The History And Current Applications Of Behaviorist Theory

The History And Current Applications Of Behaviorist Theory Behaviorism is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Behaviorism is the idea that behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner and according to John B. Watson; it should have nothing to do with introspection because introspection is too subjective (Goodwin, 2008). Besides John B. Watson there were others also interested in the study of behavior, specifically, Ivan Pavlov and Burrhus F Skinner. Behaviorism was a major change from earlier views because it discarded the importance of the conscious and unconscious mind and instead it attempted to make psychology a more scientific field, by focusing just on the observable behavior. Behaviorism had its earliest start with the work of Ivan Pavlovs and his research on the digestive systems of dogs that led him to the discovery of classical conditioning process, which demonstrated that behaviors could be learned through conditioned associations (Goodwin, 2008). This pap er will discuss the work of Pavlov, Watson and Skinner and how they contributed to todays behaviorist theories like cognitive behavioral therapy. It will also discuss how these early behaviorists theories are the same as todays behaviorist theories and how they are different. The History and Current applications of Behaviorist Theory Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through our interactions with our surroundings. Behaviorism proposes that behavior can be studied in an organized and observable way without consideration or thought of inner psychological conditions (Goodwin, 2008). There are two major types of conditioning in behaviorism, classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is a technique used in behavioral training in which a naturally occurring stimulus is paired with a response. It involves taking a neutral stimulus (i.e. the ringing of a bell) and then pairing it with a naturally occurring stimulus (i.e. dogs salivate when presented with food). Continuing this pairing will eventually cause the previously neutral stimulus to induce the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus (i.e. the dog will salivate with the ringing of the bell even when food is not immediately presented). The two components are then called the conditioned stimulus (the ring of the bell) and the conditioned response (the dog salivating) (Todes, 2002). Operant conditioning is a process of learning that uses rewards and punishments for behavior. With operant conditioning, a relationship is created linking a behavior and a consequence for that behavior (Skinner, 1954). Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson and Burrhus F. Skinner all developed significant contributions to the advancement of behaviorism. While Pavlov, Watson and Skinner paved the way for behaviorist thinking, what is left of their findings? If we take a critical look at cognitive behavioral therapy we can see how the early behaviorists ideas are still alive today and how these ideas have changed with time. In the late 1800s, Pavlov was studying the gastric function of dogs. Pavlov inadvertently discovered that dogs would salivate prior to the food being presented to them, and decided that his discovery of dogs salivating prior to the actual food arriving was more interesting than gastric functions, and changed the focus of his research (Goodwin, 2008). Pavlov began to experiment with the dogs using a tone to signal for food. Pavlov found that the dogs had begun to salivate with the tone without the presentation of food (Schwartz Lacy, 1982). Pavlov realized that this response is not a natural response and was a learned response, and he consequently called this response a conditioned response and the neutral stimulus became a conditioned stimulus. In Pavlovs experiment the tone was the neutral stimulus that became paired with the unconditioned stimulus which was the food. The unconditioned response of the dog salivating became a conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus of the t one (Beecroft, 1966). Pavlovs work became known in the West, mainly due to the writings of John B. Watson. Pavlov thus coined what we now know today as classical conditioning. Pavlovs research also had a direct affect on bringing behaviorism to the attention of the American public in the 1930s. John B. Watson is known as the founder of behaviorism however Watsons Behaviorism did not catch on immediately and in 1913 when he publicized his Behaviorist Manifesto, he was initially met with a lot of criticism and doubt (Goodwin, 2008). It was not until the early 1930s when behaviorism began to catch the attention of America, in part due to Watsons continued push on the public to recognize it as a valid theory in psychology. Finally after several articles were published citing the use of behaviorism as a way to improve lives, the public began to recognize behaviorism as a positive, meaning it could help to raise children more efficiently, improve marriages, improve business and overall help people to lead more productive lives (Goodwin, 2008). With Watsons book, Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It, behaviorism for the first time was given well defined goals, methods and thought (Goodwin, 2008). Watson made behaviorism a discipline that created a structure based heavily on the principle that learning is the key to development and behavior (Rilling, 2000). Watson and Rayner, in 1927, conducted a study that produced an intense fear of rats in a 9 month old boy they called little Albert. When little Albert reached for a white rat, Watson would make a loud noise that scared little Albert. Using classical conditioning, little Albert associated rats with the loud noise and shifted his fear with the noise to a fear of rats. Little Albert then associated rats, which have fur, to all things with fur (this is known as second order conditioning). With second order conditioning, little Albert formed an irrational fear of all objects that had fur (Mischel, 1993). Although Watson was asked to leave John Hopkins and essentially could no longer work in academia he continued to promote his belief in behaviorism until it finally caught the attention of the American public. The impact of behaviorism was huge, and was a school of thought that continued to dominate psychology for the next fifty years. Psychologist B.F Skinner advanced the behaviorist perspective with his theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning verified the effect of punishment and positive reinforcement on behavior. Operant conditioning consisted of two important factors, the response and the consequence (Skinner, 1954). If the consequence is positively reinforcing, then there is the likelihood of getting a similar response. If the consequence is punishing the likelihood of repeating the response is not probable (Mischel, 1993). Skinner conducted an experiment known as the skinner- box (Goodwin, 2008). In Skinners experiment a rat was put into a box with a lever. Each time the lever was pressed, food was released. The rat learned to press the lever to receive the positive reinforcement, food. When the food was replaced with shocks, the lever pressing stopped almost immediately due to the consequences of receiving a shock (Skinner, 1954). Similar results were produced by stopping the positive reinforce ment of food altogether in a process called extinction, but the operant conditioned response decreased at a much slower rate than when punishment was used (Goodwin, 2008). This kind of operant conditioning will also occur in the rewarding or punishing action when utilizing this same technique to elicit certain behaviors from a child (Schwartz, 1982). During 1950 to 1970 cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) became widely utilized and was inspired by the behaviorist learning theories of Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson and Clark L. Hull (Rachman, 1997). In the United States, psychologists were using B.F. Skinners behaviorism and applying it to clinical work and much of this work was focused towards severe, chronic psychiatric disorders such as psychotic behavior and autism (Rachman, 1997). The therapeutic approaches of Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck gained popularity among behavior therapists. These systems included behavioral elements and interventions that focused primarily on problems in the present. Elliss system began in the early 1950s and was called rational therapy and is one of the first forms of CBT. (Ellis, 1975). Aaron T. Beck developed cognitive therapy in 1960 after being inspired by Elliss work and Becks cognitive therapy became a favorite intervention technique to study in the psychotherapy research in academic settings. I nitial research focused on comparing this cognitive therapy with behavioral therapys to see which was more effective (Beck, 1975). During the 1980s and 1990s cognitive and behavioral therapys were officially merged into what we now know as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (Rachman, 1997). Samuel Yochelson and Stanton Samenow introduced the idea that CBT approaches can be used successfully with the criminal population (Yochelson and Samenow, 1976). In conclusion, behaviorism is based upon observable behaviors, so it is easier to measure and collect data and information when performing research. Effective therapeutic techniques such as intensive behavioral intervention, rational therapy and CBT are all rooted in behaviorism. These approaches are often very useful in changing maladaptive or harmful behaviors in both children and adults. Some differences between todays CBT and behaviorism is that behaviorism is a one-dimensional approach to behavior and that it does not account for free will and internal stimulus such as moods, thoughts, and feelings. Behaviorism also does not account for other types of learning, especially learning that occurs without the use of reinforcements or punishments. Behaviorism does not take into account that people are able to adapt behavior when new information is present, even if a prior behavior was established through reinforcement. Behaviorism without the addition of cognitive influences is not en ough. When we can get an understanding of the thinking behind the behavior we have a better chance at changing it. In the words of Stan Samenow change the errors in thinking and we can change the behavior (Yochelson and Samenow, 1976).

