves on gas prices.
3. This will increase the frequency of building more smaller and environmental cars.
4. The consequence involves the addition of another car into the world that is better.
5. The antecedent is the man building the car for a better environment.
A. The couple saw a need for a small efficient car.
B. the couple building the car
C. Cheaper gas and better for the world car
This is negative reinforcement because we are reducing the dangerous carbon dioxide from the air.

1. Another behavior is people buying the car for driving.
2. Less money spent of gas and a better conscious
3. It will increase the behavior of buying small cars thanks to saving the money on gas
4. It involves the addition of more money in your pocket.
5. Rising gas prices
A. rising gas prices
B. Buying a small car
C. More money in pocket that could stimulate economy
This is negative reinforcement because emitting the behavior of buying a car is reinforced with more money which is a desirable consequence.

Terms: Negative reinforcement, reinforced, emitted, consequence, desirable,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-14811831

The article that elicited a reading behavior from me was called “England riots: the feast of fools?” This article was riots and looting that happened in England which sparked a discussion amongst government officials about the effectiveness of their justice system.

1) The target behavior in my article is looting.
2) The consequence of the behavior is getting free stuff.
3) The consequence is desirable because most people like free stuff so it will increase the behavior.
4) The consequence involves the addition of free stuff.
5) The antecedent is social unrest.

A=Social unrest
B=Looting
C=Get free stuff

This is an example of positive reinforcement. This behavior involves establishing operations because the fewer resources a person has will make the reinforcer i.e. getting free stuff more reinforcing. This behavior could also involve extinction in the case that a person emits the looting behavior and does not want the merchandise inside therefore no longer being reinforced by getting free stuff.

1) Another target behavior is scholars arguing about the effectiveness of the penal system.
2) The consequence of this behavior is insecurity towards the effectiveness of the penal system.
3) The consequence will decrease the behavior because insecurity towards the effectiveness of the penal system is an aversive feeling.
4) The consequence of the behavior involves the removal of faith in the penal system.
5) The antecedent is increased rioting and looting.

A=Increased rioting and looting
B=Arguing about the penal system
C=Insecurity towards the penal system

This is an example of negative punishment. It involves extinction because emitting the behavior of arguing about the penal system will not always cause feelings of insecurity so the behavior will not always be punished.

Terms: target behavior, elicited, consequence, behavior, desirable, antecedent, positive reinforcement, reinforce, establishing operations, extinction, emits, reinforce, aversive, punished, and negative punishment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14807665

In my article titled, “John Galliano found guilty of anti-Semitic Paris rants” the topic of discussion is the fact that a very famous fashion designer made a wide variety of racist slurs while at a museum in Paris, France. Instead of receiving the possible sentence of six months in jail, he is required to experience the punishment of a suspended fine equivalent to $8,400 U.S. dollars.

1) The target behavior in this news article is Galliano making the racist comments.
2) The consequence that he will endure will be the positive punishment of being issued a fine. He avoided the negative punishment of giving up his freedom by getting around a jail sentence.
3) This consequence should decrease the undesirable behavior he emitted.
4) The addition of the fine is a positive punishment because the fine was given to him. In another light, the fine could be a negative punishment because the $8,400 will be taken from him.
5) Being in a French museum with a Jewish guide would be the antecedent for his behavior.

A= Being at the museum
B= Making a racial slur
C= The fine he must pay

This article is an example of both negative and positive punishment depending on which perspective you look at the article with.

Within this same article, the famous designer blames his actions on the fact that he is addicted to pills and alcohol. He states that he is now seeking help at a rehabilitation center.

1) The target behavior is the consumption of drugs and alcohol
2) The consequence is that he was sent to rehab
3) By being sent to rehab, the poor behavior should be extinguished (he was previously positively reinforced by what he saw as desirable feelings after taking the drugs)
4) Rehab would be a negative punishment because his freedom to use drugs and alcohol are being removed.
5) The “mounting pressure at work” is the antecedent

A= Pressure in the workplace
B= Drinking and using drugs
C= Being sent to rehab

This portion of the article is an example of negative punishment.

TERMS: Target behavior, Negative Punishment, Positive Punishment, Consequence, Emitted, Antecedent, Extinguish

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14833259

The article I chose to read was about Japan’s lack of natural sources and heavy reliance on nuclear power. Since the nuclear accident in March happened, now 70 percent of Japan wants to phase out atomic energy. Japan’s legislature recently passed a bill to subsidize wind and solar power; they are now requiring that power companies buy wind and solar energy at inflated prices. Japan’s citizens, especially farmers, are frightened and mad about the accident and are helping encourage wind and solar energy use by protesting the usage of nuclear power.
1) The target behavior is China’s government trying to get power companies to invest.
2) If these companies don’t start relying on solar and wind power instead of nuclear power, radiation leakage will continue and fear and panic of the citizens will increase.
3) The fear of another nuclear accident and of leaking radiation alone is enough to make sure that power companies start switching over.
4) The consequence is adding aversive reactions.
5) The antecedent is living in Japan and having the option of relying on wind and solar power or nuclear power.
A= Choosing wind and solar power or nuclear power as your energy source
B= Staying with nuclear power
C= Mass chaos and panic of Japan’s people

In this example, if Japan’s power companies and citizens don’t begin to use wind and solar energy, negative punishment will be the consequence. Japan’s government is being a discriminative stimulus toward Japan’s power companies converting to wind and solar power. Japan’s power companies decision to convert powers are the operating behaviors in whether Japan responds in a relaxed manner or continues to panic about the harsh consequences of nuclear power.

1) The next target behavior I am going to focus on is Japan’s farmers and their outrage. After the nuclear accident occurred, many farmlands were destroyed. Farmers are now protesting at the Tokyo Electric Power Company. They want the country of Japan to lessen its dependence on nuclear power.
2) Hopefully the consequence of the farmer’s protest will be the lessening of nuclear power usage.
3) The farmers’ protests will decrease the frequency of Japan using nuclear power.
4) The consequence involves the removal of nuclear power usage.
5) The antecedent is the farmers protesting outside of the Companies’ headquarters.
A= Outside the Tokyo Electric Power Company
B= Farmers protest nuclear power usage
C= Japan as a country lessens the use of nuclear power

This case is an example of negative reinforcement. By the farmers eliciting the behavior of protesting, they will be reinforced by Japan emitting the behavior of decreasing their nuclear power use. If Japan is more careful with their power usage, Japan’s citizens will have a much more pleasant response. Japan’s nuclear accident was a discriminative stimulus to aversive reactions from its citizens. If they can increase the behaviors of power companies to wind and solar power, Japan will not only be a happier place but a safer place to live as well.

Terms used: consequence, punishment, response, aversive, pleasant, antecedent, emit, elicit, negative reinforcement, negative punishment, operant behavior, target behavior, and discriminative stimulus.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/06/140219721/after-nuclear-mishap-japan-debates-energy-future

The blog I chose is titled "Nato-led forces killed BBC reporter in Afghanistan". This article is about how a soldier accidentally killed a BBC reporter by the name of Ahmed Omed when he mistook him for an insurgent. This man's response of killing the reporter brought about many controversies and also brought into light many desirable additions that may help protect these men and women.

1) The first target behavior here is the accidental shooting of the reporter Ahmed Omed, who was mistaken for an insurgent. 2) The consequence of this behavior is a clarification of the aversive dangers reporters are subject to when they put their lives on the line to report news all over the globe. Higher protection is also looked at a lot heavier after this incident. 3) This consequence will decrease the target behavior because there will more or an awareness of these kinds of incidents and there will also be more protection for these reporters. 4) The consequence involves the addition of knowledge of the problem along with more protection for these journalists. 5) The antecedent is the journalists covering news all over the world.
A= Journalists covering news all over the world
B= A journalist is shot because he is mistaken for an insurgent
C= More of an awareness of the dangers journalists put themselves in when they report across the world along with more protection for them
This is an example of positive punishment because hopefully the increased knowledge of the dangers and the increased protection will help keep this from occurring again or as often.

