Read the article entitled ‘The Technology of Behavior’ by BF Skinner.
B.F. Skinner is the founder of what is called ‘Behaviorism’ in psychology and is based on the premise that everything we do and think is based on learning and conditioning. We are conditioned by how are responses to certain stimuli are rewarded or punished. In this article Skinner argues that in Psychology we should focus on developing effective technologies for changing behavior which provide the basis for a scientific psychology.
Since technologies are a means to an end the critical question for human beings is what goals we have, what do we value, this will determine what technologies we develop and for what purpose.
In a 250 word response answer the following questions:
a. What is Skinner’s argument about why we should study and understand psychology as ‘Technology of Human Behavior”?
b. Why is it important to Skinner to consider the issue of values in relation to Behavioral technologies?
c. Why is the expression ‘freedom’ complicated for Skinner?