Colombus Day

Justice, pride, and arrogance lie and when they are crossed; however, humane treatment and respect – whether that be self- respect or respect for others – Is black and white. Columbus day Is a holiday In which Americans celebrate a man who Is not even an American, but better yet the Spanish- acclaimed Viceroy and Governor of the Indies and Admiral of the Seas who overpowered and subjected a whole land of natives to succumb to his rule, follow his logon and traditions, and be brutally beat while being forced Into slavery.Although his ability to assume power and Instill fear Into these people so quickly may be admirable, he Is not a figure that deserves the respect of Christian Americans, or let alone any Americans: and only deserves to be â€Å"honored† In a day of mourning. To begin with, Christopher Columbus sailed into this land and was greeted with kindness and peace by the natives, in which he returned with the order of the kidnapping of six natives to be his servants. Columbus simply saw these indigenous people as an obstacle in his pursuit of riches and glory, and treated them as such.The natives did have their practices of violence and brutality in which other humans were sacrificed to their native Gods or means of punishment were rather severe, but this did not beckon or welcome the brutality inculcated by Christopher Columbus and the rest of his team. Even more interestingly, Columbus' writings back to Spain made himself sound very respectful and appreciative of the Indians; however, after rather inspection, Columbus' malice shows through even what appears to be kindness and gratuity.In his log kept about the New World, he writes that these indigenous people are of the kindest, best people, and that he told his men to take nothing from them without giving them something in return. This, at first glance, seems like an exhibit of kindness, yet the Spaniards never gave back anything of equal value to the Indians. Columbus discusses ho w he would receive very gracious, generous gifts from the indigenous people -knowing and acknowledging that they ere very poor people-, and return it with a gift of no more value than that of a penny.In continuation, it is highly hypocritical that Christopher Columbus had viewed their practices of religion as malicious and Inappropriate for a civilization, then forced Christianity upon them with Inhumanity and savagery. This Is baffling because the Spaniards are going Into this foreign world Introducing a concept of a loving and benevolent God as they simultaneously kill these people and cut off their feet all for the glory of this mysterious supposedly-awesome God.As Christians, they are commanded by God to love others as you love yourself and to reflect a level of Jesus' kindness when they Instead they reflected the greed, hatred, and self- righteousness of the devil. So, not only were his actions directly affecting these natives lives, but also the appearance of Charlatanry as a whole. Columbus' take on Christianity and God actually intensifies the inhumanity and violence caused against as an excuse to execute all heathens; indigenous people.However, in reality, he was imply slaughtering thousands of innocent people who did nothing wrong except for having contrasting opinions with that of the intruding Spaniards. In conclusion, from the day that Columbus arrived to the New World, he treated the people with nothing but dignity and self-pride. Although he did â€Å"discover† the land that would later become America, he is only responsible for the deaths, severe mistreatment, and forced enslavement of multiple indigenous people. Columbus Day should be recognized as a day of mourning for the unwarranted brutality suffered by unexciting natives of the land.

