IsaacLivingstonandBraydonWhitehead

Psychology1010

Section1:WewenttothefoodcourtattheCityCreekMall.WewentonJune10,2016at12:20
PM.Theretheyhadafairlylargeplayareaforchildrentoplayaroundin.Therewasasmallwall
aroundtheplayarea.Wesatatatablerightnexttothewalltoeatandlisten.Intheplayarea,
therewereacoupledinosaursthatwerenotveryhighoftheground.Thekidswereableto
climbonthem,andundersomeofthem.Therewasplentyofopenspaceforthekidstorun
aroundaswell.

Section2:DescriptionofObservations
Observation1
Principle:PositiveReinforcement
Descriptionofsubjects:Therewasawhitemotherthatappearedtobeinherearly30s.
Therewasalsoayoungboythatwasalsowhiteandappearedtobearound3.
Observationofprinciple:Thelittleboywastryingtoclimbtheplaygroundequipment.
Everytimehesucceeded,themomwouldactexcitedandpraisehim,sayinggoodjob.
Throughouttheclimb,themotherwouldencourageaswell.
Effectiveness:Thiswasveryeffective.Thefactthatitwaseffectivewasshownbythe
littleboycontinuingtoclimb,andafterhesucceededandwasrewarded,hewouldgetoffand
thenclimbupagain.
Observation2
Principle:PositivePunishment

Descriptionofsubjects:Therewasayoungmotherthatlookedabout20yearsoldanda
veryyounggirlthatwasatmost2yearsold.Bothwerewhite.
Observationofprinciple:Thelittlegirlwasscreaming.Hermomthenscoldedher,telling
hertostopscreaming.
Effectiveness:Itseemedtoworkfairlywell.Imean,thekidwasreallyyoungandsoshe
stillcriedalittlebitbutnotasmuchasbeforethescolding.
Observation3
Principle:NegativeReinforcement
Descriptionofsubjects:Therewasalittlewhitegirlwholookedabouttheageof5.Her
parentswerealsowhite,andappearedtobeintheirmidtolate40s.
Observationofprinciple:Therewasalittlegirlwhowasthrowingatantrum.Shewanted
togoseethewaterfallatCityCreek.Shescreamedandstompedherfoot,andjustwhinedin
general.Intheend,herparentsgaveintoherandjustsaidfine,theywouldgotothewaterfall.
Atthispoint,thegirlbecamehappyandstoppedthrowingatantrum.
Effectiveness:Thistechniquewasveryeffective.Theparentswereunawareofthis
negativereinforcement.Inordertostopthegirlfromwhining,theygaveintoherdesires.This
furthersolidifiedinthelittlegirlsmindthatshewouldgetwhatshewantedifshewhined.

Section3:Whileobserving,wenoticedthatmostpeopleuseconditioningwithoutevenrealizing
it.Themotherwhoencouragedherkidprobablyfeltthatwasnatural.Themotherwhotoldher
kidtostopscreamingwasdoingwhatshehadbeentaughtto.Theparentswhogaveintothe
kidwerentwantingthebeliefthattantrumsgetthegirlwhatshewantstobeformed,yettheir
behaviorencouragedthismentality.Ithinkthatthisisprobablytrueformostparents.

Doingthisassignmenthasmademerealizehowmuchconditioningisusedbyparents

andwhichconditioningtechniquesaremoreeffectivethanothers.Ithasledmetostarttothink
aboutwhatIwoulddodifferentlythantheparentsofthesechildren.LookingatthisIcanplanfor
whatIamgoingtodowhenIhavekids.Iwouldsaythatnaturalisticobservationisaprettygood
waytoconductresearch.Itallowsyoutoviewhowpeopleactwithoutinfluencingwhattheydo
throughtellingthemthattheyarebeingwatched.Thismakesitabetterwaytoobservepeople
becauseyougettoseehowpeopleactuallybehavewhentheydon'tthinkthatpeopleare
watchingwhattheyaredoing.