[tips] Affluenza
Looks like our field is going to take another beating by the press over this affluenza business. The case certainly touches sensitive cultural nerves: anger about how the rich can get away with murder, anger whenever inequality is found. Unfortunately, we also see a theme we've all heard before: that psychologists help criminals get off their sentences by blaming their past. On the other hand, I am seeing in press reports that affluenza is not a term found in the DSM, but still...Also, if it psychology's fault that a judge made the decision not to jail him? And who exactly is Dr. G. Dick Miller? Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. mich...@thepsychfiles.com http://www.ThePsychFiles.com Twitter: @mbritt --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32828 or send a blank email to leave-32828-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re:[tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:39:53 -0600 (CST), Joan Warmbold wrote: Carol--consider contacting the Skinner foundation via his daughter, Julie Vargas at opera...@bfskinner.org. Folks who knew Skinner have told me that he had a wonderful sense of humor so bet he would have had an opinion. Certainly ones life experiences and reference systems play an important role, which could explain why ones culture and the time era so influence perception of humor. For example, many of students think Family Guy is a riot whereas I think it's plain stupid. Whatever, love your question. A point I tried to make in an earlier post which seem to have have overlooked/ignored is that defining humor from a behaviorist perspective focuses is on behavior. Clearly, some humor is physical humor (the silent films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Loyd, and so on clearly give examples of this) while some humor is based on language (e.g., jokes, puns, etc.) and situations (e.g., sketches). When we get to aspects of humor that involve interpretation of words or situations, purely behavioral (or radical behaviorist) accounts *should be silent* because these positions do not work in these areas. I can imagine Tolman speculating about humor as a scientific subject but I cannot imagine Skinner doing so in any meaningful way (this does not mean he might not have re-framed humor into behaviorist terms but this, like his account of language, would probably not work very well). This does not mean that Skinner was a Scrooge or humorless, rather, because Skinner did not believe in the study of cognitive and neuroscience processes, he would not be interested these components of humor. By implication, students of Skinner and believers in radical behaviorism would hold similar views. Freudian interpretations (no matter how much one disagrees with them and I do tend to disagree with them) it should be noted that in the arts, Freud is a major influence while Skinner is a minor influence (the onely instance I can think of Skinnerian influence is in Young Frankenstein when Dr. Frankenstein gives the Monster a reinforcer for doing a dance routine correctly).provide a better framework for thinking about certain aspects of humor. Consider: why is the following funny: Sometimes a cigar is only a cigar. And updated version of this statement that focuses on alleged intrusive nature of male-oriented sex is and the weapon-like nature of male sex organs:: Sometime a penis is only a penis. The humor in these statements involves (a) a certain set of concepts, (b) an understanding of certain theories about people and events, and (c) some knowledge of Freudian theory. How would a behavioral account explain why these statements are funny. Finally, I know that the word humor was originally left vague which, in my opinion, is generally a bad idea -- better to be more specific about what aspects of humor one is concerned with given the wide variety of events that can be considered humorous from slapstick to satire. A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu Carol DeVolder wrote: Thanks, Mike and Paul (Paul responded back channel as he had already squandered his posts yesterday :) ) Mike, I have read many of the things you mentioned and I'm familiar with Darwin's take on it, as well as the changes through the centuries *vis a vis *the various philosophers. I have not found anything specifically behaviorist that addresses my question, except for the link that Paul sent me, which I enjoyed very much (thanks again, Paul). I find it interesting that, given the amount of time we spend engaging in things that make us laugh, invoke a feeling of mirth, or both, there isn't more from a behaviorist perspective. I don't believe that behaviorists are grim by nature (I consider myself a behaviorist, and I don't think I'm grim), but I haven't found much literature that addresses humor and its associated constructs from a behaviorist perspective. It just seems like something's missing, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something of which I should be aware. I'm definitely not as well-read as some TIPSters, so I turn to you all for ideas. Thanks, Carol On Thu, Jan 16, 2014 at 9:04 AM, Mike Palij m...@nyu.edu wrote: On Wed, 15 Jan 2014 12:40:38 -0800, Carol DeVolder wrote: What sources should I look at to find a behaviorist view of laughter, mirth, and humor? I realize I'm being vague--that's on purpose. :) A few points to consider: (1) If you have not examined the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's entry on humor, I suggest that you do since it gives an interesting overview of the philosophical/religious opinions concerning the nature of humor and whether engaging in humor should be considered socially acceptable. See: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/humor/ The early negative
