Knock Wood Presented by Anna Di Felice and
Knock Wood Presented by Anna Di. Felice and Megan Dern
Background • B. F. Skinner – “Father of Radical Behaviorism” • Skinner Box • Environment • Consequences • Reinforcers vs. Punishers • Extinction
Question: Does being superstitious require thinking, knowing, and reasoning? Hypothesis: Operant Conditioning has much to do with superstitious behavior.
Theory • Knocking on wood, avoiding walking under ladders, stepping on sidewalk cracks, etc. • Why do people gain superstitious behaviors? • Noncontingent Reinforcement
http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ttf. Qlk. Gw. E 2 U Experiment • Method: -Skinner Box -Skinner used Pigeons -Positive reinforcements -Intervals • Results: -6/8 trials -Superstitious behaviors -The pigeons believed whatever they were doing affected whether or not they got food -Extinction
Discussion • Bowling: -twist and turn your arm -your arm has no effect on the ball -ball’s movement in addition to the consequence creates superstition • The effect of high expectations and extinction
Another Example • 1961 Bruner and Revuski • Experiment: -Four Students sit in front of four buttons -Reinforcement every 10 seconds -They all developed a superstitious pattern
More Recently • 1998 Sagvolden experiment based off of Skinner’s findings • ADHD boys vs. non. ADHD boys
- Slides: 8