1) The second target behavior that was elicited by the anger in this country is suicide bombings around the Tarin Kowt's market emitted by the Taliban. 2) The consequence of this was heavy fighting in this area afterward involving machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles. 3) The consequence will probably just increase the behavior because this kind of violence will just anger more people and cause them to continue the cycle of violence. 4) This consequence involves the addition of fighting with very dangerous weapons, along with the addition of many casualties. 5) The antecedent is built up anger in a country full of animosity.
A= Built up anger in a country full of animosity.
B= Suicide bombings around the Tarin Kowt's market.
C= Deadly fighting around this area with many destructive weapons.
This is an example of negative punishment because the consequence is not going to put an end to or decrease even the behavior that is occurring there.

URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14840998
TERMS: aversive, response, emitted, elicited, desirable, negative punishment, positive reinforcement, target behavior, antecedent, consequence

The first article I did was called Playing on the Edge: The Psychology of a Goalkeeper. This article is about how goalies have a psychological connection with the game of soccer and how you have to be crazy to get a ball kicked at you at incredible speeds just to keep it out of the net.
1)The behavior is blocking a soccer ball.
2)The consequence of the behavior would be the crowd cheering.
3)This consequence will increase the frequency of the target behavior.
4)This consequence involves the removing of the ball from the scoring area and relieving pressure off of the goalie.
5)The antecedent is the soccer match.
A=The soccer match.
B=Blocking a goal.
C=The crowd cheering.
This would be an example of negative reinforcement. It involves the ball coming at them is eliciting the behavior of blocking the ball, this in turn emits the behavior of blocking the ball.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/showmeyourcleats/2010/06/30/128222244/playing-on-the-edge-the-psychology-of-a-goal-keeper

The second article I chose is called US Open 2011: Andy Murray beats Donald Young at the US Open. This article is about Andy Murray beating Donald Young in the 2011 US Open.
1) The target behavior would have been the behavior of winning.
2) The consequence of the behavior is winning the US Open.
3) The consequence will increase the frequency of the behavior of winning.
4) The consequence involves the addition of the title of US Open champion.
5) The antecedent is being at the US Open finals.
A= Being at the US Open finals.
B= Winning the tennis match.
C= Winning the US Open.
This is an example of positive reinforcement because its adding something and increasing the frequency.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/14845126.stm
Terms: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, consequence, behavior, antecedent, frequency.

The news article that I chose is discussing conservative view points towards the battle on public funding for birth control. This subject has been very controversial in the past and only seems to raise more eyebrows as our country grows greater and greater in debt. One of the main conclusions about publicly funded birth control is that it is link to abortions. This connection was made when more people started realizing Planned Parenthood provided birth control along with abortions. However, this is changing.

1.) The target behavior being illustrated by the conservatives is to not publicly fund birth control. This will reinforce people to really think about the decisions they are making. If women have to pay full price for birth control, perhaps there would be more people abstaining from sex all together. Ultimately this would reduce unintended pregnancies, STI’s and so on.
2.) There could be numerous consequences to not publicly funding birth control. Such as more unintended pregnancies, children being raised in poverty, increased promiscuity. For this particular assignment, I will say the consequence to not publicly funding birth control is an increase in unintended pregnancies among teenage girls.
3.) The consequence to having a child from not being able to purchase birth control since it was not publicly funded, would probably decrease the frequency of the behavior. There would be a dramatic rise in the amount of teen moms in the United States and public health officials, government, etc. would step in eventually and aid the situation.
4.) The consequence of more teenage girls having babies would increase the amount of money government would be funding towards birth control costs.
5.) The antecedent of this situation would be being a teenage girl in the United States that is sexually active.

A = Being a sexually active teen in the United States
B = Not being able to afford birth control
C = More unintended pregnancies

The act of taking away publicly funded birth control would be considered negative punishment. The teenage girls would be deprived of the pills that once elicited a safer circumstance for the sexual behaviors they were emitting.

