Instrumental Conditioning

When one hears the term instrumental (operant) conditioning they tend to immediately think of the â€Å"Skinner-Box†. Skinner conducted classic experiments where he trained rats and pigeons to press a lever in order to obtain a food reward. The experimenter would choose a suited output to pair it with a consequence. After a training period, the animals would show the behavior (BH, e.g. pressing the lever) even in absence of any reward, if the BH-US association had been memorized. Instrumental conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that it operates on the environment and refers to the modification of voluntary behavior. For the purposes of this paper I will evaluate the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I will describe the process of potty-training, and compare and contrast the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I will explain the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explain which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training. What is Instrumental Conditioning? â€Å"Instrumental conditioning is a process by which humans and animals learn to behave in such a way as to obtain rewards and avoid punishments. It is also the name for the paradigm in experimental psychology by which such learning and action selection processes are studied† (Staddon & Cerutti, 2003). All behavior is guided by consequences. Dogs beg/perform tricks for treats; politicians study poll results in order to steer the directions of their campaigns. Instrumental conditioning similarly is goal-oriented behavior. The selecting consequences that guide operant conditioning are of two kinds: behavior-enhancing (reinforcers) and behavior-suppressing (punishers). The most important factor in instrumental conditioning is the consequence of the response. â€Å"Responding often seems to be under exquisite control of the reinforcement conditions: Larger and tastier rewards provoke more vigorous response, delayed rewards weaken responding, and satiation of drive leads to a reduction in responding† (Terry, 2009). This consequence takes place because of an arranged contingency (relationship) between the occurrence of the response and the delivery of the reinforcer. The response is â€Å"instrumental† in acquiring the reinforcer, which is the reason this type of conditioning is referred to as instrumental conditioning. The response in turn â€Å"operates† on the environment causing a kind of change which is why it is also known as operant conditioning. Instrumental Conditioning and Potty-Training The Process of Potty-Training. Potty-training—the process of training a young child to use the toilet. Children typically begin to exhibit signs of readiness between the ages of 12 to 18 months and the process is usually fully completed by the time the child reaches 4 years old. Generally it takes longer to learn to stay dry during the night, however most children have mastered this by age 4. Cultural factors also play a role in determining the appropriate age of readiness for potty-training, with Americans usually beginning training later than other cultures (Paul, 2008). Potty-training is a mutual activity requiring cooperation, understanding and agreement between the child and the caregiver. The best methods emphasize consistency and positive reinforcement (over punishment) in order to make it a pleasant experience for the child. Research suggests that around 18 months old is the ideal time to start training due to the child's eagerness to please his/her parents. Positive and Negative Reinforcement. Positive reinforcement refers to the presence of a response-to-reinforcer relationship. â€Å"In positive reinforcement, the reinforcer is contingent on performance of the instrumental response† (Terry, 2009). Each action is followed by an outcome or consequence. Negative reinforcement involves particular behaviors being strengthened (increased) by the consequence of stopping or avoiding a negative condition. It is often confused with punishment, but they are very different. