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What do parents do, at a fast food restaurant, to encourage desirable behaviors and discourage undesirable behaviors? Are the principles of operant conditioning being used? You are to visit any fast food restaurant (McDonald’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Wendy’s, Taco Bell, or Jack in the Box.) You are to observe how parents use the principles of operant conditioning, where they misuse them, and where they fail to use them but should. You can observe in the main dining area or the play area, if they have one, or both. You may not include any drive up observations. Then briefly describe one outstanding example for any three of the following categories. You can use three different subjects or use one subject for more than one example. You only need one OUTSTANDING (clear, definite) example foir each of the three principles you choose.
Two people teams,
one report per team. Cross class is ok with permission of Mr. Rogoway. Reports
are due on or before the due date, whether or not you are absent.
FORMAT: Standard
title page
There will be three sections to your paper.
Section 1
– Description of restaurant (including if it has a play area), date and
time of observation.
Section 2
– Three observations. Each observation labeled with principle of operant
conditioning at the beginning. Description of ss (adults and children) including
age, gender, race. What did you observe that demonstrated the principle being
discussed? How effective was the technique?
Section 3
– Comments, including misuse or failure to use, questions that came up,
surprises.
Do not combine sections into an observations.
PRINCIPLES:
Any three of the following four.
1. Positive reinforcement of DESIRED behaviors.
2. Negative reinforcement for failing to show DESIRED
behaviors.
3. Punishment for UNDESIRED behaviors.
4. Extinction of UNDESIRED behaviors by withdrawing
attention or reinforcing stimuli.