Question

How does the concept of reinforcement apply to the superstitious belief and how might the superstition be maintained? using operant conditioning terms.

Answer 1

The concept of learning that is based on the positive and negative reinforcements is known as operant conditioning. Through the means of operant conditioning, a link is developed between the behaviour and the consequence or reward that is associated with the behaviour. As is expected, a similar kind of learning happens when we believe in some superstitions.
A superstition is a belief that is stemmed from ignorance or false beliefs. It is not backed up by science and is usually propagated through culture. The response that we exhibit to the stimulus becomes the conditioned response and the stimulus over time becomes conditioned stimulus. After which whenever a situation similar to the conditioned stimulus arises, our mind tells us to go with the conditioned response as that has never led anything bad happen to us. If by following the superstition, nothing happens to us then this acts as a positive reinforcement as we just prevented something bad from happening to us by following the conditioned response. It is in this way that the superstition keeps becoming stronger and stronger and is thus maintained.

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