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Blockbuster Project Example

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Operant conditioning is a form of learning where organisms associate their behaviors with consequences. There are three types of consequences: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment. The document describes an episode of The Big Bang Theory where Sheldon tries to condition his roommate Leonard's girlfriend Penny using operant conditioning techniques by rewarding her with chocolate when she exhibits behaviors he prefers. Leonard tells Sheldon he cannot train Penny, and their discussion demonstrates knowledge of reinforcement and punishment, though there is some confusion between negative reinforcement and punishment.

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Blockbuster Project Example
Blockbuster Project Example
?Consequences are anything that takes place after a behavior has occurred ?Operant Conditioning is defined as a Form of learning which organisms associate their actions with consequences
?3 Types of Consequences: ?1. Positive Reinforcement ?Increases a behavior because the consequence is pleasant ?2. Negative Reinforcement ?Increases a behavior because an unwanted consequence is eliminated ?3. Punishment ?Decrease in behavior because it is followed by the arrival of an unpleasant stimuli
Blockbuster Project Example
?Leonard and Sheldon are roommates ?Both are genius students at the California Institute of Technology ?Both are Physicists
?Leonard starts dating Penny ?Penny is their neighbor across the hall ?She is an attractive blonde waitress and aspiring actress ?Sheldon is easily irritated by Penny
Blockbuster Project Example
?One night, Sheldon decides to condition Penny ?Every time she performs a behavior he feels is acceptable, he rewards her with a chocolate
?He rewards her when she states that she will not talk as much during his t.v. program
?He rewards her when she agrees to take her cell phone call out in the hall
?Leonard figures this out and tells Sheldon that he has to stop trying to ¡°train¡± his girlfriend
?Sheldon Quotes: ?¡°You weren¡¯t happy with my previous approach to dealing with her, so I decided to employ Operant Conditioning techniques building on the works of Thorndike and B.F. Skinner.¡± ?Thorndike and B.F. Skinner were both psychologists who studied the workings of Operant Conditioning ?Valid? ? Yes
?Sheldon Quotes: ?¡°Are you saying that I am forbidden from applying a harmless, scientifically valid protocol that would make our lives better?¡± ?Operant Conditioning techniques have been validly demonstrated through scientific laboratory studies ?Valid? ? Yes
?Leonard: ¡°Yes you are forbidden.¡± ?Sheldon: ¡°Bad Leonard!¡± While squirting him in the face with water ?By squirting Leonard in the face with water, Sheldon was actually demonstrating ¡°Punishment¡±. ?Valid? ? They don¡¯t make a comment either way.
?Sheldon: ¡°You know, using positive reinforcement techniques I could train that behavior out of her in a week.¡± ?Leonard: ¡°No.¡± ?Positive Reinforcement is the technique he has been using on Penny ¨C presenting something positive after the behavior. ?Valid? ? Yes
?Sheldon: ¡°If you let me use negative reinforcement I could get it done before we go to bed.¡± ?Leonard: ¡°You¡¯re not squirting her in the face with water!¡± ?Sheldon: ¡°No, of course not, we¡¯re talking very mild electric shocks. No tissue damage what¡¯s so ever.¡±
?Here they are implying that presenting something negative after the behavior is called ¡°Negative Reinforcement¡±. ?However Negative Reinforcement has to do with removing something negative after a desired behavior has taken place. ?Talking about squirting her in the face with water or the use of electric shocks following undesired behavior should have been referred to as ¡°Punishment¡±.
?However, there was a small misstep in using the phrase ¡°Negative Reinforcement¡± instead of the word ¡°Punishment¡± ?The writers of the show clearly had done some research or had some basic knowledge in Psychology in order to call this ¡°Operant Conditioning¡± and also to attempt to utilize a lot of the technical terms (positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement). ?Overall, a very decent attempt to integrate psychology into a sitcom.
?References used other than our Textbook / Notes ?www.wikipedia.com ?After typing in ¡°The Big Bang Theory¡± ?Used for information on the specifics of the characters

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Blockbuster Project Example

  • 3. ?Consequences are anything that takes place after a behavior has occurred ?Operant Conditioning is defined as a Form of learning which organisms associate their actions with consequences
  • 4. ?3 Types of Consequences: ?1. Positive Reinforcement ?Increases a behavior because the consequence is pleasant ?2. Negative Reinforcement ?Increases a behavior because an unwanted consequence is eliminated ?3. Punishment ?Decrease in behavior because it is followed by the arrival of an unpleasant stimuli
  • 6. ?Leonard and Sheldon are roommates ?Both are genius students at the California Institute of Technology ?Both are Physicists
  • 7. ?Leonard starts dating Penny ?Penny is their neighbor across the hall ?She is an attractive blonde waitress and aspiring actress ?Sheldon is easily irritated by Penny
  • 9. ?One night, Sheldon decides to condition Penny ?Every time she performs a behavior he feels is acceptable, he rewards her with a chocolate
  • 10. ?He rewards her when she states that she will not talk as much during his t.v. program
  • 11. ?He rewards her when she agrees to take her cell phone call out in the hall
  • 12. ?Leonard figures this out and tells Sheldon that he has to stop trying to ¡°train¡± his girlfriend
  • 13. ?Sheldon Quotes: ?¡°You weren¡¯t happy with my previous approach to dealing with her, so I decided to employ Operant Conditioning techniques building on the works of Thorndike and B.F. Skinner.¡± ?Thorndike and B.F. Skinner were both psychologists who studied the workings of Operant Conditioning ?Valid? ? Yes
  • 14. ?Sheldon Quotes: ?¡°Are you saying that I am forbidden from applying a harmless, scientifically valid protocol that would make our lives better?¡± ?Operant Conditioning techniques have been validly demonstrated through scientific laboratory studies ?Valid? ? Yes
  • 15. ?Leonard: ¡°Yes you are forbidden.¡± ?Sheldon: ¡°Bad Leonard!¡± While squirting him in the face with water ?By squirting Leonard in the face with water, Sheldon was actually demonstrating ¡°Punishment¡±. ?Valid? ? They don¡¯t make a comment either way.
  • 16. ?Sheldon: ¡°You know, using positive reinforcement techniques I could train that behavior out of her in a week.¡± ?Leonard: ¡°No.¡± ?Positive Reinforcement is the technique he has been using on Penny ¨C presenting something positive after the behavior. ?Valid? ? Yes
  • 17. ?Sheldon: ¡°If you let me use negative reinforcement I could get it done before we go to bed.¡± ?Leonard: ¡°You¡¯re not squirting her in the face with water!¡± ?Sheldon: ¡°No, of course not, we¡¯re talking very mild electric shocks. No tissue damage what¡¯s so ever.¡±
  • 18. ?Here they are implying that presenting something negative after the behavior is called ¡°Negative Reinforcement¡±. ?However Negative Reinforcement has to do with removing something negative after a desired behavior has taken place. ?Talking about squirting her in the face with water or the use of electric shocks following undesired behavior should have been referred to as ¡°Punishment¡±.
  • 19. ?However, there was a small misstep in using the phrase ¡°Negative Reinforcement¡± instead of the word ¡°Punishment¡± ?The writers of the show clearly had done some research or had some basic knowledge in Psychology in order to call this ¡°Operant Conditioning¡± and also to attempt to utilize a lot of the technical terms (positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement). ?Overall, a very decent attempt to integrate psychology into a sitcom.
  • 20. ?References used other than our Textbook / Notes ?www.wikipedia.com ?After typing in ¡°The Big Bang Theory¡± ?Used for information on the specifics of the characters