PSY 342 Learning & Memory
Assignment 2
Points: 15


This assignment requires some careful thinking about reinforcement and punishment. Your text discusses factors to consider in the effective use of reinforcement (p. 94-114) and punishment (p. 133-151). Your task is now to consider that material closely and then answer the questions that follow. Please type your responses.

  1. Mrs. Morgan is a 5th grade teacher. Johnny is in Mrs. Morgan's class and is being disruptive. He talks out of turn, makes "smart" remarks, and shows lack of focus in carrying out in-class assignments (gets up from his desk and wanders around the classroom). What should Mrs. Morgan do? Organize your answer as follows:
(a) Assume that part of the plan will involve reinforcement. Recall the factors that contribute to the effective use of reinforcement and describe the reinforcement part of the plan.
(b) Assume that part of the plan will involve punishment.  Using the factors discussed in your text, describe the punishment part of the plan.

2. Many schools have introduced zero-tolerance policies regarding the way in which school-based offenses will be punished. For example, first-graders have been suspended for using their fingers to simulate guns and then play “cops-and-robbers."  Also, a male kindergartner has been brought up on sexual harassment charges for giving a female kindergartner a kiss on the cheek after the girl said that she didn’t want a kiss.  According to the principles of instrumental/operant conditioning, are such policies sound if the objective is to teach the children appropriate behavior? Explain your answer.

3. Juanita is trying to discourage her cat from jumping up on the counter in her apartment. (a) Juanita wants to use operant conditioning techniques (e.g., reinforcement, punishment) for the best possible outcome. What should she do?
(b) What things should Juanita avoid doing in order to prevent unwanted outcomes or undesirable side-effects for the cat?

4. (a) From a learning perspective, what is learned helplessness (avoid defining as strictly a mental health phenomenon)? (b) The development of learned helplessness in the conditioning process is an undesirable outcome. Discuss two factors that need to be present in a punishment conditioning procedure in order to PREVENT or MINIMIZE the occurrence of learned helplessness.