B.F. Skinner Operant Conditioning Theory

For the clarification of any conception, the explanatory statement that which is based on the conclusion of the perceptible uses, can be called a theory. After studying the conditions taking place in learning, the psychologists, on the basis of observation, analysis and synthesis, by the scientific method and by the experiments, have presented a collected opinion, which are the theories of learning. Here Skinner’s Operant Conditioning Theory has been described in detail.

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning Theory

‘Operant Conditioning Theory’ is a method of learning, which was developed by an American scientist B.F. Skinner. His learning related opinions began to spread almost in 1932 century. His two books ‘The Behavior of Organism’ and ‘Beyond Freedom and Dignity’ are famous. Skinner’s name is mainly known in the list of behavioral scholars. Skinner has described the two types of behaviors, as:

1. Respondent Behavior—This type of behavior lives under control of stimulus. For example, the excreting of saliva after taking food in the mouth is respondent behavior. Other examples of respondent behavior can be given by the experiment of Pavlov in addition of this example, as- to close the eyes after throwing the light, to move away the hand after piercing the pin and to draw away the hand after touching the hot thing. 
2. Operant Behavior—This kind of behavior is somewhat different from the above behavior. This behavior is not under the direct control of stimulus. It is embed in the self desire of learner. Operant behavior does not happen until a man is willingly ready for doing this type of behavior. For example in the experiment of Skinner, the behavior of rat is operant. In the same way after ringing the bell, opening the door or not depends upon the desire of a man. On ringing the bell, opening the door related behavior is operant behavior. In the experiment of Skinner, for getting the reward, rat operates the lever. Therefore this type of learning is called Instrumental Conditioning.

He considered learning as the changing process happening in the behavior like other behavioralists. He accepted conditioning as the reason of learning, but his conditioning process is quite different. In fact before delivering his learning theory, he did historical survey of already-done learning related studies and analyzed the creativity of concept and reflex. According to him, the fundamental basis of human behavior is observed in the correlation of stimulus response relationship. In the explanation of human behavior, former psychologists delivered the concept of reinforcement, which Skinner developed through schedules of Reinforcement further. He has imagined a such version of society in his ideal novel ‘Walden Two’ in which human behavior can be determined and controlled in a well organized way by awarding prize.

According to Skinner we should see and ponder on the earlier environment, in order to know the reason of any types of behavior. For example the origin of criminal tendency in the adolescence is due to some qualities of environment. Changing environment is important for the changing of behavior. He has considered stimulated process very important. He has considered the external observation capable behavior as an important subject of psychology because it can be seen experienced and evaluated and this behavior can be investigated scientifically. A man’s behavior can be determined and controlled by the rules of learning. Skinner has described two types of behavior—Stimulus produced behavior and action produced behavior. Whose responses go on and produce due to the known stimulus, is called produce stimulus behavior. It is necessary for action produce stimulus to have connection with some known stimulus. Stimulus produced and action produced response are related to conditioning, which we called S or R types. The connection of S types conditioning with stimulus produce behavior is so, because reinforcement is connected to stimulus. It has been clarified with the theory of Pavlov. S types conditional stimulus ( sound of bell) has been presented with unconditional stimulus(food),which obtain the quality of unconditional stimulus. R type conditioned is which called action produce is conditioning. Action produce conditioning is known by the name of Operant conditioning. Here operant conditioning name has been used.

Some psychologists have called operant conditioning by the name of Instrumental learning and Instrumental conditioning, because it includes the learning of such responses which are accomplished. It is a medium in achieving the food, in the solution of suffering and punishment and obtaining the goal. So some psychologists have called it as ‘material conditioning’. Pavlov’s classical conditioning does not accomplish anything, in it, there is only the establishment between stimulus and response.

Instrumental Conditioning

Skinner’s Box—Experiment, which has been described further, clarifies the instrumental learning and in fact the fundamental symptoms of most of a man’s learning. Man, in the beginning, is motivated by some purpose, such type of response happen within the motivation general concluded process, which is used as a medium in the achievement of goal. Thus, in the attainment of any special goal whatever learning takes place, it is called instrument.

