Psychological Issue Summary

Team

PSY/490

February 11, 2013

Teacher

Psychological Issue Summary

Burrhus Frederic Skinner developed the theory of operant conditioning, "a type of conditioning in which an operant response is brought under stimulus control" (Operant conditioning, 2009, para. 1), to explain how the behaviors of humans and animals are learned. Operant conditioning differs from other types of conditioning in that "the presentation of reinforcement contingent upon an organism emitting the response" (Operant conditioning, 2009, para. 1). Reinforcement is a kind of reward, and for children, it is usually attention, escape from something aversive, or something tangible, such as candy or a toy.

Children who suffer from emotional disturbances can overcome their maladaptive...