Operant Vs. Respondent

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Operant VS Respondent Behavior i Our text describes operant behavior as a behavior that is produced by an antecedent stimuli. In the case of the video clip, I believe the young girl demonstrates operant behavior. Operant behavior is behavior who’s frequency is dependent on the history of consequences. It is evident when the therapist selects the sensory pea for the child to use, and the child finds the bouncing sensation reinforcing. The history of reinforcement (the bouncing) will increase from this selected activity. Here the stimulus is the sensory pea, and the behavior is the bouncing. When the therapist “adjusts” the girl in the sensory pea, the adjustment is learned and the bouncing continues, as operant behavior. Dr. Zane explained operant behavior in his lecture as effects on a future decision. I think the young girls future decision to bounce when adjusted, or put in the sensory pea, was established in this video clip. Dr. Zane also used the example of a burning stove. Getting burned by the stove would effect our future decision to touch it. The SD would then be the burning red. In order for a respondent behavior to be true it must be induced, or brought out by a stimulus. As Dr. Zane also commented in his lecture, a respondent behavior can also be reflexive. One is born with these reflexive responses, and it is an automatic response to stimulus presented. A good example Dr. Zane used is someone blowing in your eye. Your automatic response, or respondent behavior, is to blink. Just like when a dog smells meat, his respondent behavior is to salivate. This is a genetic

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