Urban design

Urban designOverviewWhat is built-up design?Urban conceive is the method of organizing the personal scene for life in towns, small towns and small towns. It is the art of doing topographic points. It engages the conceive of constructions, assemblies of constructions, infinites and countrysides, and puting up the methods that make booming development possible. Why are so legion locations so terribly designed? Why are the locations we are building so distinguishable from the locations we like? So legion new enlargement snuff out what makes a location exceptional and give the consequence of holding been conceived ( if that is the word! ) by person with no sense of what makes a booming topographic point. Why is so much development so terribly designed? The item that 84 per centum of planing entries are drawn up by person with no conceive instruction may hold certain thing to make with it. But being taught in conceive does non necessarily mean that the person to fault for the development will gestating certain thing that might do a booming topographic point. After all, they may non hold glimpsed that as their occupation. They may hold been gestating merely of restricted and short-run purposes: to build certain thing that the developer can cover rapidly ; or to help the edifice ‘s users, other than doing a more pleasing know-how for individuals transient by.The public involvement is broader, and longer term. Urban conceive petitions to individuals who are involved in more than merely the conceive of a solitary building or the concerns of a lone user. What gets built-up interior decorators out of bed in the morning is the difference of gestating a location that will be utilized and relished by a wide assortment of distinguishable individuals for distinguishable grounds, non merely now but in old ages to come.A new professionUrban conceive is one of the newest profe ssions. The grade ‘urban interior decorator ‘ is little more than 25 old ages old. Much of what built-up interior decorators do – organizing the locations where we reside – was finished by professionals of diverse types before so, but the occupation was glimpsed from the point of view of specific professions. Architects and contrivers utilised to postulate about the maps of their two professions. Architects would impeach contrivers of impeding with aesthetic personal businesss about which they were non trained to judge. Planners would impeach designers of gestating constructions entirely as things, with small attempt to take history of their context or of their expected influence on the milieus. In 1978 some designers and contrivers called a armistice. This adept sniping is unpointed, they said. We have certain thing in common: we are all in the endeavor of doing topographic points. That should be the basis of our employed together.Peoples with a missionThe Urban Design Group was formed, and shortly designers, contrivers, countryside designers, applied scientists, public originative persons and a assortment of other professionals were confirming their house promise to built-up design. Their aim was to alter how the natural environment was shaped. They contended that designers should be worried with the location, non merely with gestating a building to carry the client ‘s claims entirely. Planners should be worried, non merely with land usage, but with the personal form of development. Landscape architecture should be engaged in look intoing and groking sites at the start of the designing and conceive method, other than being conveyed in at a late phase to mask unattractive constructions with some planting. Highway applied scientists should utilize their abilities to do locations that are delighting to be in and to saunter through, other than concentrating narrowly on keeping the traffic traveling. Modern built-up conceive can be advised as portion of the broader control and regard of Urban planning. Indeed, Urban planing started as a action chiefly used by with personal businesss of built-up design. Works for illustration Ildefons Cerda ‘s General Theory of Urbanization ( 1867 ) , Camillo Sitte ‘s City Planning Harmonizing to Artistic Principles ( 1889 ) , and Robinson ‘s The Improvement of Cities and Towns ( 1901 ) and Modern Civic Art ( 1903 ) , all were chiefly worried with built-up conceive, as did the subsequent City Beautiful motion in North America. ‘Urban design ‘ was foremost utilized as a characteristic period when Harvard University hosted a sequence of Urban Design Conferences from 1956. These seminars supplied a phase for the commencing of Harvard ‘s Urban Design plan in 1959-60. The Hagiographas of Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, Gordon Cullen and Christopher Alexander became important plants for the school of Urban Design. Gordon Cullen ‘s The Concise Townscape, foremost released in 1961, and moreover had a big purchase on legion built-up interior decorators. Cullen analyzed the customary originative attack to town conceive of theoreticians for illustration Camillo Sitte, Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin. He conceived the impression of ‘serial vision ‘ , characterizing the built-up countryside as a sequence of associated infinites. Jane Jacobs ‘ The Death and Life of Great American Cities, released in 1961, was moreover a accelerator for involvement in constructs of built-up design. She critiqued the Modernism of CIAM, and claimed that the publically ownerless infinites conceived by the ‘city in the park ‘ thought of Modernists were one of the major causes for the increasing offense rate. She contended instead than for an ‘eyes on the street ‘ attack to village designing, and the Resurrection of major public infinite case in points, for illustration roads and rectangles, in the conceive of metropoliss. Kevin Lynch ‘s The Image of the City of 1961 was furthermore seminal to the action, particularly with considers to the impression of discernability, and the lessening of built-up conceive thought to five fundamental constituents – paths, vicinities, margins, nodes, landmarks. He moreover made good liked the usage of mental charts to groking the town, other than the planar personal expert designs of the predating 50 old ages. Other outstanding plants encompass Rossi ‘s Architecture of the City ( 1966 ) , Venturi ‘s Learning from Las Vegas ( 1972 ) , Colin Rowe ‘s Collage City ( 1978 ) , and Peter Calthorpe ‘s The Following American Metropolis ( 1993 ) . Rossi presented the impressions of ‘historicism ‘ and ‘collective memory ‘ to built-up conceive, and suggested a ‘collage metaphor ‘ to gain the montage of new and older types inside the indistinguishable built-up infinite. Calthorpe, on the other manus, evolved a pronunciamento for sustainable built-up home by intermediate denseness home, every bit good as a conceive manual for building new towns in understanding with his impression of Transit Oriented Development ( TOD ) . Bill Hillier and Julienne Hanson in â€Å" The Social Logic of Space † ( 1984 ) presented the impression of Space Syntax to calculate how action patterns in towns would help to built-up verve, anti-social demeanor and f iscal success. The attraction of these plants produced in periods for illustration ‘historicism ‘ , ‘sustainability ‘ , ‘livability ‘ , ‘high value of built-up constituents ‘ , etc. go mundane idiom in the country of built-up planning.

