The+Neo-Skinnerian+Model


 * __ THE NEO-SKINNERIAN MODEL __**


 * Shaping Desired Behavior **

This model is called Neo-Skinnerian to indicate that it is made up of newer applications of Skinner’s basic ideas. Skinner himself never proposed a model of school discipline.
 * Skinner’s Key Ideas: **

1. Behavior is shaped by its consequences, by what happens to the individual after performing the act.

2. Behavior is strengthened if followed immediately by reinforcers. Technically, a reinforcer is a stimulus that increases the likelihood that the individual will repeat the act. We commonly think of reinforcers as rewards.

3. Strengthened behaviors are those that have become more likely to be repeated.

4. Behavior is weakened if it is not followed by reinforcement.

5. Weakened behaviors are those that become less likely than before to be repeated.

6. Behavior is also weakened if followed by punishment. Punishment is //not// the same thing as negative reinforcement.

7. Systematic use of reinforcement (rewards) can shape individual=s behavior in desired directions.

8. In the early stages of learning, constant reinforcement produces the best results. Constant means that the behavior is reinforced every time it occurs.

9. Once learning has reached the desired level, it is best maintained through intermittent reinforcement, reinforcement that is provided only occasionally, on an unpredictable schedule.

10. When applied to classroom learning and discipline, this process of behavior shaping through reinforcement is called behavior modification.

11. Behavior modification is one of the most powerful tools available to teachers for strengthening desired classroom learning and behavior.

12. Behavior modification is applied in these two ways: a. The teacher observes the student perform an desired act; the teacher rewards the student; the student tends to repeat the act. b. The teacher observes the student perform an undesired act; the teacher either ignores the act or punishes the student, then praises a student who is behaving correctly; the misbehaving student becomes less likely than before to repeat the act.

13. Behavior modification successfully uses various kinds of reinforces. They include social reinforces, such as verbal comments, facial expressions, and gestures; graphic reinforces, such as marks and stars; activity reinforces, such as free time, free reading, and collaborating with a friend; and tangible reinforces, such as food, prizes, and printed awards.