MALKA212 Refinement of Behavior Analytic Terms Course description

This course presents a refinement of behavior-analytic concepts. It explores learning through classical and operant conditioning, covering concepts such as motivating operations, stimulus control, reinforcement schedules, aversive control, higher-order behavioral classes, and rule-governed behavior. Additionally, the course introduces how learning principles are employed to examine behavior in group settings, including social behavior and cooperation. Ethical considerations are addressed throughout the course, with special attention to the appropriate application of behavior-analytic principles in basic and applied research.

Coursework requirements from MALK4100 and MALKA211 or equivalent must be approved to participate and submit coursework requirements in MALKA212.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge and competence:

Knowledge

The student can

• differentiate between classical and operant conditioning and explain how they interact
• explain advanced concepts in classical conditioning, their effectiveness, and the experimental methods used in both basic and applied research
• explain advanced concepts in operant conditioning, including motivating operations, stimulus control, reinforcement schedules, aversive control, higher-order behavioral classes, and rule-governed behavior. Discuss how these principles are applied in experimental methods in both basic and applied research
• exemplify differences between molecular and molar perspectives on behavior as they appear in experimental settings
• examine the contingencies governing behavior in group contexts, focusing on both conceptual and experimental approaches to studying topics such as social behavior and cooperation

Skills

The student can

• understand how behavioral principles interact to influence behavior, explain how they can be functionally differentiated.
• Interpret behavioral data from various formats, including cumulative records, generalization gradients, histograms, and contingency spaces
• discuss ethical considerations in behavior analysis, including the use of behavioral principles with both humans and nonhuman animals in basic and applied research

General Competence

The student can

• evaluate whether a behavior is the result of classical or operant conditioning
• predict whether and how relevant environmental variables might affect the immediate and future probability of behavior
• evaluate whether desired stimulus control is established

Campus-based lectures and seminars are the main teaching methods, in addition to study questions, student presentations, and written assignments. The lectures will partly be based on Interteaching sequences using readings from the curriculum. Texts used for Interteaching are announced in the digital learning platform of the university. Feedback is given on written assignments.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• 2 individual written assignments submitted digitally, each with a maximum length of 6000 characters, including spaces. References are to be included in the 6000 characters.

Individual school examination, combination of essay assignments and multiple-choice questions, 3 hours. Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Authorized materials: Norwegian-English dictionary

Grade scale A-F

Essay assignments: All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

Multiple choice/digital test: quality assured by an examiner and automatically assessed.