Examples in Daily Life
Almost all human behaviour arguably can be classified into a form of B.F Skinner’s operant conditioning. Operant conditioning says that the occurrence of a behavior is strongly affected by its immediate consequences. This theory can explain the simplest of behaviours, like learning not to touch a hot stove because it burns human skin, or it can even explain more complex behaviours such as gambling addiction.
Gambling can be explained using the example of the “Skinner Box.”
After a few tries, the rat placed inside this box learned to push the lever for food because they liked the reward, is similar to a gambler and a slot machine. The rat knows that on average; let’s say 5-6 ratio, food appears acting as positive reinforcement making them press the lever again. Gamblers know that there is a ratio of winning while playing slots and when they do win on a slot machine, that positive reinforcement of money/the satisfaction is enough positive reinforcement to continue to pull the lever on the machine.
Gambling can be explained using the example of the “Skinner Box.”
After a few tries, the rat placed inside this box learned to push the lever for food because they liked the reward, is similar to a gambler and a slot machine. The rat knows that on average; let’s say 5-6 ratio, food appears acting as positive reinforcement making them press the lever again. Gamblers know that there is a ratio of winning while playing slots and when they do win on a slot machine, that positive reinforcement of money/the satisfaction is enough positive reinforcement to continue to pull the lever on the machine.