Question

Joanne does not want to go to school because she didn't do her calculus homework and isn't ready for her test. She tells her mother that she has a terrible headache. Her mother shows concern, agrees to let her stay home, and makes Joanne her favorite breakfast. Define all of the following terms and explain how each applies to this situation.

Operant conditioning
Primary reinforcement
Negative reinforcement

Answer 1

Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning is a type of learning where behavior is influenced by consequences. It involves modifying behavior through rewards and punishments. In this situation, Joanne's behavior of telling her mother she has a headache in order to avoid going to school and facing the consequences of not completing her calculus homework and being unprepared for her test is an example of operant conditioning.

Primary reinforcement: Primary reinforcement refers to a stimulus that inherently satisfies a basic biological need or desire. It is something that is naturally rewarding and doesn't require learning or conditioning. In this scenario, Joanne's mother providing her favorite breakfast to Joanne after she tells her she has a headache is an example of primary reinforcement. The breakfast is something that brings pleasure and satisfies Joanne's hunger, which is a primary need.

Negative reinforcement: Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior. It encourages behavior by taking away something unpleasant or unwanted. In this case, when Joanne tells her mother she has a headache to avoid going to school, her mother agrees to let her stay home. By allowing Joanne to avoid the unpleasant situation of going to school unprepared, her mother is using negative reinforcement to reinforce Joanne's behavior of faking a headache.