Angela Davis and Feminism Essay - 1562 Words

Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, aunts, uncles, grandparents, pimps, prostitutes, straight people, gay people, lesbian people, Europeans, Asians, Indians, and Africans all have once thing in common: they are products of sexuality. Sexuality is the most common activity in the world, yet is considered taboo and â€Å"out of the norm† in modern society. Throughout history, people have been harassed, discriminated against, and shunned for their â€Å"sexuality†. One person who knows this all too well is activist and author, Angela Davis. From her experiences, Davis has analyzed the weakness of global society in order to propose intellectual theories on how to change the perspective of sexuality. This research paper will explore the discussions of†¦show more content†¦Angela Davis began her college career at Brandeis University to study French which granted her the opportunity to study abroad in France. In 1963, while Davis was in France four black girls were kill ed in a church bombing known as the 16th Street Church Bombing. This tragedy sparked Davis’ Passion for philosophy because she was personally affected by the bombing since she knew two of the killed victims. In 1969, Davis came back the America and joined several radical civil rights organizations. She was a member of the Communist Party, USA and a member of the Black Panther Party along with being an assistance professor at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). Governor at the time, Ronald Reagan, tried to terminate her position as UCLA professor because of her Communist affiliation, but that was overturned. Yet, devastation struck only a few months later. August 7, 1970, a young black male, Johnathan Jackson held Superior Court Judge, Harold Haley, a prosecutor, and three jury members hostage. He eventually shot and killed Judge Haley and the prosecutor. Coincidentally, the pistol Johnathan Jackson used to kill the judge and prosecutor were bought by Angela Davis a day before the shooting; therefore, Angela Davis was put on a 13 week trial for murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges. In the end, Davis was found not guilty, yet still has to live with theShow MoreRelatedAngela Davis : An Advocate For Feminism, Prison Reform, And Communism1642 Words   |  7 PagesBiography Angela Davis is recognized as an advocate for feminism, prison reform, and communism. She is best known as a radical African American educator and activist for civil rights. She established her own group called the Critical Resistance, an organization working to abolish the prison-industrial complex.While a high school student, she performed well, earning her a scholarship to Brandeis University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in French literature. 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