PSY 211 Module Three Activity Template
In the Module Three Activity Guidelines and Rubric, review the Overview and Prompt sections. Then
answer each of the following questions with a minimum of 2 to 5 sentences. Complete this template by
replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information.
●Describe a specific behavior that you learned in response to an external stimulus. Address the
following in your response:
oWhat external stimulus affected your behavior?
oWere you aware that your behavior was being influenced by the stimulus? If so, how
did you know?
The household I grew up in was very much surrounded by alcohol, cigarettes, and my dad
smoking weed. Smoking weed was pretty much (still is) the only thing my dad does along with
getting drunk every single night. My mom would come home from work and drink a couple
beers but she quit both drinking and cigarettes. Anyway, I always watched them deal with stress
or anything using external chemicals and I began to think that was their way of life. I started
smoking cigarettes at 13 and the first time I smoked weed was also 13. I spent a lot of my
teenage years using drugs but, THANKFULLY, I am almost 3 years clean. That way of living is
more stressful and so lonely. As I got older, I realized this behavior was absolutely influenced by
stimulus because no other families I knew lived that way.
●Explain whether the conditioned behavior was positive or negative.
oIf positive, in what ways can you continue to reinforce this behavior?
oIf negative, what are some steps you can take to change this behavior?
The conditioned behavior was positive and negative in some ways. Negative in that it almost
completely ruined my life and I almost lost everyone I love. Positive in that I've been through it and I
know that way of living just isn’t normal or healthy. A few steps I took to change this was going to 3
different rehabs and just the thought of losing my brother and my baby niece is what keeps me on the
right path!
●Describe a specific behavior that you changed in response to an external stimulus. Address the
following in your response:
oWhat external stimulus affected your behavior?
oWere you aware that your behavior was being influenced by the stimulus? If so, how
did you know?
I am not sure if this would totally be considered an external stimulus but when I was younger I
was bit on the face by a dog. I was petting the dog as it was sitting on the back of the couch and I
must’ve looked too quick or moved suddenly and it bit me right next to my nose/under my eye. From
that point on when I am around any animal that I am not familiar with, I try to not get too close to their
face if I am petting them and to not make any sudden movements. Sounds silly but I absolutely love my
three dogs so much and I feel as though I am pretty good at reading a dog by the way they act or look.
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●Explain whether the change in behavior was positive or negative.
oIf positive, in what ways can you continue to reinforce this behavior?
oIf negative, and if it is something that you would like to change again, what are some
steps you can take to change this behavior?
I would say this change in behavior was positive because it taught me that no matter how nice
an animal seems, they sometimes can be unpredictable. I am more conscious around animals even
when I just want to smoosh their faces with all my love.
●Explain why one of the behaviors described above is an example of classical conditioning
(Watson), operant conditioning (Skinner), or neither of these. Address the following in your
response:
oIf one of the above types of conditioning applies to your example, which specific
features helped you to identify it?
oExplain why this type of conditioning is most effective in learning or changing this
behavior.
oIf neither type of conditioning applies to the behavior, why is this the case? Explain
your response in terms of specific conditioning features (e.g., stimulus, response,
association) or inherent aspects of the behavior itself.
I would have to say that both behaviors would be operant conditioning because both, in some
ways, had a negative consequence that was the result of the action. The first behavior would be that
doing drugs almost made me lose everyone and everything. The second was being more careful around
animals because the result was getting bit on the face. “The basic principle behind operant conditioning
makes sense: People tend to repeat behaviors that have desirable consequences and cut down on
behaviors that have undesirable consequences” (Sigelman & Rider, 2021). Since both behaviors had
undesirable consequences, I changed the behaviors.
Sigelman, C. K., & Rider, E. A. (2021). Life-Span Human Development. Cengage Learning.
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