AB539 S&HB Study Guide Unit 4 Ch 15-18 Fall 2013

Study guide for “ Science and Human Behavior ”, Skinner, 1953 Unit 4, Ch 15-18, Items 130-162. Place your original answer immediately following each numbered item below and use red or blue font for your answers. SECTION III: THE INDIVIDUAL AS A WHOLE XV “SELF-CONTROL” (p 227) 130. What is the theoretical value of experimentally verifying a reliable functional relation? 131. Skinner asserts but does not explain why a functional analysis has advantages over inferential statistics. Can you think of why a professional statistician like Jack Michael would give up teaching statistics and adopt a science focused on experimentally demonstrating “functional analysis”? (If not sure of this answer, it is ok to skip it…) 132. Why is the practical value of demonstrating functional relations “even greater” (than the theoretical value alluded to above)? 133. Before considering the various ways in which social control is exerted over the behavior of an individual, Skinner suggests that first “we must consider the possibility that the ___________ may ___________ his (sic) own behavior”. 134. Skinner states “In emphasizing the controlling power of external variables, we have left the organism itself in a peculiarly helpless position.” (p. 228). Explain this statement. 135. When we engage in activities said to exemplify instances of self-control what does Skinner suggest we are doing? ____________________ 136. So, in this view, do we need to abandon a behavior analytic conceptual framework and “throw in the towel” on pursuing a scientific account of behavior? Explain why or why not. 137. Is the person who appears to engage in a successful array of “self-control” strategies someone who has “the right stuff” or are those responses to be accounted for by something other than trait psychology? Explain. 138. Skinner suggests that self-control repertoires might be particularly useful when a given response has conflicting consequences. (P230)Elaborate on this. 139. Differentiate between the controlling response and the controlled response. (P 231) 140. Skinner describes nine general techniques of engaging in self-control. Explain THREE of these techniques and include examples of each. 141. So does Skinner believe that “self-control” has its origins within the organism or in the history of the organism? Explain.

XVI THINKING (p 242) 142. What distinction does Skinner draw between self-control and “making a decision”? How are these processes similar? 143. What are supplementary sources of strength and how are they related to Skinner’s analysis of thinking? 144. Describe some environmental factors that influence the development and maintenance of decision making behavior. 145. “Recall” is the search for a response that cannot be specified in advance. How do you go about “recalling” the name of an old acquaintance, or an important date or the answer to the questions, “What did you have for dinner yesterday?”? 146. Define a true “problem situation” and also a solution to the problem. Then give an original example from your own experience. 147. How does Skinner specifically define problem solving? So why is “solving the problem” (that is, emitting the problem solution response) not what Skinner means by problem solving? 148. What is the difference between trial and error learning and problem solving, according to Skinner? 149. Why does Skinner argue that the sudden appearance of a solution to a problem after a period of not overtly working on a solution, need not imply that the individual was “working on the problem subconsciously”? 150. Is there an analogy or parallel between the origins of “self-control” and original thoughts or ideas? Explain. 151. Does it make more sense to to say that man is in better control of the environment or that the environment has gained more precise control over the behavior of people? Explain. 152. Why can we not provide a rigorous account of the originality of important ideas in the history of science? What is our fall back position in accounting for the history of scientific discovery and technological advancement? 153. While the view that creative thinking may be accounted for within a natural science framework may be offensive to some, what are some possible compensatory advantages that may result from such a perspective? XVII PRIVATE EVENTS IN A NATURAL SCIENCE (p 257) 154. Is the environment of events capable of exerting stimulus control limited to events outside the organism? Explain. 155. Give an original example of some form of physical stimulation arising from within the skin. 156. “A private event may be distinguished by its _______________ accessibility, but not, so far as we know, by any special ________________ or _____________________ .” NOTE: Read the first full paragraph on page 258 carefully. In it, Skinner distinguishes between the interests of those interested in practical control exclusively, from those