Like the Pavlov’s classical conditioning, Reinforcement is an important element for the learning of Instrumental learning. All the elements of classical conditioning are found in the operant conditioning. Yet there are some differences in them. In Pavlov’s classical conditioning theory, a dog was tied with the table and did not perform any action. In the experiment of Skinner rats are active. So this theory has been called operant (which is originated from the action) theory. Being operated, a creature gets some instrument and after doing again and again he reinforces that instrumental process. This name depends on the fact that a man does action for getting some reward or doing reinforcement in his environment; reinforcement is the attainment of that goal, which can satisfy motivation, as- in the ‘Skinner Box’ having the food of a hungry rat was the reinforcement. Skinner, who has used action produce and operant words, according to him, behavior is to do action for the obtaining any result towards environment, as- food, water, or achievement of any reward. It is clear that Instrumental learning or name of conditioning is the behavioral side of operant conditioning theory.

In the theory of Skinner, operant is the main thing, so it is important to understand it.

The Meaning of Operant—In the Skinner’ theory, the operant means, action producing response or the collection of responses, by which a man attains goal and he something gets from it. This is such a learning behavior, which is used as an instrument of getting reward and outcome. Prof. K.P. Pandey has given the definition of operant in the following way:

‘’An operant is technically defined as a group of responses or set of acts which are controlled by the similar consequences.’’

Prof. S.S. Chauhan has defined operant in the following way:

‘’The term operant emphasizes the fact that behavior operates upon the environment to generate its own consequences.’’

This conclusion comes from the above opinions that operant is the some kind of behavior, but this behavior does not remain under the control of its former stimulus. It is the quality of operant behavior, that it is operated on the environment and generates outcome. According to Skinner, operant behavior is generated by the man not by stimulus. He has used the word ‘operant’ for this reaction.

Skinner has presented the opinion of S type conditioning in place of R type of conditioning, which means—the conditioning and connection of outcome of response with the attainment, with the help of it operant conditioning theory is derived, so now the opinion of operant conditioning theory should be understood. The opinion of operant conditioning theory is following:

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning theory can be understood easily in the perspective of Pavlov’s classical conditioning. We saw in the classical conditioning that food (one stimulus) is conditioned with the sound of bell (other stimulus). This is S type conditioning. In which response is connected with S. S-R theory which is developed by Pavlov ,Thorndike and Watson, moving forward Skinner conditioned the responses expressed in Thorndike S-R bond theory by the attainment and prize, which helps in the reinforcement of a learning response. So skinner’s theory is also called S-R Conditioning with Reinforcement. It is clear that Skinner’s theory is affected by Thorndike’s ‘rules of effect’, because its reward is like the ‘indirect reinforcement of getting pleasure and satisfaction’ of Thorndike. A human wants to get some pleasure by some responses. These responses become the equipment of attainment. Material responses make a person operant for attainment of result. This is operant conditioning, because this conditioning depends on the response. So this is R type conditioning. The opinion of Operant conditioning will be clearer from the following statements:

Skinner—“Behavior is the movement of an organism or of it part in a frame of reference provided by the organism itself.”

“Operant conditioning is the learning process where by a response is made more probable or more frequent.”

Pandey—‘’An operant conditioning is a process in which the behavior of an organism is emitted rather than elicited one (operant behavior) and is strengthened, in the sense of becoming more likely or probable or frequent to occur, through reinforcement.’’

Skinner did many experiments to display the process of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning theory can be learnt by his one important experiment.

The experiment of Skinner

Skinner prepared a box for experiment which is called Skinner’s box. A lever was added with this box. Which was connected to a bowl, and by the side of lever there was a hole for the entering of rats. After pressing the lever the sound ‘khatt’ was echoed, and food come into the bowl. In this box a white hungry rat entered into the box by the path, prepared by the side of lever. Rat wandered here and there and leapt and jumped, naturally the lever was pressed by rat. Food came into the bowl with the sound of khatt. Rat ate the food. Naturally the lever was pressed again by the rat and food came with the sound of khatt, which was again eaten by rat. Later on pressing the lever and having the food, it was seen that rat started to live by the side of lever, pressing the lever, eating the arrived food, the rat was set with comfort. After the repetitions of this experiment, Skinner saw that on beinghungry, rat began to press the lever. This conclusion was found from this experiment that “if any strength providing stimulus is got after any action, there is growth in the strength of that action.”

