Skinner theory

Why do have unconscious part?

  1. Deception: Animals have been at the forefront when it comes to decieving other living beings. When in danger, chimpanzee hairs stands so that it can look bigger. Same happens in humans as well, we try to decieve others into beliveing that we are tougher, smarter, etc.
  2. We have developed a lie detection mechanism as well to counter the decieving part. We are better liar if we believe that the lie is true. The best lie is the lie which we tell to ourselves.
  3. The sinister or bad decision is better when taken with the help of unconscious part.

Skinner theory

Skinner worked on behaviourism. Although behaviourism was already there but he bought it to the masses. Some of the key points of behaviourism are:

  1. Whatever we are is because of our experience.
  2. Anti mentalism: Claims about desires, unconscious is unscientific as they cant be touched or seen.
  3. Behaviorist believes there are no difference between what I can do and what other person can do.

3 key principles of Behaviourism

  1. Habitualism: Decline in the tendency to act on a stimuli due to repeated exposure to it
  2. Classical conditioning:
    • Learning of an association between one stimulus and another stimulus.
    • There are many key concepts here like generalisation, spontaneous reaction, etc.
    • One of the key experiment conducted here was The little albert experiment
  1. Operant conditioning:
  • Learning the relationship by what you do and how successful or unsuccessful it is.
  • This conditioning is totally voluntary.
  • A conditioning improves if rewarded or weakens if not.

Controversy and criticism of Behaviourism

  • We know that humans have innate knowledge and innate desires
  • There is debate over how much do we know when we are born?
  • Reward is not neccessay to accelerate a behaviour.
  • Garcia effect: aversion to taste or smell gets associated with negative behaviour.
  • Not all phobias are developed due to classical conditioning, some are innante in humans. The fear of snakes is common to both humans and chimpanzees.