Operant Conditioning Paper

Operant conditioning as proposed by Skinner (1954) is a science of behavior based on the premise that an individual will mostly learn when he experienced changes in his environment (cited in Jablonsky & Devries, 1972). In 1911, Thorndike had proposed the law of effect which became the basis for Skinner’s operant conditioning theory. The law of effect, implied that “a behavior producing a favorable or satisfying outcome is more likely to reoccur, while a behavior producing an unfavorable or discomforting outcome is more likely to decrease in frequency” (Thorndike, 1911) (cited in Sproatt & Navab, 2013). The main components of operant conditioning are operant behavior and response. Operant behaviors are not caused by environmental factors while
In conducting a hearing test with children and infants, visual reinforcement audiometry is usually used. It is used to diagnose the type and severity of hearing loss. The children will respond to sound presented by turning their heads, and they will be rewarded with interesting visual stimulus as the reinforcer (Karzon & Banerjee, 2010; Folsom & Diefendorf, 1999). In the study of Karzon and Banerjee (2010), they had used animated toys and video as reinforcers for visual reinforcement audiometry. They came to a conclusion that both of the reinforcers can be used according to an individual’s preference and need (p.91). Conditioned play audiometry is also another common method used to assess hearing of children. The reinforcement in conditioned play audiometry is social praise which is given when the children respond to sound presented. Response of the children is associated with play activity (Folsom & Diefendorf,
Goldfarb (2006), in his study had used operant conditioning specifically the method of reinforcement, punishment and overcorrection in order to treat aphasia problem. According to Goldfarb (2006), there is a risk that the clinicians were misinterpreted when using the applied behavior analysis (ABA). For example, a patient showed conventional social signals and antisocial behavior which is chair-ramming and the clinician only response to the antisocial behavior, hence the patient will learn that chair-ramming is correct behavior that he should use to gain clinician’s attention and that behavior tend to increase. Goldfarb (2006) also claimed that lack of expertise in behavioral principles will lead to incorrect use of punishment. According to Azrin and Foxx (1971); Foxx and Azrin (1972; 1973), overcorrection is a correct punishment that should be given to adults who have aphasia (cited in Goldfarb, 2006). Azrin and Wesolowski (1974) had also stated that overcorrection is effective in diminishing stealing by standardized adults with developmental delay (cited in Goldfarb,