Tuesday, 17 February 2015

REINFORCEMENT AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

 John’s mother says that each time his bedroom is tidy at the end of the week; he will receive an extra dollar in his weekend spending money.

a) i.) What schedule of reinforcement is John’s mother using to encourage him to keep his room tidy?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    [1]

ii) Based on this schedule, when is John’s room likely to be most tidy? Explain.                                                                                                                             [2]

b) .Which reinforcement schedule could John’s mother use to encourage him to keep his room tidy all week? Explain why this schedule should result in more consistent tidiness.                                                                                                                                   [2]



Considering what you have learnt so far, lets debate on the topic  Human behaviour is solely controlled by our biological function, justifying our arguments.                      

17 comments:

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    1. Sorry Litlhare, it's learning. I m hoping to see yo next post soon

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  2. a) i) fixed-ratio schedule. ii) it will be clean at the end of every week because he knows he will something out of it.
    b) variable-ratio schedule he will be more reinforced to clean his room so that he may earn something.. thus he will be more used to it and will do it voluntarily as time goes by.

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  3. Khoboso, rethink about your first response. Look again at difference between ratio and variable. The second sound good,

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    1. the first one is partial reinforcement... behaviour is reinforced but not all time. he gets a dollar each time he cleans

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    2. What about the time factor?

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  4. a)I) Continuous reinforcement schedule
    ii) During the weekend. Continuous reinforcement reinforces behaviour when it occurs so since his mother says she will give him more money on weekends it means that is the time his room is likely to be clean.
    b) Variable ratio reinforcement, this way his mother will give him money at varying number of times even during the week, then he would most of the times keep his room tidy since he will be getting motivation from the reward.
    Considering our day to day lives, boys behave differently from girls because of the biological hormone they have testosterone, and girls who have this hormone behave as boys do, also boys with oestrogen which is for girls behave as girls do. So according to me its a yes

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  5. Portia,well explained.let me start by pointing out that continous reinforcement schedule award a behavior every single time it occurs. In this case if John 's room is clean during the week, there is no reward. Your explanation for the second one is good.

    About control of behaviour, how do yu explain boys who behave like girls with normal levels of the male hormones?

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  8. a)i).continuos reiforcement schedule
    ii).it is likely to be tidy at the beging of the week and during the week because its only stated that he should make his room tidy over the week end.
    b)variable ratio schedule because the boy will clean his bedroom at almost every weekend since he'l get money and this will lead to him performing cleaning task by a higher rate promoting tidiness all the time.
    2.yes behaviour is solely controlled by our biological function,we are genetically different which is biological therefore i cannot behave in the same way as someone else,our biological makeup is different.

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    1. continous is when reinforcement is given every time John cleans the house, not only on weekend. Totally agree with you for the second one.

      On control of behaviour, can biology be the only one to control behavior?? What about what Freud. Said?

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  9. a) i)Fixed-ratio Schedule
    ii)At the end of the week because that is when he get the payment.

    b)Continuous reinforcement schedule because John will always clean the room so that he will get the cash daily.

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    1. well thought. However am a bit concerned about your understanding and relationship among continous ,intermintent,fixed ratio,fixed variable, and the like. Please make sure you understand them before monday

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  10. Freud says our behaviour isnotivated by the unconscious,a part of the personality that contains memory,knowledge,beliefs,feelings,urges,drives and instincts of which the individual is not aware so having read this m aware that its nt only biology that controls one's behaviour but even other things still can.

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    1. Now you are talking like someone who has been doing psychology.Good thinking

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