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior whereas punishment weakens (decreases) behavior because a negative condition is introduced as a consequence of the behavior. For example, driving in rush hour traffic is a negative condition for most people. One day they decide to leave home a little earlier, and avoid running into the heavy traffic. They leave home at the same time the next day and again avoid heavy traffic. Their behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic. Positive and Negative Reinforcement as they Relate to Potty-Training. According to Terry (2009) when teaching our children we most often tell them the rules between behaviors and consequences. In some instances the contingencies are simply left for the subject (child) to discover on his/her own. In potty-training, the child must discover what response is necessary to stay dry and receive a reward. Positive reinforcement is the basic practice of rewarding a child for displaying a desired behavior, such as using the potty. The most successful method is to find what your particular child likes most of all, which for the majority of children is either a treat or a toy. When your child acts as desired you use positive reinforcement by rewarding him or her with this highly preferred item as close to the behavior as possible. Add in praise and positive reinforcement has been achieved. The main reason positive reinforcement works so well for potty-training is the way in which a child learns– through association. In contrast, children are not in a rush to move from diapers to using the potty on their own. New behaviors are seldom if ever, accomplished perfectly the first few times. During this time there will be mistakes. That is what learning is all about. When negative reinforcement is used for mistakes then the child learns that new growth experiences should be avoided at all costs, no matter what the new growth opportunity is. Negative reinforcement will likely cause negative outcomes not only in potty training, but in the way the child grasps future experiences. The Role of Reward and Punishment in Potty-Training Rewards. There are many different types of rewards that can be used to motivate toddlers to potty-train. What is most important is that the reward be given immediately following any successful attempt to use a potty. The best rewards are verbal praise, however some may wish to use a small treat as a reward. Positively responding to the child's achievement shows the child that you approve and support them. Positive attention increases the chance of the child repeating the behavior. Rewards and verbal praise should be easy, quick, and inexpensive. Rewards should be given immediately, are not used in place of praise (social reinforcement), used specially for potty-training and not made available any other time, given for the tasks the child can already manage. As the child is managing new skills, praise should be continued and other types of rewards gradually reduced. Punishments. Punishment should not be used if a child has an accident. Some children become upset and frustrated while potty-training so it may help to use clever phrases like â€Å"That silly pee pee just wouldn't wait for the potty, let's see if we can catch it the next time†. Caregivers should remain calm and relaxed rather than punitive when potty-training because it is supposed to be a fun and educational experience. In my own quest to potty-train my children, I have found positive reinforcement to be the most effective training method. The times I got upset and showed anger in response to accidents only served to frighten them and discourage them from trying again. The Most Effective Form of Instrumental Conditioning in Potty-Training In my opinion, the most effective form of instrumental conditioning in potty-training is the use of positive reinforcement so that the child learns to generalize his/her behavior across situations. Positive reinforcement gives the child the courage and confidence s/he needs to be able to use the potty not only in the home/caregiver setting, but in other places as well, thus generalizing his/her behavior. â€Å"The potential strengthening effects of a reinforcer are usually confounded with its reward or incentive effects, both of which lead to improved performance† (Terry, 2009). In other words, the more positive and frequent the praise (and other rewards), the more likely the child is to repeat the desired behavior. Conclusion Instrumental conditioning is dependent on people to act upon their environment and their behavior is subsequently shaped by the response their behavior solicits. Those responses that evoke an increased state of satisfaction are generally repeated as opposed to responses that render a person dissatisfied are likely to decrease. A vital factor in instrumental conditioning is the concept of positive and negative reinforcement. In potty-training a child, the use of positive reinforcement is the most highly effective form of motivation as it increases the likelihood of them repeating desired behavior. In closing, I have evaluated the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I have described the process of potty-training, and compared and contrasted the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I have explained the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explained which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training.

