> In a case like this, the best strategy is to go back to the > original. > And if it turns out that serious harm is being done to what > Eysenck > really said (my prediction), then a cordial letter to the > offending > authors would be a good idea. They probably said that Pavlov used > a > bell too. > > Stephen
Indeed, the authors do mention a Bell when discussing Pavlov's dogs... I'll start drafting a letter... ;) JM Jean-Marc Perreault Arts & Science Yukon College Whitehorse, Yukon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Black" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Monday, November 15, 2004 8:30 pm Subject: Re: Classical vs Operant Conditioning > Hi Jean-Marc: > > I perk up when I hear my name. You wrote: > > (and I quote it yet again because you (collectively, not J-M) need > it > to decide whether to agree with me) > > > > I'm prepping a class with a text entitled, "Criminal Behavior: A > > Psychosocial Approach", by Curt and Anne Bartol. On pp. 107-108, > they> discuss Eysenck's theory of personality, and how it relates > to criminal > > behavior. There is a section on p. 109 where they mention that > Eysenck> considered a certain type of learning as classical, but > as far as I > > know, the examples given fall uner Operant learning. > > > > Here's what I'm talking about: > > > > "To explain why more people do not become criminal, Eysenck contends > > that classical conditioning has a stronger effect on most people > than> instrumental learning. That is, most people behave > themselves because > > they have been classically conditioned during childhood about > the rules > > of society. That guiding light, superego, conscience, or > whatever it is > > that makes us feel uncomfortable before, during, and after a > socially> and morally disapproved act is, according to Eysenck, a > conditioned> reflex. He notes that in most families children are > reprimanded or > > punished for behavior that is against the social mores. Immediately > > after engaging in a socially or morally frowned-on act, say, > punching a > > friend, a child finds that punishment quickly follows". > > > > In the last paragraph, the authors go on, after describing Pavlov's > > experiment with dog: " Eysenck asserts that basically the same > sequence> occurs in childhood - inappropriate behavior followed by > reprimand.> [...] In essence, by punishing antisocial behavior > numerous times, > > parents, teachers, and others concerned with the upbringing of the > > child, including his or her peers, perform the role of the Pavlovian > > experimenter". > > As others have noted, classical conditioning often (always?) > accompanies operant conditioning, and this may be what Eysenck is > discussing. But I'm willing to bet that this textbook synopsis > bears > little resemblance to whatever Eysenck was trying to say. Jean- > Marc > is right: if students were previously clear on the concepts of > classical and operant conditioning, this description would surely > leave them confused (as it does me). > > In a case like this, the best strategy is to go back to the > original. > And if it turns out that serious harm is being done to what > Eysenck > really said (my prediction), then a cordial letter to the > offending > authors would be a good idea. They probably said that Pavlov used > a > bell too. > > Stephen > > ___________________________________________________ > Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 > Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 > Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 > Canada > > Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy > TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at > http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm > _______________________________________________ > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-tips- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
