Psychology is often viewed as a career in which the professionals become therapists in order to treat mental health issues. In fact, psychology is a broad and diverse science that offers a wide variety of career options and opportunities. Because psychology is considered a science, you will begin to explore the concept of systematic behavioral observation. You will be introduced to the major themes of psychology and provided with a brief introduction to the history of the science. For the assessment, you will explore some of theories of learning, such as classical conditioning and operant conditioning from behavioral theory, and cognitive and social learning from cognitive theory. You will then practice creating operant conditioning training after seeing operant conditioning in action.
For this assessment, complete the Conditioning and Learning Practice media piece before you start working. In this piece, you are able to see operant conditioning in action. After practicing in the media piece, download the Conditioning and Learning Plan Worksheet [DOCX], as you will be turning in this worksheet for the assessment.
It is recommended that you explore the resources for this assessment, especially on conditioning and learning.
Be sure to download the Conditioning and Learning Plan Worksheet [DOCX]. In your worksheet, you will describe the scenario and behavior that you would like to change. Ideas include:
Teaching your child to hang up their coat or backpack when they come in the door.
Getting yourself to exercise a certain number of minutes a day or week.
Teaching your dog to ring a bell when they need to go outside.
Getting a trainee to come to work on time.
You can choose one of these ideas, or think of one of your own. Think of a behavior that you would like to change in yourself or someone else. Once you identify the target behavior, think about a positive reinforcer that will work. What might motivate you, your child, your trainee, or your dog?
In the worksheet, use the language of behavioral theory to identify:
One targeted response.
A reinforcer and secondary reinforcer (if you plan to use one).
Schedules of reinforcement.
Initial schedule.
Secondary schedule (once the behavior is stable).
Describe how you plan to use shaping to begin the process and make shifts in how and when the behavior is reinforced.
Written communication: Writing should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: References and citations should be formatted according to current APA style and formatting.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies:
Competency 1: Apply foundational theories in psychology to current issues in the field of psychology.
Identify a targeted response.
Choose appropriate reinforcers for a targeted response.
Identify an appropriate plan for shaping of behavior.
Choose appropriate schedules of reinforcement.
Competency 3: Apply psychology knowledge to promote mental health and well-being.
Describe shaping of behavior.
Competency 4: Write using a clear purpose, organization, tone, and sentence structure.
Communicate clearly with appropriate purpose, organization, tone, and sentence structure.
