Behaviour Modification Operant Conditioning Worksheet | Exercises ... - Free Printable

Let's solve this Operant Conditioning Worksheet step by step. We'll classify each example as:

- Positive Reinforcement (PR): Adding a stimulus to increase a behavior.
- Negative Reinforcement (NR): Removing a stimulus to increase a behavior.
- Positive Punishment (PP): Adding a stimulus to decrease a behavior.
- Negative Punishment (NP): Removing a stimulus to decrease a behavior.

---

🔍 Key Definitions:

| Term | Definition | Example |
|------|-----------|--------|
| Positive Reinforcement (PR) | Add something pleasant → increases behavior | Getting candy for inserting a coin |
| Negative Reinforcement (NR) | Remove something unpleasant → increases behavior | Taking aspirin to stop headache |
| Positive Punishment (PP) | Add something unpleasant → decreases behavior | Spanking for misbehavior |
| Negative Punishment (NP) | Remove something pleasant → decreases behavior | Losing car privileges for breaking curfew |

---

## ✔ Question Set #1

1. Johnny puts his quarter in the vending machine and gets a piece of candy.
→ Candy is added → reinforces putting money in machine.
PR

2. I put on sunscreen to avoid a sunburn.
→ Avoiding pain (sunburn) by applying sunscreen → removing an aversive stimulus.
NR

3. You stick your hand in a flame and you get a painful burn.
→ Pain is added → discourages future hand-sticking.
PP

4. Bobby fights with his sister and does not get to watch TV that night.
→ Loss of TV (pleasant stimulus) → reduces fighting.
NP

5. A child misbehaves and gets a spanking.
→ Painful stimulus added → discourages misbehavior.
PP

6. You come to work late regularly and you get demoted.
→ Demotion (unpleasant consequence) added → discourages lateness.
PP

7. You take an aspirin to eliminate a headache.
→ Removing the headache (aversive stimulus) → increases taking aspirin.
NR

8. You walk the dog to avoid having dog poop in the house.
→ Avoiding mess (aversive) → walking dog increases.
NR

9. Nathan tells a good joke and his friends all laugh.
→ Laughter (positive stimulus) added → increases joking.
PR

10. You climb on a railing of a balcony and fall.
→ Falling (pain/aversive) added → discourages climbing.
PP

11. Julie stays out past her curfew and now does not get to use the car for a week.
→ Car use removed → discourages staying out late.
NP

12. Robert goes to work every day and gets a paycheck.
→ Paycheck (reward) added → increases going to work.
PR

13. Sue wears a bike helmet to avoid a head injury.
→ Avoiding injury (aversive) → wearing helmet increases.
NR

14. Tim thinks he is sneaky and tries to text in class. He is caught and given a long, boring book to read.
→ Boring book (aversive) added → discourages texting.
PP

15. Emma smokes in school and gets hall privileges taken away.
→ Privileges removed → discourages smoking.
NP

16. Sawa falls asleep under the sun, and gets a sunburn.
→ Sunburn (aversive) added → discourages sleeping in sun.
PP

17. A rat presses a lever and gets a shock.
→ Shock (aversive) added → discourages pressing lever.
PP

18. Joe puts on deodorant to avoid having body odor.
→ Avoiding bad smell (aversive) → increases using deodorant.
NR

19. Marco studies a lot and gets a good grade.
→ Good grade (positive) added → increases studying.
PR

20. The squirrel runs up a tree to escape a predator.
→ Escape from danger → running increases. This is avoidance learning, but since it's escaping a threat, it's negative reinforcement because the aversive stimulus (predator) is avoided.
NR

---

## ✔ Question Set #2

1. Wearing sunglasses to avoid/remove the glare of the sun.
→ Glare (aversive) removed → increases wearing sunglasses.
NR

2. Receiving a warning from the police for speeding in your car.
→ Warning (aversive) added → discourages speeding.
PP

3. You get sick from drinking too much vodka so you moderate your drinking in the future.
→ Sickness (aversive) added → reduces drinking.
PP

4. Cheng-Lin gets a mark of A on a well-written paper.
→ A grade (positive) added → increases writing well.
PR

5. You receive an award for writing short stories.
→ Award (positive) added → increases writing.
PR

6. Enjoying giving a party where everyone seems to be having a great time.
→ Positive social feedback → increases hosting parties.
PR

7. I got grounded because I came home past curfew.
→ Grounding (loss of freedom) → removes privilege → discourages being late.
NP

8. Eating an entire batch of chocolate cookies in one sitting and feeling sick to my stomach.
→ Sickness (aversive) added → discourages overeating.
PP

9. Hurting your head when you don't duck in a low doorway.
→ Pain (aversive) added → discourages not ducking.
PP

10. Alix gets her allowance after she completes her weekly chores.
→ Allowance (positive) added → increases doing chores.
PR

11. Yusuf ducks his head to avoid hitting it on a low doorway.
→ Avoids pain → increases ducking.
NR

12. You receive a kiss for bringing your girlfriend or boyfriend flowers.
→ Kiss (positive) added → increases giving flowers.
PR

13. You refuse to be affectionate toward your partner when they forget your anniversary.
→ Withdrawal of affection (removal of positive stimulus) → discourages forgetting.
NP

14. You receive a raise at work for doing your job well.
→ Raise (positive) added → increases good performance.
PR

---

## ✔ Final Answers:

Question Set #1

1. PR
2. NR
3. PP
4. NP
5. PP
6. PP
7. NR
8. NR
9. PR
10. PP
11. NP
12. PR
13. NR
14. PP
15. NP
16. PP
17. PP
18. NR
19. PR
20. NR

Question Set #2

1. NR
2. PP
3. PP
4. PR
5. PR
6. PR
7. NP
8. PP
9. PP
10. PR
11. NR
12. PR
13. NP
14. PR

---

## 📝 Summary of Counts:

| Type | Count |
|------|-------|
| Positive Reinforcement (PR) | 9 |
| Negative Reinforcement (NR) | 7 |
| Positive Punishment (PP) | 8 |
| Negative Punishment (NP) | 5 |

✔ These numbers are not equal — as expected.

---

Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer sheet!