Posted by alexandra_k on November 23, 2004, at 19:10:31
In reply to Extinction of behavior, posted by gardenergirl on November 21, 2004, at 13:15:56
Actually extinction might not work in this case as there could be other, or even internal reinforcers that are beyond our control...
Behaviourism doesn't work so well anymore as people become verbal, because then they can follow 'inner' or 'covert' rules. (I am not sure how behaviourists are allowed to talk about 'inner' rules - but anyway, they do...)
On a lighter note one of the die hard behaviourists from varsity who I argue with all the time told me something really funny today...
He said that it is currently a hot topic in JEABA, or maybe the other one - whether it might be legitimate in some cases to postulate the existance of inner, mental states. William Baum (revered writer of "Understanding Behaviourism") was one of the authors. Apparantly it is at the response to the response to the response to the response stage...
Anyway, he said that he was starting to think it might be okay in some cases.
I said 'well, some think that that debate was fairly conclusively settled in the 60's' and he asked what I meant. I replied 'well, many think that OF COURSE it is okay, and that was when the majority turned to cognitive science and abandoned behaviourism. It is pretty funny that the debate has come up again now! You do realise Bill, that if you change your mind now then there is about 40 years of cognitive science research that you are going to have to catch up on!'
I think I offended him (you should have seen the look on his face!).
I dare say he mightn't write me a reference now, however, it was worth it!
This has been giving me chuckles all day :-)
poster:alexandra_k
thread:417968
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041122/msgs/419467.html