APPLICATIONS OF OC / SHAPING / TOKEN ECONOMY / OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING (5 ELEMENTS)

Question 1

DEFINITION: SHAPING

- Reinforcing the shape of a behaviour

Answer 1

• Application of Operant Conditioning
• Usually used in animal training
• “The method of successive approximations”
• Individual makes CLOSER and CLOSER approximations in order to reach the TARGET BEHAVIOUR

Question 2

DEFINITION: TOKEN ECONOMY

(Draft Example): Sally is a grade 6 primary school student. Her teacher; Mr Burns, wants to increase the likelihood that his students would complete their homework (Every week). He decides to give his students fake money/currency every time they complete their homework….

Answer 2

• A form of behavior modification
• Designed to increase desirable behaviour and decrease undesirable behaviour with the use of a token or something that doesn’t have any value
• The unavailable item/token (economy) is later exchanged for something that is desired or valued

Question 3

DEFINITION: OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING

Answer 3

• It is a method of social learning

- A process of learning through observing a model (i.e. a parent), later replicating the behaviour that was observed.

Question 4

5 ELEMENTS OF OL

A

R

R

M

R

Answer 4

A (Attention)

• Learner ACTIVELY watches the model’s behaviour and consequences
• A cognitive aspect of OL

R (Retention)

• When the learner REMEMBERS what has been observed
• By storing the memory in a MENTAL REPRESENTATION
• A cognitive aspect of OL

R (Reproduction)

• The learner’s ability to potentially reproduce and replicate what was observed
• The learner has NOT ACTED in this stage (It is the ABILITY to act)

M (Motivation)

• When the learner wants to perform/ replicate the learned behaviour
• Depends on the learner’s belief that that there will be a desirable outcome (REINFORCEMENT)

R (REINFORCEMENT)
- When the learner is reinforced or punishment when the behaviour has been performed

Question 5

DEFINITION: VICARIOUSLY (Indirect learning)

Answer 5

• Watching/observing the activities of other people RATHER than doing the activities yourself

Question 6

DEFINITION: SOCIAL LEARNING

Answer 6

• Process of learning primarily by OBSERVING and IMITATING others
• Influenced by being REWARDED or PUNISHED for the learned/performed action

Question 7

MODELLING

Answer 7

• When a learner/observer demonstrates the behaviour by IMITATING the actions