1.) The target behavior is to decrease the total number of sexual partners among teenage girls. This would be considered positive punishment because birth control is being taken away and the number of sexual partners will decrease resulting in fewer health risks.
2.) The consequence is lessening the total number of sexual partners among teenage girls in the United States.
3.) The consequence to decreasing the total number of sexual partners among teenage girls, in this assignment, would increase the frequency of young girls abstaining from sex. Since they are not being promiscuous, they will retain a higher self esteem, engage in other activities and focus on friends more.
4.) The consequence is removing birth control from being publicly funded and as a result, more girls will abstain from sex.
5.) The antecedent is being a teenage girl in the United States that is currently taking birth control.

A = Being a teenage girl in the United States that currently takes birth control, but no longer can afford it
B = Increasing sexual health knowledge
C = Less sexual partners among teenage girls in the U.S.

The act of increasing knowledge among teenage girls would be positive reinforcement. The girls would be satiated with the sexual behaviors they are eliciting from the knowledge they have acquired.

Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/09/07/140156682/conservatives-step-up-attacks-on-public-funding-for-birth-control

Terms: target behavior, reinforce, consequence, frequency, antecedent, negative punishment, deprived, elicited, emitting, satiated, eliciting

In an article from vancouversun.com, I read about a woman who had accidently brought brownies to work that had traces of marijuana in them. The first behavior I would like to speak about is the reason why the police came because of a possible poisoning. Three employees of this business had found these brownies in the refrigerator and ate one. All three of these employees were hospitalized. So this is why the police came. I would consider the ABCs of this target behavior as follows:
A=seeing brownies in the fridge at work
B=eating said brownies
C=being hospitalized.
I would consider this positive punishment because the brownies added sickness to these employees.
Now the next part of the article is probably the most amusing part for me (besides the name of the article itself). The woman’s son told the police that he had baked the brownies, froze them, and forgot they were in there. Though were no charges of possession, he is expected to perform community work for what he has done. I would lay out the ABCs like this:
A=Mom gets in trouble for the brownies
B=Son comes clean about baking the brownies
C=Son will now have to do community service
This too would be considered positive punishment because he now will be forced to do additional things with his time.
Anyways, I thought this was an extremely amusing article. I hope you all do to.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/forgot+about+brownies+that+baked+workers/5344722/story.html

The article I chose to read was about a young woman named Erin Heaney who is the executive director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York. The Clean Air Coalition emits protecting the rights for clean air.
1) The target behavior is the company emitting violations of federal laws
2) The consequence of violating those laws is the companies environmental control manager facing aversive charges.
3) The consequence of facing aversive charges will decrease the frequency of the company violating federal laws.
4) The consequence of facing charges involves the removal of the person’s freedom.
5) The antecedent is the protest at the company’s gates.

A: Protest at company gates
B: violating federal laws
C: companies environmental control manager faces charges

I think this is an example of negative punishment because it is decreasing the frequency that the company will violate federal laws again by pressing charges on the company.

1) The target behavior is Heaney accepting the position and fighting for social justice.
2) The consequence of Heaney accepting the position and fighting for social justice is feeling rewarded and happy with her career.
3) The consequence of feeling rewarded and happy with her career will increase the frequency of Heaney accepting the position of fighting social justice.
4) The consequence of feeling rewarded and happy with her career involves the addition of happiness to her life.
5) The antecedent is Heaney being offered the Clean Air Coalition position.

A: Heaney being offered the Clean Air Coalition position
B: accepting position and fighting for social justice
C: feeling rewarded and happy with her career

I think this is an example of positive reinforcement because it is increasing the frequency that Heaney will fight for social justice because she felt rewarded and happy.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/erin-heaney-cleaner-air-new-york_n_951331.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14840998

The Nato-led Internacional Security, when responded to a militant attack in Afghanistan, killed accidentally a BBC reporter.

First Behavior:
1) The target behavior that illustrates the punished behavior is the moment when the BBC reporter was reaching for something on his person, trying to identify himself.
2) The consequence of the target behavior was the shot of the soldier.
3) The consequence will decrease the frequency of the behavior.
4) The consequence involves a removal, the dead of the BBC reporter.
5) The antecedent was the attempting to clear the building

A=Attempting to clear the building
B= BBC reporter trying to identify himself
C=BBC reporter is shot

This is an example of negative punishment, the operant behavior had a drastic consequence because of the elicited response of the solder caused by the reporter behavior.
Second Behavior:
1) The target behavior that illustrates the reinforcement behavior is the communication of the Taliban denied killing the reporter.
2) The consequence of the target behavior it is the announcement of the NATO mistake.
3) The consequence will increase the frequency of the behavior.
4) The consequence involves the addiction of the announcement and the NATO explanations.
5) The antecedent is the claim of the Taliban attack.

