Principles of Operant Conditioning Have Been Used to Help Explain

question 231

Essay

Principles of operant conditioning have been used to help explain why people get attached to "lucky" hats, charms, and rituals. Using these principles, explain how an athlete might show this type of behavior. How did Skinner demonstrate the phenomenon of superstitious behavior with pigeons in his laboratory?

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Definitions:

Marginal Resource Cost

The additional cost incurred by acquiring one more unit of a resource, such as labor or capital.

Imperfectly Competitive Market

A market structure where individual sellers have some control over the price of their goods due to lack of perfect competition, often resulting in higher prices for consumers.

Union Membership

The state of being a part of an organized association of workers created to protect and further their rights and interests.

Shirking

The behavior of employees who avoid or reduce work effort, underperforming in their job responsibilities, often when unsupervised or inadequately monitored.