November 2011 Archives

Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to continue 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 processor cut & paste) or make a list of terms at the bottom of your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

There is no assigned reading this week. If you like you can research a topic of interest and report on that for extra credit.

Token Economies.
Please read the following website and read about the steps involved in setting up a token economy using the LRBI Checklist:
http://www.olemiss.k12.in.us/intervention/Token.pdf

Please respond to the following questions? What is a token economy? Do you think they are useful? Why? What situations do you feel they would be most effective? What situations do you feel they would be least effective? Why? Can you think of any token economies that you are currently under?

A 32-year-old woman has been charged with one misdemeanor count of child abuse for locking her daughter in a closet for 6 hours because she earned bad grades, the Daily Pilot reports.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/09/woman-accused-of-locking-daughter-in-closet_n_1084641.html

Based on last Tuesday's (week #11) discussion where we went back over the Week #9 assignment (http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/2011/10/topical-blog-week-9-due-thursday.html) steps for a self-directed behavior program. Please make any revisions on your post:

Using the 7 steps outline a self-directed behavior program. Make sure you use sufficient detail and use as much behavior speak as you can.

Please discuss any progress you have made with your self-directed behavior change project. What might you do differently if you were to do another self-directed project?

Please read sections 5.4 and 5.5

After reading section 5.4, please respond to the following questions:

What do you think you will remember mostly about section 5.4? Why?

After reading section 5.5, please respond to the following questions:

What do you think you will remember mostly about section 5.4? Why?

Let me know if you have any questions.