A= Claim of the Taliban attack
B= Deny killing the reporter
C= announcement of the NATO mistake

This is an example of negative reinforcement because the NATO`s announcement was elicited by the Taliban communication.

This news story is about a man who was on a hunting trip with his buddies and ended up getting separated from them by chasing a squirrel. He had to survive on muddy water and worms for 5 days until he was eventually found by some people passing by. 1) The target behavior I am focusing on would be the man eating the worms for 5 days to survive. 2) The consequence of this is that he kept his energy in order to keep moving and find his way out. 3) This consequence will increase the frequency of the man’s behavior of eating the worms because it is motivating him to do so. 4) The consequence involves the addition of energy for the man by eating the worms. 5) The antecedent is the man being separated from his buddies while hunting.
A= Man being separated from friends while hunting
B= Man chooses to eat worms to survive
C= Man keeps his energy in order to be found
This is an example of positive reinforcement and involves deprivation since the man was deprived of his necessities when he got lost. Since the man emitted a behavior of eating worms, he probably elicited a feeling of sickness at first. The discriminate stimulus in this example would be the fact that the man got lost and really had no other option than to eat the worms to survive.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hunter-bill-lawrence-lost-days-ate-worms-survive-14475452

1)The next behavior I am focusing on is the man chasing the squirrel. 2) The consequence of this is that he got separated and lost from his friends he was hunting with. 3) This consequence will decrease the frequency of the man running off to try and shoot animals without his friends. 4) The consequence involves the loss of something, and in this case it would be his hunting group. 5) The antecedent is the man being on a hunting trip with his friends.
A= Man is on a hunting trip with a group
B= Man chases a squirrel without the group
C= Man ends up getting separated from his friends
This is an example of negative punishment. Since the man emitted a behavior of chasing the squirrel alone, he became separated from his group and therefore was deprived of his necessities. His response to being lost was to eat worms to survive.

The article I chose described the signing of a new law in Peru. The new law states that any new company must consult indigenous people about development on their land. The situation was brought to attention when 30 people were killed while protesting a new project which would destroy their homes.
1) The target behavior I will be analyzing is the approval of the law by the president.
2) The consequence of this law is decreasing tension and fighting between developers and indigenous people.
3) The consequence will increase the target behavior because the president is being reinforced by the desirable outcome.
4) The consequence involves the removal of something; tension. To the indigenous people this is the addition of security but for the president the consequence is the removal of a hostile environment.
5) The antecedent in this situation is the writing up of the law. The law was written up which elicited the president to emit an approving behavior.
A=Law is written up
B=President approves
C=The population gets along better
This is an example of negative reinforcement. The president added this new law to reduce fighting in his country. The establishing operation here is the deaths of the people who were trying to protect their land. This law would have been desirable without these deaths, but without these deaths the consequence of adding this law has become more reinforcing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14812506

The second article I chose to study is about the “return-trip effect.” It is something we have all felt and has several different possible reasoning behind it. When going on trips, the return home always seems to take a shorter amount of time.
1) The target behavior I am interested in is the act of returning home.
2) The consequence of making a return trip home, is that is feels shorter than the drive to your original destination.
3) The consequence of this behavior will increase the act of returning home. In most people’s mind, a short traveling time is a desirable consequence. If the trip home seemed to take much longer than the trip to where you are going, people may not make as many trips (This reasoning is really far stretched, I know).
4) This consequence involves the removal of time, maybe not literally but psychologically.
5) The antecedent in the trip being over with.
This is an example of negative reinforcement. The trip being over elicits a need to come home. The travelers then emit of coming home behavior. The traveling distance seems shorter to them which reinforces them to come home the next trip they are on. If traveling a far distance, the travelers are satiated with driving/flying/walking/etc.. Once this occurs, the product of a short trip makes these travelers more pleased with the consequence of traveling home. The satiation becomes an establishing operation.
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/05/140159009/why-the-trip-home-seems-to-go-by-faster