[tips] A Real Southern Belle
With all this talk about women taking on new roles and challenges, it is important to remember the forerunners who helped pave the way for today's women. Here is an NY Times obituary on one such woman: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/sports/mae-young-an-unladylike-lady-wrestler-dies-at-90.html?nl=todaysheadlinesemc=edit_th_20140117_r=0 Gone but not forgotten. Additional information is available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Young NOTE: as the Wiki entry points out Ms. Young had a face turn when she became a Christian evangelist in 1991 but later returned to her heel roots which provides hope for evangelists everywhere. ;-) -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32830 or send a blank email to leave-32830-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: Re:[tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
From: Mike Palij m...@nyu.edu Sent: Friday, January 17, 2014 8:36 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Cc: Michael Palij Subject: Re:[tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner ... A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu -- LOL Bill Scott --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32831 or send a blank email to leave-32831-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
Reread my Catania quote on multiple determination of (verbal) behavior. On Jan 17, 2014, at 9:08 AM, William Scott wrote: From: Mike Palij m...@nyu.edu Sent: Friday, January 17, 2014 8:36 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Cc: Michael Palij Subject: Re:[tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner ... A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). Paul Brandon Emeritus Professor of Psychology Minnesota State University, Mankato pkbra...@hickorytech.net --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32833 or send a blank email to leave-32833-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
It appeared fine here. Enjoyed the reference too...and the picture. G.L. (Gary) Peterson,Ph.D Psychology@SVSU On Jan 17, 2014, at 10:53 AM, Jeffry Ricker, Ph.D. jeff.ric...@scottsdalecc.edu wrote: I'm going to try this again because it seems that my email consisted of a bunch of mish-mosh. The joke already is ruined. I just want to see if the same thing happens again. Jeff Hi again, I just finished reading one of the papers referred to in this thread (Epstein Joker, 2007), in which the authors quoted Skinner's opening remarks at a 1962 debate between Rogers and Skinner: I was just reminded of a story that I once heard about Carl Rogers, and I will tell it now in hope to confirm or have him deny it Carl Rogers was never much of a duck hunter, but he was persuaded upon one occasion to go duck hunting. He and some friends went into a blind and sat through a dreary cold early dawn, and no ducks arrived until the very end of the time when shooting was possible. Finally, one lone duck came in, and his friends allowed him to shoot, and he did. At the same time, along the shore a few hundred yards away, another man shot at the same duck. The duck fell, plop. Dr. Rogers got out of the blind and started toward the duck. The other man got out of his blind and started toward the same duck. They arrived at the same moment. Dr. Rogers turned to him and said, ‘‘You feel that this is your duck.’’ [Much laughter] The reason that I was reminded of that story was that the end of it is that Dr. Rogers brought the duck home. [Much laughter] (pp. 49-50) Quite an amusing anecdote, I think. Not so amusing was what happened just moments after Skinner finished his story, when Rogers beat the crap out of Skinner (see picture): fight.png REFERENCE Epstein, R., Joker, V. R. (2007). A threshold theory of the humor response. The Behavior Analyst, 30, 49-58. -- - Jeffry Ricker, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology http://sccpsy101.com/curriculum-vitae/ - Scottsdale Community College 9000 E. Chaparral Road Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626 Office: SB-123 Phone: (480) 423-6213 Fax: (480) 423-6298 --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: peter...@svsu.edu. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13445.e3edca0f6e68bfb76eaf26a8eb6dd94bn=Tl=tipso=32835 (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) or send a blank email to leave-32835-13445.e3edca0f6e68bfb76eaf26a8eb6dd...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32836 or send a blank email to leave-32836-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
[tips] While we are on the topic of Mish-Mosh
On Jan 17, 2014, at 8:52 AM, Jeffry Ricker, Ph.D. wrote: --Apple-Mail=_89721E2C-6154-40D0-AFD3-ED8E07754397 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 I'm going to try this again because it seems that my email consisted of a b= unch of mish-mosh. The joke already is ruined. I just want to see if the s= ame thing happens again. OK, it did happen again. I noticed something similar in a post that Scott Lilienfeld sent the other day. With my last post of the day, let me ask: does anyone know why this happened? Bet, Jeff -- - Jeffry Ricker, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology http://sccpsy101.com/curriculum-vitae/ - Scottsdale Community College 9000 E. Chaparral Road Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626 Office: SB-123 Phone: (480) 423-6213 Fax: (480) 423-6298 --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32837 or send a blank email to leave-32837-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
