SOSC1960 Discovering Mind and Behavior Assignment 2

Assignment 2 (15%): Learning | Deadline: July 23rd, 2014 | Consultation Deadline: July 16th, 2014

Task: Professor Wong noticed that her students play with their mobile phones often during lecture. She
would like her students to pay closer attention. In this assignment, based on operant conditioning, propose
to Professor Wong how she could use positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment
and negative punishment independently, i.e. a total of four different ways, to modify the students’ behavior.

Format: Use the working template to write your answers. Your answer to this assignment question should
be 500 words at maximum, including in-text references (if applicable) but excluding end-of-paper
references or appendix (if applicable). Marks will be deducted if you do not follow this format and the word
limit.

Assessment rubric

Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent

- The proposed - The proposed - The proposed - The proposed
behaviors do not behaviors correspond behaviors are behaviors are
correspond to the to the theory of comprehensive and exhaustive and cover
theory of operant operant conditioning, cover most important all important
conditioning at all. but miss some features, and show features, show
Understanding of important features, accurate accurate
operant conditioning and/or involve understanding of understanding of
is inaccurate. inaccurate operant conditioning. operant conditioning,
- The writing and understanding of - The writing and and much effort and
presentation are operant conditioning. presentation are deep thinking.
unclear, - The writing and clear. - The writing and
disorganized, or presentation are presentation are
ambiguous for the generally clear but exceptionally clear
most parts. ambiguous in some and well-organized,
point. and offers
idiosyncratic
insights.