I just started working in Applied Behavior Analysis doing in home sessions with children with autism and prior to this class and this new job, I never knew how in-depth operant conditioning really was. What we learn in most psychology classes only scratches the surface of all there is to know when it comes to behavior modification. Looking back at my childhood I am realizing just how much of my behaviors today were positively or negatively reinforced from when I was a kid. Often parents cave when a child is exhibiting inappropriate or bad behaviors and give them what they want just to get a break. What they don’t realize is now that child is going to continue that behavior knowing that if they do they will get rewarded for it. This is an important lesson for parents that if they want a behavior to decrease with their child they will need to understand why the behavior occurs and how their reaction to it has an effect on the likelihood that it will occur again.

Comments

  1. I think thats really cool that you have hands on experience with this and can relate this concept to your life! I agree that regular psych classes only scratch the surface.

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