The obj ectives in this programme have been hierarchically structured into 4 learning levels ; 5 through to 8 . Your placement tes t reflects these l evels . Look at the first item in the test:
1 ( 1 • 6 )
l
l
l
Item Number Obj ective Learning
Number Level
The same pattern follows for the rest of the test. The programme
has a similar notation system, except that each learning level has been
divided into a number of exercises .
For example : ( 1 )
l
Obj ective 7l
Learning level • 1l
Exercise mnnberHaving completed and marked your placement test you may use this information to help you decide which learning levels you need to study , and which ones you can safely skip over. Before you start a new
obj ective in the programme , check your performance on the learning
levels for that particular obj ective from the placement test . I f you got all th� items in that level wrong , the chances are that you will need to work through the exercises for that level in the programme .
I f you got the items correct , the chances are that you have previously mastered the material and you can skip over that level . I f you only got a few items correct in a particular level , you must decide whether
y
you .need to work through the exercises in the programme , or whether you can skip over them. Use the placement test in this way for each obj ective , it will make your study of the programme much more
efficient . However , you should work the problems in each obj ective l evel 8 , checking your answers with those at the back of tne
progranme .
I f you make an error , go back over the previous exercise and see if you can figure out why you are wrong .
Check your placement tes t for the first obj ective , and s tart the programme . Best o f luck!
1
REINFORCEMENT
(1) 6 . 1
Human behaviour is pretty complex . Without its complexity , novels and movies dramatis ing it , and life itself, would be very dul l . Like most complex things , behaviour can be broken down into its simple properties . We ' re going to examine some of these properties so that we can become more competent in managing the complex new behaviours we wish to impart to our s tudents .
Here are three short sketches :
A. Joe Smith is a psychology student . He is interested in getting the primative flatworm planarian to contract its body at the moment he flashes a l ight . He starts the experiment by giving the flatworm a mild electric shock everytime he turns on the light . Eventually , the flatworm learns to contract its body the moment the l ight is turned on , and in the absence of any shock being given .
B . Two year old Suzy i s an inquis itive child who likes to
pick up and touch everything within her grasp . There are some objects that could make this dangerous . For instance , she is told not to touch the top of the electric stove because somet imes it is hot . However , her exploratory enthusiasm gets the better of her , and she touches it when
its hot . Her·fingers get burnt as she sharply withdraws her hand . She doesn ' t touch the stove anymore .
2 ( 1) 6 . 1 (CONT . )
C . Marj orie Bagghoff is a mother of three . Sometime ago , while
shopping in a large departmental store , it caught fire . Fifteen people were burnt to death , and many dozens were seriously injured. Marj orie was lucky . Though partially overcome by smoke , but with the help of a fireman, she was carried to safety with l ittle apparent injury. But Marj orie now can ' t s tand the sight of fire and smoke , even from a barbeque . Whenever she sees a flame the old dread and panick returns and she becomes quite hysterical .
Now:
Each of these stories has three things in common :
1 . There is something which causes some form of behaviour to occur . This we call the ST I MULUS .
2 . There is evidence of some form of activity or
behaviour. This we call the RESPONSE .
3 . The subj ect in each case suffered the CONSEQUENCES
of that behaviour , and so affected the future occurance ' of similar or associated behaviour.
A . 1 . What were the stimu li in the first story?
2 . What was the response in the second story?
3 . What were the consequences o f behaviour in each of the three stories?
a .
b .
c .
3
(1) 6 . 1 (CONI . )
Answers A . 1 . light and shock
2 . wi thdrawl of hand
3 . a. Flat worm has learned to contract its body in the presence of l ight .
b . Suzie learned not to touch the stove .
c . Marj orie Bagghoff had a fear o f fire .
We can now make a rule :
The CONSEQUENCES following a behaviour affect the
PROBAB I L I TY that the RES PONSE will RECUR .
For example , a golfer changes his grip from overlapping
to interlocking . How straight and how far the ball goes increases
or decreases the probabil ity that he will use the new grip again .
B . 1 . In the golfer example , if the ball goes straight and far ,
is the probability of us ing the new grip increased or decreased?
2 . I f he hooks or slices , is the probability
increased or decreased that he will use the new grip?
3 . Do you think the following statement is
true?
" I f CONSEQUENCES following a behaviour
are favourab le , the behaviour that produced the favourable results is strengthened (made more l ikely to recur) '' .
4
Answers : (1) 6 . 1 : B . 1 . Increased
2 . Decreased
5
(1) 7 . 2 REINFORCEMENT
When a person makes any sort of response to another , there are four
things that can be done about it .
1 . RE I N FORCE I T :
2 . PUN I SH I T :
3 . DO NOTH ING :
4 . N EGATIVELY R E I NFO RCE I T :
Provide consequences which increase
the probability that the response
or behaviour will recur .
Provide consequences which are
unfavourab le to the performer .
Neither provide favourable or
unfavourable consequences .
Increase the probability of desired behaviour by providing the means for
the individual to terminate a mild
aversive situation resulting from
the undesired behaviour .
Examined in a little greater depth , the rules are :
• Reinforcing behaviour INcreases the likel ihood that the previous
behaviour will recur . The consequences of that behaviour have in some way been pleasureable , or satisfied the individual .
• Punishment has VAR I E D and UNPRE D I CTABLE long term effects on behaviour .
While punishment may be immediately effective , and certainly involves less time and energy than alternatives , it tends to have these
disadvantages :
- Leads to emotionalism on the part of the recipient (becomes defensive , often s till at variance with the desired behaviour) .
- Leads to a generali zed avoidance of the situation .
-.Frequently produces "avoidance" and related undesired
behaviours . Is unreliable and should be avoided in teaching .