Introduction
Development theories and principles are a set of interrelated concepts or integrated statements of principles used to make predictions or explain the phenomenon in a fairly arranged series. B.F. Skinner’s theory of development argues that people can acquire new experiences through conditioning.
However, it is to some extent that conditioning is a learning experience, as it is chiefly about motivating the learner. In the case of children, skinner tried to condition them by putting them under a certain environment in order to make them adopt certain behavior and characters but there were no emotions acquired. The theory is more of a trial and error learning experience as it is not always that the children would connect that whatever was happening to them was meant for their own benefit rather, the explanation offered to them would have mattered a lot. Inspiring a person involves the use of a motive; at the same time, there must be behavior or character to be inspired.
Analysis
The excerpt of Walden Two written by skinner attempts to express the operant conditioning theory of the skinner. It talks about a leader of the society called Frazier, who ends one thousand people who are described as being joyful, talented, and industrious in their life. The children are enclosed in their rooms that are conditioned to a certain temperature and surroundings in order to adopt certain intended characters. Hence the children are encouraged to be affectionate and relate to each other freely.
The visiting learned professor becomes very suspicious of the utopian community because of its engineering of human character and behavior that, in many cases, is adopted freely without conditioning. The conditioning involves training children and society to be godly. However, the elements of the community adopt a culture and way of life as dictated by scientific knowledge and conduct similar to skinner’s theory of development. The main conditioning involves that making people adopt Christianity modesty and values in order to make them humble and generous.
In addition, the excerpt criticizes or discourages professional skills and experience, schooling, and working throughout the day. More so, it promotes and supports jealousness and meanness in the community by making people revenge or beat their fellow human beings. The family units encourage the extended type of families as children are required to be devoted to society more than to their families or parents. In addition, the members are encouraged to be jealousy and based on ethnic grounds. The members appraise the dictatorial acquisition of power in order to rule the other people.
The excerpt described by the skinner would be problematic and dangerous not only to the members but also to the world as a whole. This is because of its features and ideologies that it tends to promote and encourage its members. For instance, the promotion of dictatorship and denunciation of justice and democracy would lead to the suffering of the majority, who would tend to go against the ruling body even when fighting for their rights.
On the other hand, the discouragement of expressing one’s emotions freely and openly would tend to create a society filled with hypocrites and liars. Many people would suffer in their various situations and challenges they would encounter in fear of talking with others and expressing themselves. Hence many would suffer from extreme depression and strain that would have been curable if detected earlier through counseling and self-expression. Therefore, the majority would become unstable emotionally and adopt a particular way of life that would make them unproductive, unhappy, and lazy as many would tend to concentrate on recreational activities other than creative and productive jobs that would achieve high economic growth and development.
References:
Skinner, B.F. Walden Two, Macmillan Publishers, New York, 1948.
Skinner, B.F. Alternative Psychology, Macmillan publishers, New York, 1953.