Think about your goals for the month, the year, or even your life. Which goals are you determined to achieve? What is driving your choices and motivating you to take action? When you know the answer to these questions, you are likely to have a better hold on how to achieve your goals and how to get to where you want to be in life. We all want to improve our circumstances: we want to have more money, a better job, more friends, or spend more time doing what we love....

What Is the Visual Cliff Experiment?What Is the Purpose of the Visual Cliff Experiment?Who Conducted the Visual Cliff Experiment?How Did the Visual Cliff Experiment Work?The Visual Cliff in Animals vs. BabiesVisual Cliff Experiment ResultsAre The Visual Cliff Experiment Results Still Relevant?Visual Cliff Experiment Conclusion What Is the Visual Cliff Experiment? What Is the Purpose of the Visual Cliff Experiment? Who Conducted the Visual Cliff Experiment? How Did the Visual Cliff Experiment Work?...

How do you stick to a habit? What will it take to get your child to clean their room? How can you encourage your dog to “sit” on command? There is more than one answer to all of these questions, but you can successfully do all of these tasks with reinforcement. More specifically, conditioned reinforcement. Conditioned reinforcement is a tool that you have probably experienced in your life and maybe even used on a pet or child to encourage them to perform certain behaviors....

When a family rescues a dog or cat from a shelter, they might find that their dog has been conditioned to some unfavorable behaviors. Maybe the cat freaks out every time they are taken to the vet, or the dog barks really loud when the mailman arrives at the door. Many psychologists and animal trainers believe that these behaviors are learned. So the big question for many families and pet owners is…can they be unlearned?...

Memory can be a tricky thing. Certain events from our childhood may stick in our memories for a long time. Random memories may pop up when we come across a certain smell, hear a name, or for no reason. Memories may come back to us and then slip our minds in an instant. But what about forgetting? Very few people remember everything that has happened to them. We forget what we’re doing when we walk into a room....

We all know a “shy” kid. Maybe you had brothers, sisters, cousins, or neighbors who were always a little shy. Maybe your brother, sister, or friend worries about how shy their kids are. Shyness has never been a big deal - some kids are shy, and some aren’t. But what if shyness was a sign that a child was going to develop social inhibition or other mental health conditions in the future?...

Interested in how to change your behavior? You can use fixed interval reinforcement! I’m going to explain what fixed interval reinforcement is, how it can be used to increase the likelihood of specific behaviors, and when it works best. If you are trying to learn a new habit, or just want your child to do their chores, understanding this and other reinforcement schedules can help you reach your goals. What is Fixed Interval Reinforcement?...

On some farms, workers are paid a certain amount of dollars for every basket they fill with fruit, vegetables, or flowers. If a farmworker fills one basket, they receive $20. If they fill ten baskets, that number jumps to $200. Every day, they leave with some money - but that amount depends on how much work they do. On other farms, workers are paid a salary. Every two weeks, so long as the workers show up for their shifts, they receive the same paycheck....

Psychologists have identified that reinforcement, or a system designed to increase the likelihood of behavior, may run on different schedules. By understanding these schedules, we can better understand how reinforcement works in everyday life and how you can train yourself, train your dog, or even train a child to complete specific behaviors. What Are Schedules of Reinforcement?What Is Reinforcement?Why Are Schedules of Reinforcement Important?Applying Reinforcement Schedules Beyond the Lab: Practical Implications and Real-world ScenariosContinuous vs....

It’s always nice to be recognized for good work, even if that recognition or reward happens randomly. Some peopleappreciatereceiving praise or rewards only randomly. Accountability in the form of surprise check-ins keeps many people on their toes, always working to the best of their ability. This isn’t the only way to encourage good behavior, but health inspections, pop quizzes, and other forms of variable interval reinforcement can work. Whether you are trying to lock in a new habit or motivate your students to study every night, this reinforcement schedule is one of a handful that is available for your use....

Gambling can be fun, but it can also be addicting. Let’s say you win $10 the first time you hit the slots. The next time, you lose a dollar. The next time, you lose another dollar. Despite these losses, the hope of another win lingers in your mind, compelling you to believe that another win is just around the corner. This urge to keep betting, even in the face of losses, is not just a result of sheer luck or chance....

Find an Online Psychology Program for You Featured Online Psychology & Counseling Programs The question of how to cope with the pandemic has been a big one for everyone over the past year. But it’s been a particularly difficult one for counseling psychologists. Not only have they had to deal with their own difficulties and anxieties, but they’ve also had to be the big shoulders for their patients. In these times, mental health counseling has become more important than ever....

If you were to describe the ideal friend, what would you say about them? Likely, you would talk about the personality of that friend. Maybe you would describe them as trusting, empathetic, or just generally agreeable to be around. On the other hand, you probably wouldn’t seek out a friend who was selfish, manipulative, or callous. Every person - friend, colleague, or romantic partner - falls along a spectrum between two extremes....