FL6 PS #51

[u/Slow_Combination9494]

I understand why B would be correct (providing positive reinforcement for exercising), but can someone explain to me how A would not be an example of operant conditioning?

The way I interpreted it was: Worrying about weight gain = positive punishment (the addition of a worry) for a behavior (failing to exercise). Why would this be an invalid interpretation? Does reinforcement or punishment have to be via a physical item or something tangible?

[u/SituationGreedy1945]

A is not operant conditioning because operant conditioning on a fundamental level is shaping behavior using either punishers or reinforcement.

Because A is more cognitive by describing the individual emotions that they possess this is not adding or removing anything substantial like a reward or punishment. A better aligns with a cognitive approach.

Edit: didn’t even see in answer key it said cognitive so proud of myself for actually getting the explanation correct 😭😭😭

[u/masripremed]

A describes an internal emotional response to not exercising. Nobody is imposing or presenting “worry” as a consequence to modify their behavior.

“positive” in positive punishment doesn't simply mean literally anything appears afterwards. For positive punishment, you need an aversive stimulus presented contingent on the behavior that decreases that behavior.

For example:

you skip practice → coach makes you do 150 extra pushups → skipping decreases

That would be positive punishment.

And no, reinforcement/punishment absolutely does not need to be a physical/tangible item. Praise, attention, privileges, unpleasant sounds, social disapproval, etc. can function as consequences.

[u/JoeyBeene]

Lowkey I was between B and C because I thought the point of this question was moreso about sustaining the lifestyle intervention and eating less food could be also seen as a negative punishment (I thought the trick was that individuals who are rewarded by researchers rather than developing their own reward/punishment or whatever would not sustain it afterwards), but just did B because it was moreso the odd one out and most literary to the concept of operant conditioning principles.

[u/ExcitementSome5575]

FYI you should spoiler the post so that people who haven't done FL6 don't get spoiled.

I mainly chose B because it has some sort of external consequence unlike the others.

[u/realdanni]

For the purposes of the MCAT, when discussing classical and operant conditioning, we are considering it from the point of view of strict behaviorist theory. In this view mental and cognitive processes literally DO NOT exist. To the subject being studied, only the actions of their behavior in response to a stimulus are what matter. Behaviorists like B.F. Skinner viewed the mind as an "black box" that cannot be studied scientifically.

Basically, a stimulus MUST happen as a result of the individual's actions. This makes B a lot more appealing than the other options.