Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
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By Isabela Devereaux-Gonzalez
(Xie Art therapy: Arts: The Harvard Crimson)
College is extremely hard and it affects each person differently. For some school comes easily for others especially those with mental disorders and learning differences which can make college seem almost impossible. This can lead to a lack of sleep by staying up all night to stay on top of classwork. It can also lead to mental distress. The top mental health issues and disorders facing college students are ADHD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, and depression. So what can we do to help ease some of this stress? One of the ways we can do this is by using operant conditioning.
College is extremely hard and it affects each person differently. For some school comes easily for others especially those with mental disorders and learning differences which can make college seem almost impossible. This can lead to a lack of sleep by staying up all night to stay on top of classwork. It can also lead to mental distress. The top mental health issues and disorders facing college students are ADHD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, and depression. So what can we do to help ease some of this stress? One of the ways we can do this is by using operant conditioning.
(Rogers Sleep Dream Cows)
Sleep is very important and something we all need yet sometimes it seems to be more of a hassle and work to get all the sleep we need. What is happing when we sleep? And why do we even need sleep?
Sleep is very important and something we all need yet sometimes it seems to be more of a hassle and work to get all the sleep we need. What is happing when we sleep? And why do we even need sleep?
(Cherry The 4 stages of sleep (NREM and REM sleep cycles))
When we sleep we go through 4 stages of sleep.
NREM-1
This stage is very short. Here you would experience images that resemble hallucinations. For example, this is when you would have dreams where you are falling that cause you to wake up suddenly.
NREM-2
In this stage, you would have a lot of brain wave activity and it still isn't too hard to be woken up. This is where you would spend half of the night.
NREM-3
In this stage, you are very hard to wake up. This is when your brain is giving off slow delta waves.
REM
REM stands for rapid eye movement sleep. In this stage, one would experience very vivid dreams. The muscles become very relaxed but other body functions are very active. In this stage, your brain waves are very similar to when you are awake.
(Walch Sleep deprivation 101)
So what happens with bad sleep or not enough sleep? It is found that sleep loss can lead to depression. “Researchers who studied 15,500 12- to 18-year-olds found that those who slept 5 or fewer hours a night had a 71 percent higher risk of depression than their peers who slept 8 hours or more” (Myers and DeWall). Also when you go more than 5 days without sleep that is usually when you begin to start hallucinating which is what we see happing in this drawing. Without sleep you become more on edge and less productive. You are more likely to become depressed or experience other mental health distress. Going long bouts without sleep can also lead to a greater likelihood of getting sick.
So what happens with bad sleep or not enough sleep? It is found that sleep loss can lead to depression. “Researchers who studied 15,500 12- to 18-year-olds found that those who slept 5 or fewer hours a night had a 71 percent higher risk of depression than their peers who slept 8 hours or more” (Myers and DeWall). Also when you go more than 5 days without sleep that is usually when you begin to start hallucinating which is what we see happing in this drawing. Without sleep you become more on edge and less productive. You are more likely to become depressed or experience other mental health distress. Going long bouts without sleep can also lead to a greater likelihood of getting sick.
(Cherry What is operant conditioning theory?)
So how can we get a good amount of sleep while also keeping up with our coursework and other responsibilities? We can start by forming healthy habits. We can do this by using operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is where a living thing associates punishment and rewards with a certain behavior so either enforcing the behavior or discouraging it. When talking about operant conditioning it is important to talk about B.F. Skinner. Skinner is considered the father of operant conditioning with Edward L. Thorndike’s law of effects Skinner was able to develop behavioral technology to be able to test his theories. One of the main ones he used was his operant chamber also known as a Skinner Box. In the box, there is a lever that the animal hits. When the animal hits the lever it releases food or water, “This creates a stage on which rats and other animals act out Skinner’s concept of reinforcement” (Myers and DeWall). This box showed us how important reinforcement is in shaping behavior. Skinner had a very controversial legacy. His outspoken beliefs on our lack of free will and how our actions are the result of external influences, not our thoughts or feelings. He argued that we should use operant conditioning to our advantage to influence our own behavior or the behavior of others.
