This document analyzes the psychological techniques used in commercial advertisements to influence consumer behavior. It discusses various conditioning procedures, including direct positive reinforcement where viewing the ad is reinforced by sights and sounds, and rule-governed behavior where consumers follow implicit "rules" suggested by the ads. Punishment contingencies are also examined, such as creating self-conscious feelings to motivate purchasing products. The goal of many ads appears to be teaching consumers that certain behaviors will result in obtaining rewards or avoiding negative outcomes.

1. Analyzing
Commercial
Advertising
Lindsey Scott

2. Baileys Cream with Spirit
Advert – YouTube
Direct-acting positive
reinforcement contingencies:
Before: Behavior: After:
No sound of Viewer actively Sound of
music watches music
Baileys
commercial
Before: Behavior: After:
No sight of Viewer actively Sight of
dancing watches dancing
Baileys
commercial
Before: Behavior: After:
No sight of Viewer actively Sight of visual
visual effects watches effects
Baileys
commercial

3. The Pairing Procedure:
Sight of Baileys Sound of music, sight
cream of dancing, sight of
visual effects
Before: Behavior: After:
No sight of Viewer actively Sight of
Baileys watches Baileys cream
cream Baileys
commercial
The reinforcement contingency
to be learned:
Before: Behavior: After:
No Baileys Viewer goes Baileys
cream to store and cream
purchases
Baileys
cream

4. Punishment Contingency:
Crest 3D White
Whitestrips Holiday
Before: Behavior: After:
No self- Viewer Self-conscious Commercial - YouTube
conscious actively feelings about
feelings about watches Crest teeth
teeth commercial

5. Rule-governed analog to avoidance of
an aversive condition:
Sᴰ: After:
Crest 3D Teeth will not
White Strips be more
yellow
tomorrow
Before: Behavior:
Teeth will be Purchase and
more yellow use white
tomorrow Strips
S∆: After:
Not Crest 3D Teeth will be
White Strips more yellow
tomorrow
Rule: If you’re not whitening with Crest 3D White Strips, you’re yellowing.

6. Direct-acting positive reinforcement
contingencies:
Before: Behavior: After:
No sight of Viewer Sight of Justin
Justin Bieber watches Bieber
singing to Girlfriend singing to
viewer commercial viewer
Before: Behavior: After:
No sound of Viewer Sound of
Justin watches Justin
Bieber’s voice Girlfriend Bieber’s voice
commercial
Punishment Contingency:
JUSTIN BIEBER'S Before: Behavior: After:
No sadness Viewer Sadness
GIRLFRIEND - watches
OFFICIAL Girlfriend
commercial
FRAGRANCE
COMMERCIAL -
YouTube

7. Rule-governed avoidance of loss of a reinforcer:
Sᴰ:
Justin Bieber’s
Girlfriend
fragrance
Before: Behavior: After:
Will lose Viewer Will not lose
opportunity to purchases and opportunity to
smell like wears fragrance smell like
Justin’s Justin’s
girlfriend girlfriend
Rule: If you wear Justin Bieber’s Girlfriend perfume, Justin will love you.

8. Analyzing
Commercial
Advertising