Colonial Language, Behavior and Identity Formation in Two Tempests

Colonial language, behavior and identity formation in Two Tempests Shakespeare in his last work, The Tempest tells the story of Proespero, the duke of Milan who is exiled to an island. The conflicts throughout the play arise from the desire of power over nature and people. Prospero overtakes the power from the native people on the land and is fighting for his title; that has been stolen by his brother. The influence of colonization is present in The Tempest, and is demonstrated in the characters Caliban and Ariel; who become Prospero’s servers in order to get free.Cesaire writes A Tempest, based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, to help the reader understand its message better. The theme remains the same, but Cesaire emphasizes more deeply on the characters Caliban and Ariel. Cesaire presents them as people of the new world, who are under the influence of a foreign power, Prospero. Cesaire presents Caliban and Ariel with slightly different characteristics as Shakespeare, sh owing the important role of their language, behavior and actions.The very first change that Cesaire made in A Tempest we can see at the beginning of the play where the author mentions Ariel as a mulatto slave and Caliban as a black slave. Their change in color is significant because Cesaire expresses the post-colonial influence on the characters. The example of colonization is presented by a white conqueror, Prospero, who takes over the native people on the island, Caliban and Ariel. The two Characters, Caliban and Ariel are described differently in Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Cesaire’s A Tempest.A Tempest is a post-colonial writing, and Cesaire forms his characters with stronger and more significant characteristics. Caliban’s personality becomes more important than in Shakespeare’s play. In The Tempest, Caliban is an insolent, uneducated slave who is controlled through magic by Prospero, while in A Tempest; he becomes an aggressive and defined black ma n. In The Tempest, we can see Caliban as a child of a witch, Sycorax, who is a poor judge of character, acting like an animal and willing to get free.In Cesaire’s play the way he enters the scene is already telling us that he becomes a strong and brave character with a personality. Caliban’s word to Prospero, â€Å"Uhuru† (Cesaire 1. 2. 10-11), shows his rebellious attitude towards his master, letting him know about his eagerness to become free and independent on his island again. â€Å"Uhuru† in Swahili means freedom and for Caliban means his life. With this word, Caliban is showing to Prospero his defiance towards the situation, in which he becomes a slave of his own land.Caliban is the one who introduced the island to Prospero, and he expects to be treated with respect. Caliban is a fighter who is ready to choose death over humiliation: â€Å"Call me X. That would be best. Like a man without a name. Or, to be more precise, a man whose name has been st olen. You talk about history and everyone knows it. † (Cesaire 18) With Prosepero’s arrival to the island, Caliban becomes a slave of its own land. In spite of difficulties and his situation, Caliban does not easily admit defeat.The fact that he wants to be called X rather than Caliban, shows his fight for his free will that he has as a person. In Cesaire’s play Caliban becomes aware of his situation and he knows that a person can be considered a person, if that has the right to take decisions over himself. Prospero has power over Caliban, gives him a new name, and with that Prospero steals his identity and his whole being as a human. This contrasts with Shakespeare’s play where Caliban’s fight for his personality is less important; he just exists and obeys as a slave.Caliban represents the suppressed category of people who are under foreign intruders’ power and forced to obey their commands. The language that Cesaire uses for his characters is more aggressive and eloquent than in Shakespeare’s play. Caliban is arguing furiously with Prospero, showing the injustice of Prospero’s power over him: â€Å"You lied to me so much, about the world, about myself, that you ended up by imposing on me an image of myself. † (Cesaire 3. 5. 22-24) The way Caliban talks to his master shows the tormented relationship that they have.Caliban uses the language that Prospero taught him in a way that expresses his anger and his suffering as a slave of his land. The way Prospero treats Caliban is an example of the colonized lands where the new rulers used the native people for their advantage. The colonizer’s influence on native people is presented by Shakespeare and Cesaire too, just in different languages. For Caliban, there is no importance in speaking Prospero’s language: â€Å"You taught me language, and /my profit on’t/Is, I know how to curse. † (Shakespeare 1. 2. -4); he is forced to do that in order to obey his commands. The colonization of the island took away Caliban’s own language, his name and his home that now he calls â€Å"ghetto†. (Cesaire 13) Shakespeare doesn’t focus as much as Cesaire on Caliban’s character. The language what he uses is from 1400s, and the characters are used mostly for their role in the play and not as a symbol of the colonized lands as in Cesaire’s play. Changing the character’s color and language, Cesaire shows the essence of the diversity in people and their important role in life according to their skin and language.Ariel’s change is substantial, too. He is presented as a mulatto slave, which is another character of colonized lands. His identity is totally different from Caliban’s; he is the naive and obedient slave and not the fighter like Caliban. Ariel is representing the category of people who are ready to obey the master’s command and waiting for changes to happen. Ariel knows that Prospero uses him for his own purpose, and despite of all that, he approaches his tasks with enthusiasm, reporting any activities that he observes.Even though Shakespeare describes Ariel as a sprite, he has human qualities; he is longing for his liberty. He is invisible, but his actions are important, and he reflects human emotions: â€Å"ARIEL. If you now behold them, your affections / would become tender. / PROSPERO. Dost thou think so, spirit? / ARIEL. Mine would, sir, were I human. † (Shakespeare 5. 1. 35-39) Throughout the play, Ariel, the mulatto slave, is described as a compliant server and is treated in a nice way comparative to Caliban, who is treated horribly and threatened.The different treatment of slaves shows us that even between slaves are classifications, and they all have their place in world according to their skin color. In contrast with Shakespeare, Cesaire represents the two characters on a deeper level and focuses more on their personal ities. Throughout the play, Cesaire describes Caliban and Ariel as two servants with different desires and places in the colonized land. Caliban is ready to fight for what belongs to him, including his identity, in contrast with Ariel, who accommodates to the situation and waits for a better future.