So how can we get a good amount of sleep while also keeping up with our coursework and other responsibilities? We can start by forming healthy habits. We can do this by using operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is where a living thing associates punishment and rewards with a certain behavior so either enforcing the behavior or discouraging it. When talking about operant conditioning it is important to talk about B.F. Skinner. Skinner is considered the father of operant conditioning with Edward L. Thorndike’s law of effects Skinner was able to develop behavioral technology to be able to test his theories. One of the main ones he used was his operant chamber also known as a Skinner Box. In the box, there is a lever that the animal hits. When the animal hits the lever it releases food or water, “This creates a stage on which rats and other animals act out Skinner’s concept of reinforcement” (Myers and DeWall). This box showed us how important reinforcement is in shaping behavior. Skinner had a very controversial legacy. His outspoken beliefs on our lack of free will and how our actions are the result of external influences, not our thoughts or feelings. He argued that we should use operant conditioning to our advantage to influence our own behavior or the behavior of others.
(Myers Where the Heart Ventures 72)
Another reason getting a good amount of sleep is important is that the lack of sleep can lead to mental distress and mental health issues. To be able to not only be a good student but a healthy person it is important to make sure we have a good emotional balance. With what we know about operant conditioning how can we use this to start to form good habits that will not only help with our courses but also help us to be healthier happier people?
Another reason getting a good amount of sleep is important is that the lack of sleep can lead to mental distress and mental health issues. To be able to not only be a good student but a healthy person it is important to make sure we have a good emotional balance. With what we know about operant conditioning how can we use this to start to form good habits that will not only help with our courses but also help us to be healthier happier people?
(Daffin Module 6: Operant Conditioning)
Using operant conditioning to help change your behavior can turn something that seems really hard into something that is a lot more achievable. The best way to do this is by following these steps:
Make a realistic goal
It is important to not only make this goal realistic but also something that you can measure. An example of this is keeping a consistent bedtime and not taking your phone to bed.
Make a plan
What you would want to do next is make a plan. In this plan, you would decide how and when you're going to work toward your goal.
Next monitor your current behavior
With this, you will monitor how often you actually engage in the behavior you want. For example, paying attention to when you go to bed at the time you set in your goal.
Reinforce your goal behavior
Here you would do things that reward completion of the desired behavior.
Reduce reinforcement
Once these behaviors have become habits you can start to decrease the amount of reinforcement you need.
(Colorful Depression)
College can be very stressful, with the amount of course work, time in class, studying, reading, and for most of us working. This stress can be good and motivate us but it can also lead to mental distress. It can also be especially hard for those with mental disabilities and disorders. The top mental health issues affecting college students are:
ADHD
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder more commonly known as ADHD affects 25% of college students with disabilities. ADHD is most commonly known for hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and a hard time focusing. Yet people with it can also experience nightmares, depression, and anxiety.
Anxiety disorders
Now and then we all experience anxiety but for some, this can become a problem and cause a lot of distress. There are many different kinds of anxiety disorders all ranging in severity. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common things that college students struggle with.
Bipolar disorders
Bipolar disorder is not something that can be cured it is something that one is born with. The main kind of Bipolar disorders is Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder. In Bipolar I, someone would have severe Manic episodes that can lead to psychosis and hospitalization. It also includes episodes of depression that can last two weeks or more. The next kind of Bipolar disorder is Bipolar II Disorder. This one would have more major depressive episodes, people with Bipolar I may never experience a major depressive episode. People with Bipolar II also experience hypomanic episodes which are manic episodes that are less severe. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, students with Bipolar Disorder are 70% more likely to drop out of college.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are another big issue facing college students, 20% of college students report that they had or have an eating disorder. 15% of women from the ages 17 to 24 have some kind of eating disorder. Eating disorders can be caused by lots of things and can lead to depression and anxiety.
