[From Bruce Abbott (951212.1710 EST)]
Rick Marken (951211.1415) --
Instead of pointing us toward ways of dealing with each other as what
we are -- living control systems -- reinforcement theory justifies our
continued efforts to perfect ways of dealing with each other as what we
are not -- non- living objects. Thus, we get (ex?) reinforcement theorists
(Bruce Abbott (951210.1715 EST)) describing Clockwork Orange approaches to
dealing with people -- "programmed learning, behavior modification, and
systematic desensitization" -- as useful results of research on
reinforcement theory.
Rick, I cannot understand how someone supposedly given doctoral training in
psychological science can know so little about it. Clockwork Orange? Not
even close.
"Programmed learning" was a technique pioneered by B.F. Skinner (and
developed further by others) for more efficiently learning facts and
concepts. Based on principles of operant conditioning, it emphasizes the
following: (1) breaking down a complex learning task into simple components,
(2) immediate requesting of facts and concepts just presented so that the
student has to repeat or restate the fact or apply the concept, while the
information is still "fresh," (4) immediate feedback as to whether the reply
is correct or incorrect, (5) review of facts and concepts missed, followed
by retesting, until the facts and concepts are correctly reported by the
student (error correction), (5) building from the simple concepts mastered
first to the more complex. This approach is entirely noncoersive.
Clockwork Orange? Give me a break.
"Behavior modification" is often associated with coersion but this popular
conception is way off the mark. Control over sources of reward is sometimes
used, but the approach most often followed is aimed toward teaching what in
PCT would be termed "ways to achieve control over a perception," and how to
discriminate what methods will work (while producing less conflict with
others) under what circumstances. No Clockwork Orange here either.
"Systematic desensitization" is a technique designed to eliminate phobias
and involves both extinction of classically-conditioned responses to
specific situations or objects and training the person how to maintain a
relaxed state and, oh my gosh, gain control over his or her anxieties.
Clockwork Orange? Not a trace.
Rick, admit it. You are no expert on the nature of these applications, far
from it. In fact, your characterization of them as Clockwork Orange-ish
simply repeats the misinformed "pop-psychology" Hollywood propaganda that
the public is dosed with every day.
Regards,
Bruce
