Beyond Skinner and Watson Tristram Jones, Ph. D Kaplan University PS517 Unit VIII.

Beyond Skinner and Beyond Skinner and WatsonWatson

Tristram Jones, Ph. DTristram Jones, Ph. DKaplan University PS517 Unit VIIIKaplan University PS517 Unit VIII

Is Is behaviorismbehaviorism itself beyond itself beyond behaviorism?behaviorism?

IMMERSION THERAPY: A fear-IMMERSION THERAPY: A fear-hierarchy is created: Can the hierarchy is created: Can the patient talk about the object of patient talk about the object of his/her fear, look at a picture of his/her fear, look at a picture of it, watch a movie about it, come it, watch a movie about it, come closer in a hallway? Be in the closer in a hallway? Be in the same room with the object of same room with the object of his/her fear, can he/she be in his/her fear, can he/she be in physical contact with it?physical contact with it?

Once these questions have Once these questions have been ordered the patient is been ordered the patient is taught a relaxation exercise, or taught a relaxation exercise, or otherwise receives therapeuticotherwise receives therapeutic

process of some type. process of some type. Patient is exposed to lowest Patient is exposed to lowest

aspect of hierarchy in a aspect of hierarchy in a condition with which he/she is condition with which he/she is most comfortable most comfortable

After that, the patient moves up After that, the patient moves up the hierarchy the hierarchy

How about FLOODINGHow about FLOODING??

Flooding is a behavioral technique Flooding is a behavioral technique for overcoming phobias. It is a for overcoming phobias. It is a faster (but more traumatic) method faster (but more traumatic) method of fixing fears associated with of fixing fears associated with phobia. In order to demonstrate phobia. In order to demonstrate the irrationality of the fear a the irrationality of the fear a psychologist would put a person in psychologist would put a person in a situation where he or she a situation where he or she confronts the phobia at its worst, confronts the phobia at its worst, but under controlled conditions. but under controlled conditions. The advantage to flooding is that it The advantage to flooding is that it is quick and often effective. There is quick and often effective. There is however, spontaneous recovery is however, spontaneous recovery of a fear that may occur. This can of a fear that may occur. This can be made lessened through be made lessened through systematic desensitization; systematic desensitization; another form of a behavioral another form of a behavioral conditioning. conditioning.

Relational Frame Theory?Relational Frame Theory? Relational frame theoryRelational frame theory, or , or RFTRFT, is a theory of , is a theory of

human language as it relates to cognition.human language as it relates to cognition. Relational frame theory is based on the Relational frame theory is based on the

philosophical roots of functional contextualism philosophical roots of functional contextualism and focuses on how humans learn language and focuses on how humans learn language through interactions with the environment. through interactions with the environment.

Functional contextualism is an extension and Functional contextualism is an extension and contextualistic interpretation of Skinner’s radical contextualistic interpretation of Skinner’s radical behaviorism stressing the significance of behaviorism stressing the significance of predicting and influencing psychological events, predicting and influencing psychological events, such as thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, by such as thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, by focusing on manipulable variables in their context.focusing on manipulable variables in their context.

Neurobiology is also “beyond Neurobiology is also “beyond Skinner.”Skinner.”

Brain research is more Brain research is more reliable than behavioral reliable than behavioral theory? theory?

Linking brain research Linking brain research to literacy and learning.to literacy and learning.

Learning which brain Learning which brain activities dominate in activities dominate in learning and adaptation learning and adaptation will ultimately benefit will ultimately benefit training methods more training methods more than simple operant than simple operant methods!methods!

Your brain on drugs? Or maybe Your brain on drugs? Or maybe just art?just art?

“These pathways let our brains receive the message sent by the neurotransmitter chemical dopamine - the message that tells us that what we're doing is pleasurable and we should do it again."

What’s wrong with those pictures?What’s wrong with those pictures? ““Power CalculationPower Calculation" " The more data you collect The more data you collect

for a piece of research, the greater your ability to detect for a piece of research, the greater your ability to detect modest effect. modest effect. The size of sample needed also changes with The size of sample needed also changes with the size of the effect you're trying to detectthe size of the effect you're trying to detect: A true 0.2% : A true 0.2% difference in the size of the hippocampus between two groups, difference in the size of the hippocampus between two groups, would need more subjects than a study aiming to detect a 25% would need more subjects than a study aiming to detect a 25% difference.difference.

And the place of mental And the place of mental constructs in a world of constructs in a world of

behavior?behavior? This nice man is Albert This nice man is Albert Bandura. He is the dude Bandura. He is the dude

w who created the transitionw who created the transition between behaviorism and between behaviorism and

. Cognitive . Cognitive Psychology. He I is Psychology. He I is known as the originator of social learning known as the originator of social learning theory, and he was the first person to theory, and he was the first person to teach behaviorists that people can think! teach behaviorists that people can think! Bandura, A. (1977)Bandura, A. (1977) Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

These are the guys who came These are the guys who came along at that point!along at that point!

Meichenbaum on the Meichenbaum on the subject of Albert Ellis:subject of Albert Ellis:

“ “His approach is forcefully His approach is forcefully didactic – so forceful, that on one didactic – so forceful, that on one occasion I was moved to occasion I was moved to suggest, rather tongue-in-cheek, suggest, rather tongue-in-cheek, that RET as conducted by Ellis that RET as conducted by Ellis would only be successful with would only be successful with New Yorkers.  And I went on to New Yorkers.  And I went on to suggest that wherever else in the suggest that wherever else in the world RET was successfully world RET was successfully conducted, it would be with a conducted, it would be with a patient who had moved from patient who had moved from New York.”New York.”