Depression
Depression is more than just feeling sad. It is a feeling of complete and utter hopelessness. It can make one feel isolated and worthless. Almost as if a black cloud is hanging over you making it so you can never see the sun. In 2013 the National College Health Assessment collected data that found that one-third of college students have struggled with or are struggling with depression.
(PM@WORK Mental Health Matters)
With some things, it will take more than just a change of behaviors to help create emotional wellness. Yet improving behaviors and habits can help immensely. As we have seen before, by using operant conditioning to help improve sleep, we can do the same thing to help improve our mental health. We can do this by starting to form good habits with how much sleep we are getting and how well we are using our time. It is also important to understand how you are feeling and when getting help is the best thing to do. College is hard and it can be easy to be very hard on yourself so being able to recognize when you need help, whether it is with an assignment or talking to a professional, will make college go a lot smoother.
(Pressly How Norway is offering drug-free treatment to people with psychosis)
With all of this in mind, it can feel very overwhelming. At times it feels as though it would be easier to just try and not deal with or work on being a better well-rounded student. One thing that I have found that is very important to remember is that being a good student is not just about grades and how well you do on tests. There are good students out there who get straight Cs. Being a good student is about being a good well-rounded individual. This means making good habits and healthy behaviors because these habits and behaviors carry on with you throughout your life. Even though it may seem hard and exhausting, it is important, and if B.F. Skinner was able to give pigeons a gambling addiction then you are able to form behaviors that will help you with whatever you are going through.
With all of this in mind, it can feel very overwhelming. At times it feels as though it would be easier to just try and not deal with or work on being a better well-rounded student. One thing that I have found that is very important to remember is that being a good student is not just about grades and how well you do on tests. There are good students out there who get straight Cs. Being a good student is about being a good well-rounded individual. This means making good habits and healthy behaviors because these habits and behaviors carry on with you throughout your life. Even though it may seem hard and exhausting, it is important, and if B.F. Skinner was able to give pigeons a gambling addiction then you are able to form behaviors that will help you with whatever you are going through.
Work cited
Work cited
Artedelle. “Colorful Depression.” Deviant Art, 30 June 2014, https://www.deviantart.com/artedelle/art/Colorful-Depression-464671091. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
Cherry, Kendra. “The 4 Stages of Sleep (NREM and REM Sleep Cycles).” Verywell Health, https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-four-stages-of-sleep-2795920.
Cherry, Kendra. “What Is Operant Conditioning Theory?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 11 Oct. 2022, https://www.verywellmind.com/operant-conditioning-a2-2794863.
Daffin, Lee. “Module 6: Operant Conditioning.” Principles of Learning and Behavior, Washington State University, 6 May 2021, https://opentext.wsu.edu/principles-of-learning-and-behavior/chapter/module-6-operant-conditioning/.
“Mental Health in College.” Affordable Colleges Online, 21 Sept. 2021, https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-student-mental-health/.
Myers, David G., and C. Nathan DeWall. Psychology. 12th ed., Worth Publishers.
Myers, GC. “Where the Heart Ventures 72.” Principle Gallery, 9 June 2015, https://www.principlegallery.com/technique-tuesdays-balance/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.
“PM@WORK Mental Health Matters.” Pennmedicine.org, 1 May 2022, https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/internal-newsletters/system-news/2022/may/mental-health-matters.
Pressly, Lucy Proctor and Linda. “How Norway Is Offering Drug-Free Treatment to People with Psychosis.” BBC News, BBC, 19 Feb. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-56097028.
Rogers, Mark O. “Sleep Dream Cows.” Pixels, 10 Feb. 2020, https://pixels.com/featured/sleep-dream-cows-mark-o-rogers.html. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
Walch, Olivia. “Sleep Deprivation 101.” The Nib, 31 Aug. 2016, https://thenib.com/sleep-deprivation-101/.
Xie, Alan R. “Art Therapy: Arts: The Harvard Crimson.” Arts | The Harvard Crimson, 29 Oct. 2013, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/10/29/arts-cover-art-and-mental-health/?page=single.
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