Operant Conditioning In The Criminal Justice System
Operant Conditioning In The Criminal Justice System
Definitions
Behaviorist Theories
The classic behaviorist theories have focused more on animal learning than in human and in laboratory situations, rather than real life. By other hand, it sought to produce an outcome with teaching behavioral uniform, so manipulative, forgetting the role of the individual and variability of human response in the face of situations. The criticisms were taken into account in the development of behaviorist theories originating the emergence of neo-behaviorist theories.
Operant conditioning (Skinner)
The behaviors are learned not only a function of stimulus history, but also and especially the subsequent stimuli (stimuli that follow), a contingent relationship:
Are strengthened if the consequences are positive (reinforcement)
Are weakened or disappear in the absence of reinforcement (extinction) or if the consequences are negative (punishments).
Law of effect (Thorndike) - there is a selection of appropriate responses and adaptive, with elimination of inappropriate responses, based on Contingency - relationship between a behavior and a stimulus (antecedent or consequential), finding the regulated behavior or function stimulus - learning by trial and error (Skeem, 2010).
Based on operant conditioning, Skinner proposed a revolution scientific and technological education (basic education programmed), relying on programming sequences of acquisitions to ensure minimal errors and maximum rewards: gradual presentation of the matter, for successive approximations, allowing them to achieve the objectives; supply immediate feedback, with emphasis on strengthening (errorless learning). It allows for individualized progression (through manual or software education). The operant conditioning still based intervention towards behavior modification, particularly in the classroom (Hanson, 2009).
Discussion
The criminal justice system has an influence on the life of every person living in a society. Sometimes, the presence and effect of criminal justice system and administration is somewhat indiscernible to the normal civilian busy in his or her routine work. Though, the criminal justice system contributes the most significant part in protecting the liberties and rights through the principles of operant conditioning. In harmonized and established social order, conduct is often managed by informal bodies like family unit, religious conviction, and group customs. Conversely, in large societies comprising assorted populace and incompatible values, role of official bodies for instance the police force, judicial courts, and rectifications are more crucial in maintaining law and order.
Operant conditioning is one of the learning mechanisms that is most important theoretical and practical. It is probably the most researched psychological concept, and it is the source of some of the most significant applications of psychology to specific problems related to criminal behavior, marketing, societal problems etc.
Operant Conditioning is also known as instrumental conditioning which refers to a kind of learning in which behavior of an individual is modified. The modification in an individual's behavior may include change in form, strength or frequency. The concept of operant conditioning was coined in 1937 by B.F Skinner. Returning to the laws of classical conditioning, it is evidence of a principle of continuity, while operant conditioning involves a law of effect or realization of an answer. A highly significant difference is the type ...