My article was about how the U.S Justice department is criticizing the Puerto Rican police for engaging in unethical behavior. Specifically, the U.S launched an investigation because a policeman shot an unarmed suspect. The target behavior is the Puerto Rican policeman shooting an unarmed suspect. The consequence of this behavior is the justice department launching an investigation. It will decrease the frequency of the corruption (specifically shooting unarmed suspects). In involves an addition of an investigation. The antecedent is the presence of drug cartels in Puerto Rico.

A= Drug cartels in Puerto Rico
B= Policeman shot an unarmed suspect
C=The justice department launched an investigation
It is positive punishment because it involves the addition of an investigation to stop the frequency of unarmed suspects being shot.

The target behavior is the PRPD’s failure to investigate sex crimes. The consequence of this behavior is that the Puerto Rican women no longer trust the PRPD. The consequence will decrease the frequency of the failure of the PRPD to investigate sex crimes because they don’t want the women to not trust them. The consequence involves the loss of trust in the PRPD. The antecedent is a corrupt PRPD.
A= A corrupt PRPD
B= Failure to investigate sex crimes.
C=Lack of trust in the PRPD by women
This is an example of negative punishment because it involves the removal of trust. One could possibly say that the women are engaging in extinction because currently they aren’t receiving reinforcement (security) that they used to, so they have lost faith in the PRPD.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14848336

Writers Reflect On Childhood Torment In 'Dear Bully'

The article is about a woman who was bullied as a child and grew up to write a book about bullies, being bullied, suicide, and preventing bullying. She talked about how bullying has lead to suicide of a 15-year-old girl in Massachusetts named Phoebe Prince this last year in 2010. The article goes on to talk about how serious bullying is, how much it effects individuals (both the bullied and bullies), and the book that was written and how it will hopefully reach out to individuals who are bullied.

Example 1:

1. The target behavior is the idea of reaching out to and helping individuals who are bullied.
It is positive reinforcement from the perspective that the addition of confidence and the further addition of reaching out to the bullied individuals is reinforced as the number of bully related suicides and suicide attempts decreases.
2. The consequence of the behavior of reaching out to individuals who are bullied is that the individuals have hope and confidence and don’t feel that there is no escape from the ridicule-thus, there are fewer suicides and suicide attempts.
3. The consequence will decrease the number of suicides and the hopeless feelings of individuals who are bullied.
4. The consequence involves the addition of confidence to bullied individuals.
5. The antecedent in this particular case is the book that was written which reached out to bullied individuals and decrease suicide rates and suicide attempts.

A= Wrote a book
B= Reached out to individuals who are bullied
C=Bullied individuals have more self-confidence and faith-suicides decrease.

The example shows how the EMITTING of an outreach program such as the ELICITING of a book can EMIT a RESPONSE that displays POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT which increases confidence in individuals through focus on the TARGET BEHAVIOR. The ADDITION of confidence and comfort for bullied ORGANISMS is REINFORCED by the desired RESPONSE is that suicide attempts decrease.

Example 2:

1. The target behavior is the committing of/attempting suicide. This is difficult to state if it is punishment or reinforcement-I’m going to present this with the argument from the perspective of punishment. I believe it is punishment, specifically negative punishment because it takes away the life of someone who’s valuable. Thus, society, families, and the person who was bullying are all punished as a part of them is taken away (it’s a stretch because it’s psychological which is always difficult to define). I believe that the bully themselves is also positively punished as they receive a guilt that will most likely remain with them throughout life. I believe that it is the guilt specifically and the realization of how serious the act of bullying is that is the punisher. The punisher is and added emotion, therefore it is positive punishment because it decreases bullying.
2. Extreme bullying has, in some cases, as mentioned in the article, lead to suicide and the consequence or the effect that comes after the traumatic act of suicide a feeling of guilt and remorse in the bully-those feeling will decrease bullying.
3. The consequence will decrease the frequency of bullying as people are able to see what bullying can lead to and how horrible it is based on the action.
4. This consequence involves the removal of a human life which causes guilt and enlightens bullies of the severity of their actions. Thus, the consequence is a decrease bullying.
5. The antecedent was being bullied