On Jan 17, 2014, at 8:54 AM, Gerald Peterson wrote: It appeared fine here. Enjoyed the reference too...and the picture. Thanks. Perhaps it's a problem with our email system. I'll check into it. Best, Jeff -- - Jeffry Ricker, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology - Scottsdale Community College 9000 E. Chaparral Road Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626 Office: SB-123 Phone: (480) 423-6213 Fax: (480) 423-6298 --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32838 or send a blank email to leave-32838-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
From a behavioral viewpoint verbal behavior IS behavior and obeys the same basic laws. The -situations- in which it occurs are unique, leading to unique analyses (there are journals filled with these). And it's an oversimplification to say that Skinner did not believe in the study of cognitive and neuroscience processes He talking much about private events, and was interested in their study (remember, he started out with biological leanings). He considered them part of a different science that was interesting in its own right; he chose to let other people study them. He also did not think that at his time it was productive to look for the causes of specific behaviors (control and prediction, remember) in physiological processes. He did say that eventually the fields would converge and useful physiological explanations would become available. We're certainly closer to that than we were 50 years ago, although one might question whether applied cognitive science is currently as effective in dealing with real world problems (as opposed to existential angst) as behavior science is. Again, your examples of humor are very similar the my quote from Charles Catania about humor. Finally, have you actually read 'Verbal Behavior'? Any issues of the journal Analysis of Verbal Behavior? In what sense does Skinner's account of language not work very well? By what criteria? Are we back to Chomsky (he clearly did not read 'Verbal Behavior' before criticizing it; he just 'knew' it couldn't be right because he disagreed with it's basic assumption that language was an acquired behavior. Finally, as far as the arts are concerned, I'm not sure this is an important criterion for the validity of a science. Certainly psychodynamic psychology is far richer in metaphor (this reliance on metaphor might be a scientific weakness) than behavioral psychology, making it a better lode for the arts. On the other hand, the concept of the reinforcement of behavior (more generally, selection by consequences) may have become so embedded in our language that it's effects are not as obvious as Freudian slips (another example of humor through the incongruity of multiple determination). It seems to be the the liberal arts are the ONLY area where classic psychodynamics (as opposed to psychoceramics) are still common. On Jan 17, 2014, at 7:36 AM, Mike Palij wrote: On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:39:53 -0600 (CST), Joan Warmbold wrote: Carol--consider contacting the Skinner foundation via his daughter, Julie Vargas at opera...@bfskinner.org. Folks who knew Skinner have told me that he had a wonderful sense of humor so bet he would have had an opinion. Certainly ones life experiences and reference systems play an important role, which could explain why ones culture and the time era so influence perception of humor. For example, many of students think Family Guy is a riot whereas I think it's plain stupid. Whatever, love your question. A point I tried to make in an earlier post which seem to have have overlooked/ignored is that defining humor from a behaviorist perspective focuses is on behavior. Clearly, some humor is physical humor (the silent films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Loyd, and so on clearly give examples of this) while some humor is based on language (e.g., jokes, puns, etc.) and situations (e.g., sketches). When we get to aspects of humor that involve interpretation of words or situations, purely behavioral (or radical behaviorist) accounts *should be silent* because these positions do not work in these areas. I can imagine Tolman speculating about humor as a scientific subject but I cannot imagine Skinner doing so in any meaningful way (this does not mean he might not have re-framed humor into behaviorist terms but this, like his account of language, would probably not work very well). This does not mean that Skinner was a Scrooge or humorless, rather, because Skinner did not believe in the study of cognitive and neuroscience processes, he would not be interested these components of humor. By implication, students of Skinner and believers in radical behaviorism would hold similar views. Freudian interpretations (no matter how much one disagrees with them and I do tend to disagree with them) it should be noted that in the arts, Freud is a major influence while Skinner is a minor influence (the onely instance I can think of Skinnerian influence is in Young Frankenstein when Dr. Frankenstein gives the Monster a reinforcer for doing a dance routine correctly).provide a better framework for thinking about certain aspects of humor. Consider: why is the following funny: Sometimes a cigar is only a cigar. And updated version of this statement that focuses on alleged intrusive nature of male-oriented sex is and the weapon-like nature of male sex organs:: Sometime a penis is only a penis. The humor in these statements involves (a) a certain
