Break-out Plan # 9

Date: Thursday, November 17th

Break-out Title/Topic: Operant Conditioning
Bridge-in:
What do you know about operant conditioning? Can you give me a reallife example? How does operant conditioning differ from Classical
conditioning? How is it the same?
Pre-Assessment:
In thirty seconds, on half of a piece of paper, write out as many words,
concepts or examples as you can about operant conditioning (you can
use images too if you would like). Whatever comes to mind put it down
on that piece of paper. Then briefly just compare with the rest of the
group and see what terms came up repeatedly.
Learning Objective:
To understand the principles and terminology related to operant
conditioning, as well as generating something on that topic for marks.

Resources

Time

1
min
14 half
pieces of
paper
Writing
utensil

2 min

N/A
Participatory Activity:
Please see the attached worksheet. The students will work on this
individually so as to assess their knowledge on the topic, although they
can talk to their neighbour if they would like. Have them put their name
on the sheet and then hand it into Dr. Jackson before they leave class.
Please stress that this is for their participation marks.

Post-Assessment:
Take up the answers for the worksheet (provided). Make sure to answer
any questions that they have and clarify if they are confused. Time
permitting, have them go around in a circle and list one thing that they
learned or a correction to their understanding that was made in taking
up the work sheet.
Summary:
Operant conditioning is like classical conditioning the sense that this is a
psychologists bread and butter when it comes to learning. Operant
conditioning is especially fundamental for behaviourists. Like with last
week, try and get a good foundation with this concept as it will only be
built upon in future years.

14 copies of
the
worksheet
that has
been created
Writing
utensils

12.5m
in

4min

.5 min

OPERANT CONDITIONING WORKSHEET

For each of the following operant conditioning situations, identify whether this is an
example of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, or
negative punishment. Briefly explain your choice.
Operant Conditioning

Positive
(adding something to
the situation)
Negative
(removing something
from the situation)

Reinforcement

Punishment

(increase in
behavior)

(decrease in behavior)

Positive
Reinforcement

Positive Punishment

Negative
Reinforcement

Negative Punishment

1. You get an A on exam that you studied really hard for. Positive reinforcement
2. Bridget cleans her room to keep her parents off her back. Negative
reinforcement
3. In order to receive his allowance, Jake cleans up his room regularly. Positive
Reinforcement
4. Reducing anxiety by smoking a cigarette. Negative Reinforcement
5. Taking an aspirin to relieve a headache. Negative Reinforcement
6. Getting fired from your job because you show up late to work. Negative
Punishment
7. Lindsay wasnt doing well in her 6th grade math class. Her teacher told her
parents that Lindsay handed in less than 50% of her assignments. Her parents told
Lindsay that any day on which she did not hand in her homework she would be sent
to bed right after dinner. As a result of this threat, Lindsay has handed in her
assignment 97% of the time. Positive Reinforcement
8. Siblings get in a fight over who gets to pick the TV show that the family watches
that night, the parent takes the remote away and they dont watch TV. Negative
Punishment
9. After Cassie flirted with someone else at the party, her boyfriend stopped talking
to her. Cassie didnt flirt at the next party. Negative Punishment

10. Your cell phone rings in the middle of a class lecture, and you are scolded by your teacher for not
turning your phone off before class. Positive punishment
11. Police randomly stop drivers and give tickets to those who are not wearing their
seat belts; as a result of this program seat belt use increases in town.
Positive Reinforcement or Negative Reinforcement.
PR- adding a ticket, increases seatbelt use,
NP- removing money, increases chances they will use a seatbelt.

SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT- for each example below identify which of the

4 schedules of reinforcement is being used (fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval,
variable interval).
Schedules of
Reinforcement

Ratio (the number of

instances the behavior is
exhibited)

Interval (runs on the

amount of time since last
reinforcer, ex weeks, days,
hours, minutes)

Fixed (happens a set

number of times, every
time, every 4 times)

Fixed ratio

Fixed interval

Variable ( happens on
average that number of
times)

Variable ratio

Variable interval

1. You get paid once every two weeks. Fixed Interval

2. Slot machines at casinos payoff after a certain number of plays. Variable Ratio
3. Students are released from class when the end-of-the-period bell rings.
Continuous Reinforcement or Fixed Interval
4. You get a nickel for every pop can that you return. Fixed Ratio
5. Sometimes the mail is delivered at 1:00, sometimes at 3:00. Variable Interval
6. A car salesman who gets a commission on each sale. Continuous
Reinforcement
7. Getting a small increase in your hourly wage every 6 months. Fixed Interval
8. Honor roll is announced every 9 weeks and prizes are given out. Fixed Interval