A= Got Bullied
B= Committed Suicide
C=Bullies feel guilt and remorse (Bullying Decreases)

The example is POSITIVE PUNISHMENT as the EMITTING of bullying ELICITS feelings of emotional and even physical pain on an ORGANISM(1) as another ORGANISM(2) MANIPULATES the emotions of the ORGANISM(1). The OPERANT BEHAVIOR of both ORGANISMS draws attention to the TARGET BEHAVIOR which is suicide. The RESPONSE of ORGANISM(1) may be severe enough to EMIT suicide or a suicide attempt. The suicide is an AVERSIVE STIMILUS that will have the CONSEQUENCE of decreasing the rate of bully provoked suicides and lead to the POSITIVE PUNISHMENT that is ELICITING pain and guilt on ORGANISM(2) for the actions he/she/it EMITTED.

Audio: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=140256963&m=140256956
Article: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/07/140256963/writers-reflect-on-childhood-torment-in-dear-bully

IN the article I chose to read covered a murder at the Yale University and the lawsuit the family had chosen to file against the university for not protecting its female students better. The target behavior is the murder of the female student that illustrates the punished behavior. The consequence of the behavior is having a lawsuit filed against them. The consequence will hopefully cause the university to re-examine its policies to better protect and prevent incidents like the previous mentioned from happening. The consequence involves the addition of new safety measures of some sort for the university. The antecedent for the situation is the murder of the girl on the college campus.

A= poor security precautions on campus
B= murder of a female student
C= having a lawsuit filed against them

The lawsuit is an example of positive punishment, something is being added in to punish the university for its mistake.

The second behavior in the article is the murder itself. The target behavior for the man was murdering the young girl and it was punished behavior. The consequence of the behavior had to go to prison. The punishment should decrease the behavior, as jail is a rehabilitation program. The consequence involves the removal of everyday pleasures. The antecedent for the situation is that the man worked with the young girl in a lab one night.

A=being in a lab with a girl
B=murdering the female student
C=going to prison for 44years

Going to prison I believe could be seen as a positive or negative punishment. It is a positive punishment in the sense it is adding prison into the man’s life. A negative punishment in the sense that he is losing all privileges.

List of terms used

positive punishment
negative punishment
antecedent
consequence

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/08/annie-le-yale-suit_n_953534.html

10-year-old boy refuses to say pledge allegiance until the U.S. really has “liberty and justice for all”.
1.) The Boy decided to not stand up in class while the class would say the pledge of allegiance.
2.) The teacher gave the student “grief” for not choosing to stand-up and say the Pledge, and being removed from the classroom.
3.) The behavior did not decrease, although it was an aversive response, the boy continued to stand, or rather sit his ground until the U.S. has “liberty and justice for all”.
4.) The behavior involved the boy being removed from the classroom, and sent to the principals’ office.
5.) The antecedent is being in the classroom before the pledge is about to start.
This target behavior is considered, negative punishment.
A – Sitting in the classroom before the Pledge starts.
B – Choosing not to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
C – Boy is teased for not say pledge and sent to principal’s office.
The other behavior that I choose was,
1.)The sub-teacher was giving the boy a hard time for not standing up and saying the pledge.
2.) The Sub was in trouble for giving the student a hard time and not respecting his rights.
3.) the behavior did decrease for fear of losing her job.
4.) the behavior involved the Sub talking “rudely” to the boy and sending him to the principal’s office.
5.) the antecedent is being the Sub teacher for that classroom when the boy decided to not say the pledge.
This target behavior is considered, negative punishment.
A – Being in the classroom when the boy does not say the pledge with the class.
B – giving the boy grief about not saying the pledge and sending him to the principal’s office
C – the Sub get in trouble for not respecting the boy rights.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/11/16/am.boy.no.pledge.cnn?iref=allsearch