SKINNER AND RADICAL BEHAVIORISM,

Behaviorism is often referred to as STIMULUS-RESPONSE (S-R) psychology. There is an emphasis on A) using environmental (stimulus) explanations of behavior, and B) studying observable behaviors (responses). Some behaviorists contend that if a psychologist knows a person’s past learning history (i.e., which responses of a person have been reinforced and punished in which situations) and the present stimulus situation, then it is possible to predict what the person will do in that situation.

 

Behaviorists often use the “LAWS OF LEARNING” to understand personality and the causes of human behavior. A more thorough understanding of S-R psychology (and its varieties) utilizes the following sequence:

 

SD-O-R-followed by either S+ or S-  Where

 

SD= Discriminative Stimulus

O=Organism, the animal or person

R=Response

S+=A Positive Consequence (that is also a stimulus)

S-=An Aversive Consequence (that is also a stimulus)

Sr+ = Positive Reinforcement

Sr- = Negative Reinforcement

 

Conditioned reinforcers are stimuli that were originally neutral (i.e., non-reinforcing). Conditioned  (secondary) reinforcers gain reinforcing capabilities by being associated with primary reinforcers.

 

In RADICAL BEHAVIORISM (such as the behaviorism of B.F. Skinner), the contents of the Organism are NOT important in explaining behavior.

 

In MODERATE BEHAVIORISM (of which there are many varieties), the contents of the Organism ARE important in explaining behavior. Moderate behaviorists (such as Social Learning Theorists and Cognitive Behaviorists) will use terms describing activities inside the Organism (ex., habits, motives, drive, expectancies, thoughts)

Thorndyke’s Law of Effect: Of several responses made to the same situation, those which are accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to the organism will, other thing being equal, be more firmly connected with the situation so that when it

re-occurs, the responses will be more likely to occur. Those responses which are accompanied or closely followed by discomfort will have their connections with that situation weakened, so that when it reoccurs, those responses will be less likely to reoccur. The greater the satisfaction or

discomfort, the greater the strengthening or weakening of the bond.

 

Skinner (1938): No need to talk about bonds, connections, satisfactions, or discomforts. Just know the functional relationship between behavior and its consequences.

 

There are only 4 elements (variables) in Radical Behaviorism

 

1. Stimulus

2. Response

3. Reinforcement, and

4. An implied state of deprivation

 

Knowledge of these 4 can potentially lead to complete prediction (understanding) of behavior.

 

Reinforcement is so powerful that people will become conditioned even when behavior was not instrumental in producing reinforcement. A reinforcer delivered coincidentally will strengthen behavior. This is behavioral superstition.

 

The organism is not empty in radical behaviorism, but its contents are trivial in explaining behavior. What is important is knowledge of the person’s past history of reinforcement and punishment, and the current stimulus situation.

 

CORE, ---- NO ELEMENTS

 

DEVELOPMENT:

 

Respondents are behaviors that are determined by antecedents (what comes before) Respondents include innate reflexes and Classical conditioning, which are relatively unimportant compared to

 

Operants, which are behaviors that are determined by consequences (what comes afterwards)

 

      POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

 NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

 POSITIVE PUNISHMENT

 NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT

 

PERIPHERY--There is no theorizing, and no subtypes. The rate of responding is the only important measure.

 

SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT are of importance in explaining complex human behavior.

 

CONTINUOUS reinforcement vs. A variety of schedules of

 

INTERMITTENT REINFORCEMENT

 

FIXED RATIO

VARIABLE RATIO

FIXED INTERVAL

VARIABLE INTERVAL

         

Recognizing that society is becoming increasingly technological, Skinner urges that we develop a technology of behavior to facilitate the common good. To achieve this society must

overcome their traditional notions of human A) freedom and B) dignity. Society need to recognize that people are controlled by contingencies of reinforcement and that society is nothing more than a set of contingencies of reinforcement.

 

A technology of behavior is available which would significantly reduce aversive consequences of behavior and maximize achievements of human organisms. But defenders of Freedom and Dignity oppose control since they preserve the idea of

human autonomy.

 

It is a curious characteristic of human beings that the amount of credit a person receives for something is related to the visibility of the causes of the behavior. More credit or praise is given when the causes are hidden or unknown.