Re: Behaviorism Walden Two

[Al Cone]

On Wed, 9 Jun 1999, Linda M. Woolf wrote:

 Hi Folks,
 
 I'm using Walden Two in a class this summer and while surfing the web, I
 ran across a Walden Two community's web site (Los Horcones:
 http://www.loshorcones.org.mx/).
 
 Anyway, it says the following.  I would love to get your feedback on
 this.

Linda,

Their list is good; right on. One thing is missing: Treated as a
technology, Applied Behavior Analyis WORKS.

Al

 
 Behavior Analysis is misunderstood when:
 
 1. It is said to be mechanistic, to consider human beings as machines,
 or robots without feelings,
 emotions or thoughts. See Behavior Analysis
 
 2. It is said to be reductionistic, to consider psychological events as
 biological or physical.
 
 3. It is said that it reduces human psychology to stimuli and responses.
 It is said to be based on
 Pavlov's ideas. It is said that human behavior is conditioned reflexes.
 
 4. It is said to deny freedom and dignity, asserting that human behavior
 is predestined. It is said that
 human beings are slaves of circumstances and that nobody has dignity
 because nobody has merit.
 
 5. It is said to be based on logical positivism, which means that we are
 able to study only that can be
 observed and verified by two people. It is said to deny the existence of
 feelings and thoughts because
 they can not be observed by others. It is said that human beings are
 black boxes.
 
 6.It is said that it is not a science but Skinner's theory alone, that
 it is based on his very personal way
 of conceiving human behavior.
 
 7. It is said that behavior scientists are interested in manipulating or
 controlling people.
 
 8. It is said that it is a cold and dehumanizing science.
 
 9. It is said that it denies the uniqueness of the individual, meaning
 that every person respond to the
 same stimulus in the same way. It is said that humans are machines.
 
 Thanks,
 
 linda
 
 --
 linda m. woolf, ph.d.
 associate professor - psychology
 webster university
 
 main webpage:  http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/
 Holocaust and genocide studies pages:
 http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/holocaust.html
 womens' pages:  http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/women.html
 gerontology pages:  http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/gero.html
 
 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 
 


Al L. Cone, Ph.D.
Professor  Chair
Department of Psychology701.252.3467  X 2604
Jamestown College
6019 College Lane   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jamestown, ND 58405 

RE: Behaviorism Walden Two

[Paul C. Smith]

Al Cone wrote:
 Linda,

 Their list is good; right on. One thing is missing: Treated as a
 technology, Applied Behavior Analyis WORKS.

We on this list have occasional "what is it that every student in intro
psychology should learn?" discussions. I think this phrase - "Treated as a
technology, Applied Behavior Analysis WORKS" - should be near the top of the
list.

Paul Smith
Alverno College
Milwaukee

Re: Behaviorism Walden Two

[Kenneth M. Steele]

On Thu, 10 Jun 1999 08:16:25 -0400 "James S. MacDonall" 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Linda,
   I'm not sure why you want feedabck on these items.  They are accurate
 statements regarding misunderstandings of radical behaviorism.
   Basically, many do not understand the distinction between 'Skinnerian'
 or radical behaviorism and what some call methodological behaviorism,
 the type developed by Hull and others.  Many of these statements are not
 misunderstandings of methodological behaviorism.  Skinner was aware of
 the limitations of methodological behaviorism and developed a philosophy
 of science (radical behaviorism) that avoided these limitations.
 Jim
 

Agreed.

One problem is that many summaries of behaviorism that pop up in 
textbooks are breezy and superficial summaries by people who 
don't know much about the topic.

Ken 

--
Kenneth M. Steele[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Associate Professor
Dept. of Psychology
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA 

Re: Behaviorism Walden Two

[Kenneth M. Steele]

On Thu, 10 Jun 1999 07:04:52 -0500 (CDT) Al Cone 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 
 On Wed, 9 Jun 1999, Linda M. Woolf wrote:
 
  Hi Folks,
  
  I'm using Walden Two in a class this summer and while surfing the web, I
  ran across a Walden Two community's web site (Los Horcones:
  http://www.loshorcones.org.mx/).
  
  Anyway, it says the following.  I would love to get your feedback on
  this.
 
 Linda,
 
 Their list is good; right on. One thing is missing: Treated as a
 technology, Applied Behavior Analyis WORKS.
 

Al Cone makes an important point.  In the classroom and in 
textbooks, many topics are covered because of historical reasons 
or they provide stimulating discussions or some similar reason.  
An emphasis on utility is often lacking.

Ken

--
Kenneth M. Steele[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Associate Professor
Dept. of Psychology
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA