Praise & Punish Your Peers: Operant Conditioning Activity
NCSS Thematic Strand: Individual development & identity
Class periods: 1-50 minute period
Grades 9-12
Background
The following is an activity designed as part of a psychology unit on learning. This
activity specifically deals with B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning. Instructors
may choose to use this activity as a review of the principles of operant conditioning after
it has been taught according to their own style, or as an introduction to B.F. Skinner’s
work on operant conditioning. An entire class period may be dedicated to this activity
alone, or the activity may serve as a smaller part of an operant conditioning lesson.
Described below is the activity, including materials, objectives, procedures, assessment
of outcomes, and additional considerations instructors may find useful. The nature of
the activity is flexible to changes based on class size, makeup, instructor preferences,
or teaching styles.
Objectives
Students will:
Actively engage in a memorable activity
Use existing knowledge of operant conditioning to inform their behavior in the
activity, or apply their experience from the activity to their future learning
Discuss theoretical ideas behind the effects of reinforcement and punishment
Create and discuss examples of how the principles of operant conditioning might
apply to the real world
Procedures
Procedure 1
Select two student volunteers and instruct them to exit the classroom.
Procedure 2
Describe the activity to the class and inform them of their role. While the volunteers are
in the hallway, the instructor and students will decide on a task for the volunteers to
complete, such as picking up a particular object. Volunteers will enter the room one at a
time and the instructor and students will work together to encourage the volunteer to
complete the agreed upon task. In order to do this, they will use operant conditioning,
specifically non-verbal rewards and punishments that present as applause or booing.
Procedure 3
Invite the first volunteer to enter the room. When they do, the class will use positive
reinforcement in order to get them to perform the chosen task. Do not give the volunteer
any instruction. Without speaking, the class with reinforce desired behavior with
applause. Every time the volunteer gets closer to performing the desired task, the class
will clap. If they move closer to the location of the task, the class will clap again. If they
move away from performing the task or remain in one place too long, the entire class
will cease to applaud and sit in silence.
Procedure 4
Once the volunteer has performed the agreed upon task, explain to them the nature of
the activity. Then, Take a moment to explain to the class the different approach you will
use when the second volunteer enters the room. For this volunteer, the class will use
positive punishment to encourage them to perform the desired task. Any time the
volunteer does something other than move closer to the desired task, the class will boo.
Again, no verbal feedback will be given.
Procedure 5
Invite the second volunteer to enter the classroom. As with the first volunteer, give them
no verbal instructions. Use positive punishment in the form of booing to encourage the
desired behavior.
Procedure 6
Engage the class in a discussion of the activity. Which form of reinforcement was the
most effective? What were some of the reactions the volunteers had? Ask the
volunteers how this activity made them feel. Attempt to create a conversation about the
activity and about the nature of operant conditioning. How do individuals in the real
world employ operant conditioning? How could instructors and students use operant
conditioning in the classroom? This discussion may be flexible and is intended to
promote further thinking for students.
Procedure 7
Conclude the lesson by asking students to spend the evening thinking about an
example of operant conditioning in their home. Do they train their pets? Have their
parents trained them in some way, through allowances or grounding? Have they, in
return, trained their parents? Instructors may choose to assign students to bring a
written response to class the following day.
Assessment of Outcomes
Students will demonstrate knowledge of operant conditioning through continuing
exposure throughout the unit, including formative and summative assessment.
Students will demonstrate what they learned during the activity through discussion.
Additional considerations
When choosing student volunteers, be sure to select a student you feel would not
be too uncomfortable with pressure from the class.
As there will be two volunteers who will participate in the activity at one time and
may spend a significant time in the hallway, the instructor may want to advise
volunteers to bring reading or homework into the hall.
When choosing a task, try to pick something that will require them to interact with
a classroom object that is not near where they sit.
The timeframe for this activity may vary widely. The behavior of the student
volunteers may be unpredictable.