Effects of the Great Depression (internationally) essays

Effects of the Great Depression (internationally) essays The Great Depression had a major affect on the United States but soon the Depression was spreading to the rest of the world, especially to Europe. In Europe the single country that was most affected was Germany, whose extremely weak economy could not deal with the slow loss of American capital. The United States pushed Great Britain and France to pay them back for the debts they owed from World War One, forcing the allies to push Germany to pay back their debts; this created a big cycle of lending and paying back that really just put Germany into a bigger debt. At the time of all of this confusion the German dollar was devaluating. During this time the United Kingdom also represented another global economic force in the world. The British economy was not hit as hard or as fast as Germanys. However, as the set-backs of the world crisis became more and more clear, Great Britain experienced a large decline in its exports which was even greater than the decrease in its imports. Those two factors contributed to generate a deficit in its balance of payments. Still, compared to most other industrialized countries, the U.K. got through the Depression in better economic health. The case of Great Britain was different than others because the U.K. got through the Depression years easier than other nations. The British economy recovered easier for three reasons: the abandoning of the gold standard in 1931, the adoption of higher tariffs and the devaluation of the pound. When the U.K. abandoned the gold standard, it gave itself a competitive advantage over the countries which didnt. The new tariff laws helped by protect ing domestic industries and the 30 percent devaluation of the pound added to the competitive edge of the U.K. because it made British products cheaper to the rest of the world. With France, things went much differently. First off, out of the four biggest industrialized countries of the time (U.S., Germany, U.K. ...

Strategic Management Unit 5 DB SA Final Week Essay

Strategic Management Unit 5 DB SA Final Week - Essay Example These differences could be due to misunderstanding and inability to tolerate each other’s weaknesses. Examples are the merger between Alcatel with Lucent and Daimler with Chrysler which were brought down by disagreement on approaches of various strategies and language barrier. According to Sherman (2011), acquisition of other companies also needs proper strategies and adequate information about the company that is to be acquired to make sure that they have complete knowledge of how the company they plan to acquire is doing and what problems are facing that particular company. This then ensures that when a company is acquired the business will not collapse at some point. The successful acquisition of Google on Picasa and Where 2 must have been due to adequate research before acquiring the two. Acquisition can also fail when a company goes head on to acquire a certain businesses without identifying and establishing its nature and its problems well Sherman, (2011). The presented template shows well how acquisition fails when Microsoft failed on acquiring Danger Company without full knowledge of its internal problems. It also failed to establish the compatibility of the Place Ware Place before it went on to acquire