RE: Re:[tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
-Original Message- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu -- I think, without discussing Skinner's specific take on it, a behaviorist would study language, humor and satire in terms of the overt behavior produced and the consequence it has. Using the framework of operant conditioning, a behavior (either a bodily action or a verbalization) is produced in a particular situation and it has a consequence. That consequence may act to reinforce the behavior marked by an increase in the behavior in the future in similar circumstances or to punish the behavior marked by a decrease in that behavior in the future in those circumstances. Of course, many behaviors also occur without consequence in certain situations and such behaviors are also less likely to occur in the future. This operant explanation of verbal behavior is easily seen in the behavior of infants and young children in which case many verbalizations are obviously shaped by their consequences to occur again or (if they are unsuccessful) not to recur. It becomes more complicated as we get older but I have occasionally asked my students to see their daily verbal behavior through a behavioral lens. It isn't something you can keep up for long without becoming very self-conscious about every word you say but what I suggest is that they examine their utterances and the utterances of others throughout the day from a behavioral framework. What consequence maintains these verbalizations? It is easy in cases like please pass the salt but it becomes almost painfully self-revelatory when you get to what you say to friends. The use of humor also often has predictable consequences, given particular environmental situations, which will clearly have an effect on the use of humor in these situations in the future. Analyzing the use of humor in this way can be especially dispiriting but is sometimes quite revealing (although, in some cases, ignorance is bliss). If you want to avoid painful self-realizations, you may also want to refrain from thinking too deeply about what reinforces posts to TIPS. Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Professor of Psychology Box 3519 John Brown University 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 rfro...@jbu.edu (479) 524-7295 http://bit.ly/DrFroman --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32840 or send a blank email to leave-32840-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
A followup to Rick's comments. Skinner once described the following situation. (I am blanking on the source.) He had made an off-the-cuff joke which produced a strong reaction in his audience. He describes going back to his office and trying to remember the words and intonation he used so he could reproduce the effect at some future occasion. You can see similar effects if you look at early and late career routines by comics such as George Carlin and Bob Newhart. Ken Kenneth M. Steele, Ph. D.steel...@appstate.edu Professor Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu Appalachian State University Boone, NC 28608 USA On 1/17/2014 11:17 AM, rfro...@jbu.edu wrote: -Original Message- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu -- I think, without discussing Skinner's specific take on it, a behaviorist would study language, humor and satire in terms of the overt behavior produced and the consequence it has. Using the framework of operant conditioning, a behavior (either a bodily action or a verbalization) is produced in a particular situation and it has a consequence. That consequence may act to reinforce the behavior marked by an increase in the behavior in the future in similar circumstances or to punish the behavior marked by a decrease in that behavior in the future in those circumstances. Of course, many behaviors also occur without consequence in certain situations and such behaviors are also less likely to occur in the future. This operant explanation of verbal behavior is easily seen in the behavior of infants and young children in which case many verbalizations are obviously shaped by their consequences to occur again or (if they are unsuccessful) not to recur. It becomes more complicated as we get older but I have occasionally asked my students to see their daily verbal behavior through a behavioral lens. It isn't something you can keep up for long without becoming very self-conscious about every word you say but what I suggest is that they examine their utterances and the utterances of others throughout the day from a behavioral framework. What consequence maintains these verbalizations? It is easy in cases like please pass the salt but it becomes almost painfully self-revelatory when you get to what you say to friends. The use of humor also often has predictable consequences, given particular environmental situations, which will clearly have an effect on the use of humor in these situations in the future. Analyzing the use of humor in this way can be especially dispiriting but is sometimes quite revealing (although, in some cases, ignorance is bliss). If you want to avoid painful self-realizations, you may also want to refrain from thinking too deeply about what reinforces posts to TIPS. Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Professor of Psychology Box 3519 John Brown University 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 rfro...@jbu.edu (479) 524-7295 http://bit.ly/DrFroman --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32841 or send a blank email to leave-32841-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
