Operant Conditioning:

How is it used in
everyday life?
By: Haley Smith
Basic definition of operant conditioning:
● According to verywellmind.com, Operant conditioning is “a method of
learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. An
association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that
behavior. “
● For example, a reward is introduced to increase a behavior while a
punishment is introduced to decrease a behavior.
What makes operant conditioning different from classical
conditioning?
● classical conditioning involves involuntary responses, while operant
conditioning involves voluntary behaviors.
Ways to use operant conditioning in daily life:
According to studiousguy.com, some examples are:

● Cleaning a room
● Doing homework
● Neglecting studying
● Class presentation
● Criticism
● Etc.
Differences between punishments and reinforcements:
According to allpsych.com
Positive + negative reinforcements:
According to psychologistworld.com, these include

● (P) Rewarding a dog with a treat after it has successfully completed a

training maneuver when rehearsing for a dog show.
● (N) A person climbing into a hot bath is burnt and quickly climbs out of
the water.
● (N) A girl who regularly fights with her sister is told by her parents that she
is to be grounded on the days that she misbehaves.
● (P) A dentist gives a boy a sticker after he remains calm throughout a
dental check-up.
Positive + negative punishments:
According to psychologistworld.com, these include

● (P) A child is sent to his room when he is impolite to his mother.

● (P) An internet service provider limits users’ usage to a set amount of
data.
● (N) A child is prevented from attending a football game after failing to
clean their room.
● (N) A dog owner shouts at their pet after it runs away in a park.
● (N) A man strains his eyes after reading without his glasses.
● What is aspect of your topic do you find especially interesting? Why?
○ The fact that it is a lot more common to use operant everyday.
● Were you able to find tentative answers to your question(s)?
○ Yes, all of my research was very informative,
● Did you come across conflicting research or views?
○ No, all of my research was factual.
● What conclusion were you able to draw , if any?
○ That operant conditioning is quite common, even if people do not know they are doing it
throughout their day.
● What additional questions related to your topic or other topics did this
assignment raise?
○ What is an easy way to get people informed about operant conditioning (especially if they are not
invested in psychology)?
 Work Cited:
Chapter 4.3: Reinforcement & Reinforcement Schedules. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://allpsych.com/psychology101/learning/reinforcement/

Cherry, K. (2019, September 5). What Is Operant Conditioning and How Does It Work
? Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/operant-conditioning-a2-2794863

Google Images

StudiousGuy. (2019, April 5). 13 Examples Of Operant Conditioning in Everyday Life.

Retrieved from
https://studiousguy.com/examples-operant-conditioning-everday-life/

Waude, A. (2017, September 4). Operant Conditioning: What B.F. Skinner's

Experiments Revealed About Learning Reinforcement. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/operant-conditioning
The End!!!