Use of Derivatives in Risk Management Term Paper

Use of Derivatives in Risk Management - Term Paper Example Following are the major sorts of instruments applied by organizations to manage the financial risks associated with business activity. Futures and Options In this type of instrument, one individual or business signs a contract with another one to purchase the commodity on some future date with an agreed-upon price. However, in futures both of the parties have to go through with the contract while in options both of the parties reserve the right to withdraw the contract upon paying in monetary terms. Agreements: This instrument is localized in nature, and governments do not interfere with its transactions. Nevertheless, the purpose of these agreements is the same as that of futures and options, which is to hedge against fluctuations in the market price of the commodity or an industrial product. It is also important to note that these kinds of agreements are more common in economically distressed nations. But, recently they are intensively deployed in order to ensure a supply of raw material in US, which is necessary because of the prevailing recession in the local market. So, it is safe to assume that businesses are preparing themselves for increasing adversities of the future by contracting with their suppliers on a long term basis, which also enables them to attain economies of scale as a result, driving their financial and operational costs down that allows them to lower their prices in order to increase their market share. Nevertheless, it is fascinating to acknowledge that various businesses are paying close attention towards managing financial risk through using statistical models in order to assess the current level of risk, which can disrupt the expected pattern of their cash flows (Benson & Oliver, 2004). However, they often lack the proper translation of this analysis into practical plans, so in this way they cannot benefit from the concept of derivatives effectively most of the times. On the other hand, manufacturing sector of Europe is using derivatives more extensively than American ones (SpricIc, 2007). The prime reason for this trend is prevailing and growing uncertainty of the European market as compared to that of America. Along with this, managers who deploy derivatives in order to evaluate the degree of risk in financial terms are viewed as trustworthy by stockholders because they consider it as the proper and desirable means of minimizing financial threats (Koonce, Lipe, & McAnally, 2008). However, managers are found to falter by not basing their business decisions on the results of derivative analysis, therefore portraying the image of rational business decision making when in reality it is not the case. At the same time, derivatives are not rated as an effective mean for minimizing the possibility of default (Yi, Lin, & Chen, 2008). Therefore, derivatives can only be utilized as the mean of predicting future financial position of a particular firm. However, it is important to note that firms that base their decisions on derivative analysis often outperform those that do not consider derivatives as an ideal method for predicting financial future (Lin, Pantzalis, & Park, 2009). Another advantage of successful risk management is contentment of stockholders (Berk, Peterlin, & Cok, 2009). Through effective management, risk managers can handle them and are

Nestle Global Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nestle Global Strategy - Research Paper Example All the more as of late, the organization has been one of the essential focuses of the worldwide development against the packaged water industry. The organization's hardline work relations practices in poor nations have made it a lowlife in the eyes of the worldwide union movement (Mattera, 2007). Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Strategy What is Transitional Strategy? It is the methodologies and mediations used to work with individuals who are making a move from a transient program towards a maintainable occupation. Settle receive the move method that holds the component of worldwide institutionalization procedure and confinement methodology to work its organization by the 21st century. By utilizing the transnational methodology, Nestle likes the ease through economies of scale and offers distinctive item to diverse advertises with high neighborhood responsiveness so as to safeguard its old showcases in the advanced markets and search for potential development in rising markets. Settle utilize this technique to operation its business in the improving scene in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America to improve parts and preparing engineering to neighborhood conditions and afterward utilizing a brand name reverberates mainly as the social propensities contrast in diverse countries. For example, Brief Case Study: Nestle has taken as much as 85 percent of the market in Mexico, 70 percent of the market for soups in Chile, 66 percent of the market for powdered milk in the Philippines. Besides, Nestle hired local singer to promote its goods in Nigeria, Planning of a delivery mechanism to increase efficiency in the China East, and the use of local material and majoring on local demand such as make ice cream in Dubai. Nestle focus on increasing profitability by customizing the firm' products so that it provides a good match to tastes and preference in different nation. Customization instead of globalization is the star to Nestle’s strategy in emerging markets. Modes of Entering Exporting What is Exporting? It is processing products in one nation and offering them in an alternate nation. This section alternative permits an organization to make the minimum number of progressions regarding its item, its association, and even its corporate objectives. Host nations normally don't like this practice in light of the fact that it gives less nearby job than under elective method of section. Indirect exporting is the point at which a firm offers its locally handled products in an outside nation through a middle person. It has the minimum measure of responsibility and danger yet will most likely furnish a proportional payback benefit. It is perfect for an organization that has no abroad contacts however needs to market abroad. Direct exporting is the point at which a firm offers its locally processed merchandise in an outside nation without go-betweens. Settle gets included in immediate exporting when they accept their volume of bargains will be sufficiently extensive and simple to acquire with the goal that they don't require mediators (Inking, 2013). An example is, the company will begin exporting Coffee Mate to markets beyond Asia this year, including South Africa, Turkey and West African countries such as the Ivory Coast (Campbell, 2013). Licens ing Under licensing, Nestle offers the right to a trademark, patent, exchange mystery, or other comparatively esteemed things of savvy property

