The document discusses criticisms of educational practices based on behaviorism. It summarizes B.F. Skinner's defense of behaviorism, which advocates for intentional control through reinforcement and punishment to shape behavior. However, critics argue that behaviorism fails to account for important human factors like consciousness, talent, passion, cooperation, autonomy and freedom. Overall prison populations and allegations of abuse in the Catholic church are presented as examples of how overly controlling environments can backfire.

1. What’s The Problem With
Educational Practices Based on
Behaviorism?
Discounting freedom, cooperation, and
the self

2. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner Defending His
Position
“In one form or another
intentional aversive control is
the pattern of most social
coordination-in ethics, religion,
government, economics,
education, psychotherapy, and
family life.” (Skinner, 37)
“Man’s struggle for freedom is
not due to a will to be free, but
to certain behavioral processes
characteristic of the human
organism, the chief effect of
which is the avoidance of or
escape from so-called
“aversive” features of the
environment.” (Skinner, 41)

3. Skinner Condemned What He Referred
To As “Literature of Freedom.”
 Often emphasizes the
aversive conditions
under which people
live. (Skinner, 38)
 Characteristic villains
are tyrants, priests,
generals, capitalists,
and domineering
parents. (Skinner, 38)

4. And for those who do not comply?
“A person may escape from slavery,
emigrate or defect from a government,
desert from an army, become an
apostate from a religion, play truant,
leave home, or drop out of a culture as a
hobo, hermit, or hippie. Such behavior
is as much a product of the aversive
conditions as the behavior the
conditions were designed to evoke. The
latter can be guaranteed only by
sharpening the contingencies or by
using stronger averse stimuli.” (Skinner,
34)

5. Does Behaviorism Present the Best Model
For The Social Coordination Of Our
Schools?
 Total U.S. prison population 1.6 million
at yearend 2010, a decline of 0.6
percent during the year, the first  Between 1980 and 2008, there was no
decline in the total prison population in significant change in the overall
nearly four decades. (US Department reading scores of 13-year-olds, nor
Of Justice) was there a measurable difference
between the overall reading scores in
2004 and 2008. (NCES)
 Authoritarian parents whose child-
rearing style can be summed up as
"it's my way or the highway" are more  As of 2004, more than 11,000
likely to raise disrespectful, delinquent allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic
children who do not see them as Priests against children. The 4,450
legitimate authority figures than accused priests represent about 4
authoritative parents who listen to their percent of the 110,000 priests who
children and gain their respect and served during the 52 years covered by
trust, according to new research from the study. (CNN)
the University of New Hampshire.
(ScienceDaily Feb. 10, 2012)

6. What About …?
 Consciousness
 Talent
 Passion
 Progress
 Cooperation
 Autonomy with
Empathy
 Peace
 Freedom

7. References
All Images deemed Fair Use and taken from Microsoft Office Clip Art or
http://www.public-domain-image.com/page/search/
CNN.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/US/02/16/church.abuse/index.html
ScienceDaily (Feb. 10, 2012)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210105901.htm
National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012026/chapter2_12.asp
Skinner, B.F. Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Hackett Publishing Company, 2002
(original 1971)
US Department Of Justice
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/press/p10cpus10pr.cfm