Behaviorism - A Methodological Proposal of Explaining the Behavior Essa

Behaviorism must be seen as a methodological proposal of explaining the behavior of organisms from the lowest to the highest. Explaining human and nonhuman behavior by reference to scientific laws and the theories expressed of physical states, events, and entities. Because modern psychology emerged roughly in the mid-19th century, information of behaviorism was gathered in its early stages by introspection (looking at your own inner states of being; your own desires, feelings, and intentions) then linking them to the outside observable state. Introspection is a notoriously unreliable method for gathering information for scientific theories. There are 2 problems: 1) The introspection data is private. It is impossible for someone from the outside to know the inner states of someone else. Science demands publicly observable events for a community of scientists to confirm or reject empirical hypothesis by designing and testing experiments in an open arena for all other scientists to observe. 2) There is very little access to one’s total mental being (consciousness) since so much of it has been repressed into the unconscious. 1913 - J.D. Watson proposed the only proper object of study in psychology is behavior. Behavior is publicly observable . A team of scientists can observe the same phenomenon under investigation. They can then formulate a hypothesis to account for those behaviors. They can then form experiments so they can confirm or reject those hypothesis designed to explain the behavior of organisms. â€Å"the father of behaviorism† Exclusive attention given to publicly observable behavior. There will be no discussions on dreams, hopes, desires, feelings, or internal events. They must be avoided since they don’t offer explanatory value. Skinner deserves most of the credit. Behavior is the product of heredity (5%) and environment (95%). Marx is an economical determinist, Freud is the mental determinist, Skinner/Watson are environmental determinist - all events that occur in nature including those that we single out that are important (human actions) are themselves the inevitable common product or outcome of prior anteceded forces over which the individual has very little control over (determinism). We know man as an autonomous being (one whose choices are the result of decisions made, on our part, freely). The person is then responsibl... ...culture when he himself is conditioned by one? D. Logical fallacies: Reductionism. Whatever the theory doesn't account for does not exist. "Whatever my net can't catch ain't fish." Since Skinner cannot "catch" freedom or dignity, mind, morals, reasoned thought, or God, he insists that none of these things exist. E. There is no place for a rebel in Skinner's ideal society. But rebels are what bring about the intellectual and moral growth of a society. F. Ideas from modern physics and parapsychology seem to stand in opposition to Skinner's theories. IV. SUMMARY The teachings of behavioral technology are a useful educational tool but must not become a tool of manipulation. We find fault with Skinner's starting point, i.e., his assumptions about God, man and his environment. Skinner is a good technician, but a poor philosopher. Skinner asks us to replace the myth of freedom and dignity for the myth of scientism (naturalism). V. CONCLUSION Getting back to freedom and dignity involves acceptance of an infinite reference point. Darwin All organisms produce more offspring than that can possibly survive All organisms vary within a species Some of this variation is inherited