And remember the 'Two Freds' (Skinner and Keller) presentations at ABA (Association for Behavior Analysis) meetings! On Jan 17, 2014, at 11:04 AM, Ken Steele wrote: A followup to Rick's comments. Skinner once described the following situation. (I am blanking on the source.) He had made an off-the-cuff joke which produced a strong reaction in his audience. He describes going back to his office and trying to remember the words and intonation he used so he could reproduce the effect at some future occasion. You can see similar effects if you look at early and late career routines by comics such as George Carlin and Bob Newhart. Ken Kenneth M. Steele, Ph. D.steel...@appstate.edu Professor Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu Appalachian State University Boone, NC 28608 USA On 1/17/2014 11:17 AM, rfro...@jbu.edu wrote: -Original Message- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] A behavioral account might be relevant to certain situations but are unlikely in others (e.g., how would a behaviorist explain satire?). -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu -- I think, without discussing Skinner's specific take on it, a behaviorist would study language, humor and satire in terms of the overt behavior produced and the consequence it has. Using the framework of operant conditioning, a behavior (either a bodily action or a verbalization) is produced in a particular situation and it has a consequence. That consequence may act to reinforce the behavior marked by an increase in the behavior in the future in similar circumstances or to punish the behavior marked by a decrease in that behavior in the future in those circumstances. Of course, many behaviors also occur without consequence in certain situations and such behaviors are also less likely to occur in the future. This operant explanation of verbal behavior is easily seen in the behavior of infants and young children in which case many verbalizations are obviously shaped by their consequences to occur again or (if they are unsuccessful) not to recur. It becomes more complicated as we get older but I have occasionally asked my students to see their daily verbal behavior through a behavioral lens. It isn't something you can keep up for long without becoming very self-conscious about every word you say but what I suggest is that they examine their utterances and the utterances of others throughout the day from a behavioral framework. What consequence maintains these verbalizations? It is easy in cases like please pass the salt but it becomes almost painfully self-revelatory when you get to what you say to friends. The use of humor also often has predictable consequences, given particular environmental situations, which will clearly have an effect on the use of humor in these situations in the future. Analyzing the use of humor in this way can be especially dispiriting but is sometimes quite revealing (although, in some cases, ignorance is bliss). If you want to avoid painful self-realizations, you may also want to refrain from thinking too deeply about what reinforces posts to TIPS. Rick Paul Brandon Emeritus Professor of Psychology Minnesota State University, Mankato pkbra...@hickorytech.net --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32842 or send a blank email to leave-32842-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] While we are on the topic of Skinner
Paul, You've written two posts and I'll try to answer your points. I will snip some of your statements below in order to save space and make the text more readable. I will number my points in order to make them easier to refer to in subsequent posts. Consider the following points: (1) I don't have a copy of Catania's text (any edition) but a search of the contents on books.google.com using Catania's full name and jokes, humor, satire, and irony turn up only one hit: a blog entry on the Rachel Madow MSNBC website: https://www.google.com/search?num=100safe=offtbm=bksq=%22a.+charles+catania%22+jokes++humor+satire+ironyoq=%22a.+charles+catania%22+jokes++humor+satire+ironygs_l=serp.12...16926.17456.0.21578.2.2.0.0.0.0.60.115.2.2.00...1c.1.32.serp..2.0.0.76cLK1yrux0 No, it's not a behavior analysis of humor/jokes/satire/irony/whatever. If you know a specific example of where Catania provides a behavioral account of these concepts, especially irony (what is the behavioral process that causes one to ignore the literal meaning of a sentence and assume that the opposite meaning is being communicated; how does one discriminate when to make a literal reading or an opposite reading?). (2) Yes, I did read Skinner's Verbal Behavior or at least parts of it when I was an undergraduate close to 40 years ago. I have not had reason to go back to read it. This does not mean that I agree with Chomsky (I don't) but I do find trying to understand language and world knowledge in terms of rule and symbol cognitive architectures and connectionist architectures and hybrid systems more satisfying. Of course, language occurs in an