Radical Behaviourism Case Study

Question 1

1.1 The theory and its major assumptions of radical behaviourism – B.F. Skinner

Burrhus Frederic Skinner was known as a radical behaviourist who defined behaviour as the “lawful result of environmental factors”. (Meyer, 2008, p. 263) In the positivist approach in he applied the observational component of the science referred to empirical science and the theoretical terms described the observation. Traditional behaviourism is seen as the most straightforward approach for human change. (Jones, S.L. & Butman, R.E., 2011, p.166) Skinner and the behaviourists identify behaviour problems, this could be thoughts or emotions, such as fear. Identify the conditions that caused this problem(s) and intervene by changing the environment or stimuli in order to weaken or eliminate the behaviour in the most favourable manner (Jones, 2011). No acknowledgment is given of any cognitive or mental influences. Skinner claims that the only determined of behaviour comes from outside of the organism, in other words, from the environment and nothing from the inner self as other psychologists might advocate. Skinner’s theory is one of the most prominent theories of human functioning.

Skinner explained that behaviour can be understood by analysing the effect of environment. Operant conditioning developed by Skinner is the term that he used to describe the effects of the consequences of a particular behaviour on the future occurrence of that behaviour. According to him voluntary behaviour is either weakened or strengthened by the immediate presence of punishment or reinforcement. Undesirable behaviour is minimised through negative reinforcement. (Meyer, 2008, pp. 263-264)

1.2 The Belief in God Jesus and the Holy Spirit

No clear statements rega...

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...d negative counter conditioning, removing or changing the stimuli and extinction. Extinction is a very effective method, when behaviour is consistently not reinforced, it weakens and eventually disappears. (Meyer, 2008, pp. 281-284)

The Christian appraisal rejects the fact that too little emphasis, if at all, is given to the complexity of the human nature. People are more than just organisms or mechanisms that responds to stimuli. Human behaviour is multidimensional and cannot be over-simplified. The main objection is that behavioural therapy leaves no room for the concept of spirituality and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in behaviour. (Jones, 2011) For Christians to have complete victory against their sinful nature, the power of the Holy Spirit is essential. Galatians 5:16 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature”