L5: Behaviorism
This module discusses the school of behaviorism and how it legitimized behavior as a topic of scientific inquiry. The core claims and goals of behaviorism continue to have implications for the cognitive sciences and society in general.
Goals
- Provide historical overview of the “behaviorist” ideology
- Introduce different forms of behaviorism
- Connect early behaviorist ideas to current algorithms
Instructions
Work through each of the following Read, View/Watch/listen, and Engage sections. You have the full week to complete any quizzes or assignments for this module.
Read
60 minutes
Textbook Chapter: Behaviorism
Describes the school of behaviorism and how it legitimized behavior as a topic of scientific inquiry. The core claims and goals of behaviorism continue to have implications for the cognitive sciences and society in general.
View/Watch/Listen
There are two sets of slides for this module.
Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Engage
When you are ready complete any or all of the following assignments.
- QUIZ: Complete the L5: Behaviorism quiz (on Canvas)
- WRITING: There are reading/writing assignments to choose from (instructions below, submit on Canvas).
- REFLECT: Submit a meme for the Memer of the Semester contest on Canvas (1 extra credit point for winner at the end of the semester)
Submit your work before the due date posted on Canvas. Then, move on to the next learning module.
Writing Option 1: Rabbit Hole: Listen and React
Listen to the Rabbit hole podcast by the New York Times. You should listen to the “Start here” podcast (5 minute overview), and then the first act “One: Wonderland” (26 minutes). Feel free to listen to more.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/podcasts/rabbit-hole-prologue.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/podcasts/rabbit-hole-internet-youtube-virus.html
In at least 250 words, describe connections between the behaviorist goals of predicting and controlling behavior for the purposes of social engineering, with the issues discussed in the podcast. Is the youtube algorithm a successful modern example of the ideas of behaviorism? Are there potential positive and/or negative implications for society?
Writing Option 2: Watson: A controversial behaviorist
I suggested that J.B. Watson was a controversial researcher who promoted behaviorism. If you would like to learn more about why J.B. Watson was a controversial figure, then this assignment is for you. Your task is to read Oksana Yakushko’s chapter 5, “From the Science of Human Betterment to the Science of Behavioral Control” (available on Canvas). This chapter makes useful connections between eugenics and behaviorism, with a focus on J. B. Watson as a controversial figure.
In at least 250 words, write a reflection on what you learned from this chapter.
Writing Option 3: Answer two short answer questions
Answer the following questions:
Within the context of operant conditioning, provide an example of the following: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment.
Describe one experiment that Tolman conducted to show that behaviors were driven by purpose. Your description should include the independent and dependent variable(s) in the experiment, the key empirical question, and the main finding and inferences drawn from the findings.