environmental or sociocultural contexts but contemporary sociolinguistcs provide, IMO, better explanatory accounts and frameworks than Skinner's approach. More below. On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 08:10:07 -0800, Paul Brandon wrote: From a behavioral viewpoint verbal behavior IS behavior and obeys the same basic laws. The -situations- in which it occurs are unique, leading to unique analyses (there are journals filled with these). (3) I actually don't understand what you are saying here. I have no doubt that there are journal that take a behavioral approach to certain aspects of language use, I just don't think a radical behaviorist approach is very informative. I think that most cognitive psychologists would consider themselves methodological behaviorists, connecting models of internal processing to external behavior, but I think that today they would view such a term a quaint or out of date. Sociolinguists who study how speech varies as a function of familial relationship (one speaks differently to one's grandmother than to one's sibling), job status (one speaks to one's boss differently than to one friends), gender/sex (one speaks to members of one's sex differently than to members of the opposite sex), race (one speaks to members one's race differently than to members of other races), and so on, all without the kind of behavioral conceptions that I think a behaviorist would use. And it's an oversimplification to say that Skinner did not believe in the study of cognitive and neuroscience processes He talking much about private events, and was interested in their study (remember, he started out with biological leanings). He considered them part of a different science that was interesting in its own right; he chose to let other people study them. [snip] (4) I quote from Skinner (1990) speech which was delivered at APA the day before he died. It was published in the American Psychologist: |Cognitive psychology was left as the scientific companion of a profession |and as the scientific underpinning of educational, clinical, developmental, |social, and many other fields of psychology. The help it has given them |has not been conspicuous. A version of the vernacular refined for the |study of mental life is scarcely more helpful than the lay version, especially |when theory began to replace introspection. I break the quote to note that I interpret Skinner to be saying that cognitive psychology as he understood it was little better than the everyday descriptions of folk psychology. This does not sound like a ringing endorsement of research in cognitive psychology. The quote continues: |Much more useful would have been behavior analysis. It would have |helped in two ways, by clarifying the contingencies of reinforcement to |which the vernacular alludes, and by making it possible to design better |environments-personal environments that would solve existing problems |and larger environments or cultures in which there would be fewer problems. |A better understanding of variation and selection will mean a more successful |profession, but whether behavior analysis will be called psychology is a |matter for the future to decide. (page 1210) This is a curious statement because there is nothing in cognitive psychology that precludes the type of analysis the Skinner
[tips] Skinner and humor
Thank you all for your wonderful responses. I know Mike curmudgeonly insisted that being vague was a bad idea, but I disagree. The very vagueness of my question allowed for many very rich responses. In reality, the word humor wasn't as vague as the question, which also included laughter and mirth, both of which ended up being discussed. Laughter is most certainly a behavior and may or may not be associated with mirth or humor; mirth is the emotional state, and may not be suitable for a behaviorist interpretation. Humor tends to imply a stimulus, but isn't always used that way. In short, there are many facets to the topic and you all have provided me with some wonderful responses. Thanks again for a good discussion and great suggestions. Oh, and Mike I was kidding about curmudgeonly. Carol -- Carol DeVolder, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology St. Ambrose University 518 West Locust Street Davenport, Iowa 52803 563-333-6482 --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32844 or send a blank email to leave-32844-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
[tips] When science isn’t science-based: In class with Dr. John Ioannidis - Science-ish - Macleans.ca
It's about medicine, but the connection to psychology is obvious. http://www2.macleans.ca/2014/01/17/when-science-isnt-science-based-in-class-with-dr-john-ioannidis/ Teaser: Last week at the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. John Ioannidis – a Stanford professor and Science-ish hero – told a room filled with Harvard doctors (and one journalist) that they can’t trust most of the research findings science has to offer. 'In science, we are very eager to make big stories, big claims,' he opened his lecture, with a mischievous grin. 'The question is: are those claims accurate?' According to Ioannidis, the answer – at least most of the time – is an unequivocal ‘no.’ Chris ... Christopher D Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 chri...@yorku.ca http://www.yorku.ca/christo --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=32857 or send a blank email to leave-32857-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