Skinner did not see in his experiment under which conditions does the lever presses, rather he watches the event of response by pressing the lever. He considers this response as an emitted response. According to Psychologist Stephens—This theory can be understood in this way—“whichever type of study includes such emitted responses, it is the suggestion of Skinner for their explanation, whatever response help in the reinforcement that will be reinforced, means the response will be more reinforced. This is the general tendency of above response, which is reinforced, that this response is reinforced only. 

It is not any S R tendency or condition. Rat presses the lever and gets the food, thus rat’s possibility of pressing the lever is developed and this response is reinforced and rat even after having the food, presses the lever.’’ It is clear from the description of this experiment that rat is inspired by the reward (food) and reinforced for doing some actions. Rat’s continued attempts is due to the reinforcement. It is also clear from this experiment that learning is a sequence process, which is developed by the efforts and goes on to be stronger. 

He did his second experiment on the pigeons. Skinner used another special technique for the experiment on the pigeons, which is called pigeon Box. The experiments done on the pigeon, Skinner put this aim that pigeon, after completing a whole round from the right side, learnt to peck on a certain place. With this experiment, hungry pigeon which was imprisoned in the pigeon box, as soon as flying toward the right side and started to peck on the certain place, he got a grain of wheat. By this wheat it got strength for the repetition of its behavior, and moving towards the right side it respond to peck the beak. Consequently he got a grain of wheat and that’s why the pigeon learnt the way to get the grain (food) by the pecking beak and moving toward the right side.

Skinner gave birth to a new conditioning theory in the field of learning by his experiments. He found the conclusion that our learning related behavior is moved by the operant conditioning. Our behavior and response is like operant conditioning to some extent.

Skinner gives a lot of importance to reinforcement in his experiment, on which, his learning theory depends. So it is necessary to understand the opinions on reinforcement.

Educational Importance of Skinner’s Operant Conditioning Theory

Operant Conditioning Theory has an important place in the education. This theory is used in the teaching of different subjects in the class learning. The use of pre-planned direction in the educational machine depends on this theory of learning, and it is delivered by Skinner. The statement prepared in the sets of frame in the education machine, is presented serial wise. When student press the component of machine, the correct answer comes in front of him. This reinforcement can be positive and negative. Correct answer verifies learning, and he is further motivated for learning, and in this way, there is reinforcement of right answer. Programmed learning depends on this theory, in which student does his reinforcement himself after getting the right answer. Following things can be said related to the educational importance of this theory from Skinner:

1. Parents and teachers can develop desirable behavior in the children with the help of this theory. Children are encouraged with the reinforcement of desirable behavior. In the class, teacher can do the desirable process of reinforcement by smiling, appreciation, and by giving more marks.
2. The good behavior of children, the reinforcement of getting home work or other success should be done immediately by rewarding him.
3. Attention shall be paid to the needs of children in the different activities of school.
4. This theory encourages for motivation, so, after explaining the object of subject matter, teaching in the class, children should always be inspired in the class.
5. This rule can be used for the improvement of bad behavior of children.
6. The theory of reinforcement can be helped in the skill development, adjustment and social learning of children.

Summary

• ‘Operant Conditioning Theory’ is a method of learning, which was developed by an American scientist B.F. Skinner. His learning related opinions began to spread almost in 1932 century. His two books ‘The Behavior of Organism’ and ‘Beyond Freedom and Dignity’ are famous. Skinner’s name is mainly known in the list of behavioral scholars.

• This type of behavior lives under control of stimulus. For example, the excretion of saliva after taking food in the mouth is respondent behavior.

• This behavior is not under the direct control of stimulus. It is embed in the self desire of learner. Operant behavior does not happen until a man is willingly ready for doing this type of behavior. For example, in the experiment of Skinner, the behavior of rat is operant. In the same way after ringing the bell, opening the door or not depends upon the desire of a man. On ringing the bell, opening the door related behavior is operant behavior.

• Operant Conditioning Theory’ is a method of learning, which was developed by an American scientist B.F. Skinner, who has described the two types of behaviors, Respondent Behavior and Operant Behavior. 

• According to him, the fundamental basis of human behavior is observed in the correlation of stimulus response relationship. In the explanation of human behavior, former psychologists delivered the concept of reinforcement, which Skinner developed through schedules of Reinforcement further. He has imagined a such version of society in his ideal novel ‘Walden Two’ in which human behavior can be determined and controlled in a well organized way by awarding prize.