Still, REBT works as follows:Still, REBT works as follows: Albert Ellis and REBT posit that our reaction to having Albert Ellis and REBT posit that our reaction to having

our goals blocked (or even the possibility of having them our goals blocked (or even the possibility of having them blocked) is determined by our beliefs. To illustrate this, blocked) is determined by our beliefs. To illustrate this, Ellis developed a simple ABC format to teach people Ellis developed a simple ABC format to teach people how their beliefs cause their emotional and behavioral how their beliefs cause their emotional and behavioral responses:responses:

AA. Something happens.. Something happens.BB. You have a belief about the situation.. You have a belief about the situation.C.C. You have an emotional reaction to the belief. You have an emotional reaction to the belief.

For example:For example: AA. Your employer falsely accuses you of taking money . Your employer falsely accuses you of taking money

from her purse and threatens to fire you.from her purse and threatens to fire you.BB. You believe, “She has no right to accuse me. She's a . You believe, “She has no right to accuse me. She's a bitch!”bitch!”CC. You feel angry.. You feel angry.

ALL CBT approaches share ALL CBT approaches share these common these common assumptions:assumptions:

Cognitive therapy seeks to Cognitive therapy seeks to help the patient overcome help the patient overcome difficulties by identifying and difficulties by identifying and changing dysfunctional changing dysfunctional thinking, behavior, and thinking, behavior, and emotional responses. This emotional responses. This involves helping patients involves helping patients develop skills for modifying develop skills for modifying beliefs, identifying distorted beliefs, identifying distorted thinking, relating to others in thinking, relating to others in different ways, and different ways, and changing behaviors.changing behaviors.

GROUNDED THEORYGROUNDED THEORY

A research method that A research method that reverses traditional research reverses traditional research and contradicts the scientific and contradicts the scientific method. Rather than beginning method. Rather than beginning by researching and developing by researching and developing a hypothesis, the first step is a hypothesis, the first step is data collection, through a data collection, through a variety of methods. From the variety of methods. From the data collected, the key points data collected, the key points are marked with a series of are marked with a series of codescodes, grouped into similar , grouped into similar conceptsconcepts in order to make in order to make them more workable. From them more workable. From these concepts, these concepts, categoriescategories are are formed, which are the basis for formed, which are the basis for the creation of a the creation of a theorytheory, a kind , a kind of reverse engineered of reverse engineered hypothesis! hypothesis!

Four Stages of Grounded Four Stages of Grounded TheoryTheory

Codes: Codes: Identifying anchors that allow the Identifying anchors that allow the key points of the data to be gatheredkey points of the data to be gathered

Concepts: Concepts: Collections of Collections of codescodes of similar of similar content that allows the data to be groupedcontent that allows the data to be grouped

Categories: Categories: Broad groups of similar Broad groups of similar conceptsconcepts that are used to generate a that are used to generate a theorytheory

Theory: Theory: A collection of explanations that A collection of explanations that explain the subject of the researchexplain the subject of the research

And QUALITATIVE ANALYSISAnd QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Fields of Qualitative Fields of Qualitative Assessment:Assessment: ETHNOGRAPHY: ETHNOGRAPHY:

Research, used for Research, used for investigating cultures investigating cultures by collecting and by collecting and describing data that is describing data that is intended to help in the intended to help in the development of a development of a theory. This method is theory. This method is also called also called “ethnomethodology” or “ethnomethodology” or "methodology of the "methodology of the people". An example of people". An example of applied ethnographic applied ethnographic research, is the study research, is the study of a particular culture of a particular culture and understanding a and understanding a particular mental particular mental disease in that cultural disease in that cultural framework. framework.

CRITICAL SOCIAL RESEARCHCRITICAL SOCIAL RESEARCH:: Used by a researcher to understand Used by a researcher to understand

how people communicate and develop how people communicate and develop symbolic meaningssymbolic meanings. .

Ethical InquiryEthical Inquiry An intellectual An intellectual

analysis of ethical analysis of ethical problems. It problems. It includes the includes the study of ethics as study of ethics as related to related to obligation, rights, obligation, rights, duty, right and duty, right and wrong, and wrong, and choice.choice.

Historical ResearchHistorical Research Re-examines past and Re-examines past and

present events in the present events in the context of the present context of the present condition, and allows condition, and allows one to reflect and one to reflect and provide possible provide possible answers to current answers to current issues and problems. issues and problems. Historical research Historical research helps us in answering helps us in answering questions such as: questions such as: Where have we come Where have we come from, where are we, from, where are we, who are we now and who are we now and where are we going? where are we going?

Phenomenology:Phenomenology: Describes the “subjective reality” of an event, as Describes the “subjective reality” of an event, as

perceived by the study population; it is the study of perceived by the study population; it is the study of a the subjective reality a the subjective reality of the participantof the participant. .

And philosophical research:And philosophical research: Philosophical Philosophical

Research, is Research, is conducted within the conducted within the boundaries of a boundaries of a specific field of specific field of study or a study or a profession, in order profession, in order to clarify definitions, to clarify definitions, identify ethics, or identify ethics, or make a value make a value judgment judgment concerning an issue concerning an issue in the field of study.in the field of study.

And whatever lies And whatever lies beyond…?beyond…?

Postmodernism has Postmodernism has taken the academy taken the academy beyond any place it beyond any place it had been previouslyhad been previously—and many would —and many would say beyond any say beyond any place it should have place it should have gone. Now that gone. Now that reality is reality is suspended, it will suspended, it will be fascinating to be fascinating to learn what’s next! learn what’s next!

So finally, it’s time for:So finally, it’s time for:

BATTLE OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS!!!!BANDS!!!!Cast your vote at: [email protected]