reinforcement - discuss

Behavioural methods can be used to train people to behave in ‘desirable’ ways through reward and punishment, ie operant conditioning.
For example, speed cameras are used as a method of creating ‘desirable’ behaviour in drivers. It works due to the fear of punishment if they catch you. It may be true that drivers slow down only when passing the cameras make them slow down, if only for a short time.
An example of a reward being used to produce desirable behaviour would be giving something like a gold star to a young child. This would impress upon them the association between doing good work and earning a reward, and hopefully the child will continue to perform good work to gain more gold stars.
Classical conditioning is used a lot less in the engineering of ‘desirable’ behaviour, but the main use which springs to mind would be for pregnant women.
When inside the womb, the un...