Virtual simulation in military training Essay Example for Free

Virtual simulation in military training Essay Virtual simulation provides a safe and effective way of training soldiers and military personnel in a given environment by fully simulating real equipment and real conditions. According to (Smith, 2007, p. 1), the military has been using and developing simulation technologies for several decades. Military simulations, or war games as they are commonly called, allow soldiers to rehearse missions and test the theories of warfare to get a better estimation and understanding of complex interactions and outcomes in the battlefield. The advantage is that learning occurs without the need of actual hostilities. Military simulation is â€Å"a system or model that represents activities and interactions over time. A simulation may be fully automated, or it may be interactive or interruptible† (NSC, 2000, as cited in Smith, 2007, p. 1). Thus, virtual simulation provides both â€Å"human-in-the-loop† simulators for training and analytical tools for computing outcomes in a controlled environment that is free of the life threatening situations that are part of real combat operations. The Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) is the First member of the Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (CATT) family of virtual, distributed interactive simulations for collective training to provide armor, mechanized infantry, cavalry and recon crews, units and staffs with a virtual, collective training capability (from PEO STRI) The Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEOSTRI) is in charge of acquisition and technology solutions to develop simulated training modules for US soldiers. Simulated training mainly consists of critical warfighting skills and rehearsals so that they could safely accomplish their missions. Military simulations exist in many different forms and in varying degrees of realism. Smith (2007) explained a number of different military simulation techniques and models. A military model constitutes either a â€Å"mathematic equation, a logical algorithm, a three-dimensional digital image, or a partial physical mock-up of the system† (Smith, 2007, p. 1). Military models not only include land, air, and sea vehicles; communications and radar equipment; handheld weapons; and individual soldiers but also the decision-making process and automated information processing that occurs inside the human brain and within battlefield computers. Different combinations and representations of the environment that is made up of terrain, vegetation, cultural features, the atmosphere, ocean, and RF environment are created to accurately represent potential military situations. Military simulations often focus on activities like movement, perception, exchange, engagement, reasoning, and dynamic environment. The user is able to picture the change in the position of an object over time through the dynamic representation of movement. Representation of perception allows the user to detect the existence, position, and identification of the other object through sensor models that capture the signatures of those objects. Representation of exchange that encompass the breadth and depth of the battlefield allow objects to exchange materials and information with each other in battlefield operations based on information on consumption rates and predeployment and replenishment of supplies as well as human decisionmaking and behaviors. An engagement model which has been the pivotal focus of military simulated training and analysis typically includes the exchange of weapons or firepower from a shooter to a target. This exchange decrements the capability of the shooter by expending ammunition (e. g. bullets, missiles, bombs, rockets, grenades, artillery rounds). The model captures the geometry between the shooter and the target and environmental features like trees, terrain, water, and buildings that may interfere with the optimal delivery of the weapon, defensive systems of the target (e. g. effects of flares or chaff in deceiving and misleading a guided missile and protective effects of armor to deflect the weapon). The dynamic environment model features a simulated environment that is more than just a static state but representations of interactions with military objects both through direct intention and through accidental collocation. (Smith, 2007, pp. 5-10)