Operant Conditioning Punishment – Chapter 9 Theories of Learning October 24, 2005 Class #26

Punishment Use of an aversive event contingent on the occurrence of an inappropriate behavior Use of an aversive event contingent on the occurrence of an inappropriate behavior –Used to suppress undesired behavior –If effective, frequency or intensity (or both) of behavior decreases

Types of Punishers Positive punishment Positive punishment –Use of a physically or psychologically painful event as a punisher Negative punishment Negative punishment –Loss of reinforcement as a consequence of an inappropriate behavior –Also called omission training – reinforcement is provided when an undesirable behavior is withheld

BehaviorConsequences +  Reinforcement Punishment Increases Reduces Positive reinforcement adds a good thing Negative reinforcement removes bad thing Punishment adds a bad thing Response cost removes good thing

Types of Negative Punishment Response cost Response cost –An undesirable behavior results in withdrawal of reward or failure to attain reward  Example: –Loss of privileges Time-out Time-out –A period of time during which reinforcement is unavailable  Example: –Being sent to room after misbehaving

Does Punishment Work? Skinner showed that punishment only temporarily suppresses behavior Skinner showed that punishment only temporarily suppresses behavior More recent studies show that it can permanently suppress behavior under some conditions More recent studies show that it can permanently suppress behavior under some conditions Under other conditions it has no effect or only temporarily works Under other conditions it has no effect or only temporarily works

Severity of Punishment Mild punishment doesn’t work Mild punishment doesn’t work –Example: Drunk drivers do it again With mild punishment, any suppression is short-lived With mild punishment, any suppression is short-lived The more severe the punishment, the longer it works The more severe the punishment, the longer it works –Example: Sale of cigarettes to minors Must be severe to accomplish permanent behavior change Must be severe to accomplish permanent behavior change

Consistency of Punishment Punishment must be consistently administered… Punishment must be consistently administered… –Odds of a drunk driver being caught are 1 in 2000 –Suppression increases as the frequency of punishment increases –Delinquent boys more likely to have parents who are inconsistent in their discipline

Delay of Punishment Punishment must be immediate in order to be effective Punishment must be immediate in order to be effective –Long delays often between arrest and trial for drunk drivers

Drawbacks to Using Punishment Suppressive Effects Suppressive Effects Conditioning of Fear Conditioning of Fear Emotional Response Emotional Response Aggression-Related Issues Aggression-Related Issues –Pain-induced aggression –Modeling of aggression Reinforcing the Behavior of Punisher Reinforcing the Behavior of Punisher

Suppressive Effects Yes, it may cause an increase in undesired behavior Yes, it may cause an increase in undesired behavior But, it may also cause decrease in desired behavior as well But, it may also cause decrease in desired behavior as well –Example:  Child gets punished for playing too aggressively

Conditioning of Fear The aversive quality of punishment may condition a fear response to the person administering it The aversive quality of punishment may condition a fear response to the person administering it –The person delivering punishment becomes the S D –Person will try to escape the punisher Use of reinforcement together with punishment prevents this association Use of reinforcement together with punishment prevents this association –Children do not learn to fear a behavior therapist who uses electric shock

Emotional Response Positive punishment such as spanking or yelling can elicit too strong an emotional response from the child Positive punishment such as spanking or yelling can elicit too strong an emotional response from the child –How can learning occur when child is throwing a tantrum???

Aggression-Related Issues Pain-induced aggression Pain-induced aggression –Pain elicits anger which may motivate aggressive behavior –An impulsive act energized by emotional arousal, not avoidance Modeling of aggression Modeling of aggression –Children may imitate a parent’s aggressive acts through observational learning –Bandura’s Bobo doll study

Reinforcing the Behavior of Punisher Punisher is rewarded so maybe next time the use of this method is premature Punisher is rewarded so maybe next time the use of this method is premature –Example:  Spanked child stops bad actions so next time…

Benefits of Punishment Increase Social Behavior Increase Social Behavior Improvement of Mood Improvement of Mood Increased Attention to the Environment Increased Attention to the Environment

Increase Social Behavior A natural tendency to return to “good graces” of others A natural tendency to return to “good graces” of others –Example:  After time-outs often children will play nicely with those they just whacked

Improvement of Mood Distraction from what had caused the tantrum is the idea here Distraction from what had caused the tantrum is the idea here –Example:  Child is agitated – change in focus – less agitation

Increased Attention to the Environment Motivation to what's going on around them Motivation to what's going on around them –Example:  A shout may work to get them to appreciate what is happening around them

Effective Use of Punishment Immediate vs. delayed Immediate vs. delayed Consistently applied Consistently applied Negative Punishment instead of Positive Punishment when possible Negative Punishment instead of Positive Punishment when possible Sufficient (but not too much) intensity Sufficient (but not too much) intensity Explanation Explanation Combined with positive reinforcement! Combined with positive reinforcement!

Conditioned Suppression Theory MILD PUNISHMENT to temporarily suppress the misbehavior MILD PUNISHMENT to temporarily suppress the misbehavior –Conditioned Suppression Theory – punishment doesn’t really weaken the behavior, but it produces an emotional response that interferes with the occurrence of the behavior PLUS REINFORCEMENT to emphasize and strengthen the correct behavior REINFORCEMENT to emphasize and strengthen the correct behavior

Avoidance Theory of Punishment Punishment leads to avoidance response Punishment leads to avoidance response –Any other response than the one leading to the punishment

Punishment Avoidance The influence of punishment avoidance The influence of punishment avoidance “.. it is possible that punishment avoidance does more to encourage crime than punishment does to discourage it. Offenders whose experience is limited largely to avoiding punishment may come to believe that they are immune from punishment, even in the face of occasional evidence to the contrary” (Stafford & War, 1993, p.125)

Premack Approach to Punishment Use a low-probability behavior to punish a high-probability behavior… Use a low-probability behavior to punish a high-probability behavior… –Example:  Person hates exercising but loves to smoke cigarettes  Every time the person smokes more than three cigarettes he or she must get on the treadmill for an hour

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