On Thu, 14 Sep 2000, Diana Kyle wrote:
>
> I am doing some updating on my notes on CER and am confused
> about spellilng.
I can see that. :-)
> Is it Watson and Raynor or Watson and Rayner?
> I see it cited several ways in Intro Texts....... has anyone seen
> the 1920 article?
Available on-line in Chris Green's excellent "Classics in the
history of psychology electronic archives at:
http://www.yorku.ca/dept/psych/classics/Watson/emotion.htm
Her name is given there as "Rayner".
>
> Also, what is everyone's take on positive and negative reinforcement
> and positive and negative punishment?
The distinction is too entrenched in psychology (and in Graduate
Record Exam questions, undoubtedly) to be ignored. But I tell my
class that the negative/positive distinction is an artificial one
without special merit, works well for rats in operant chambers,
but leads to unnecessary tangles when trying to classify
real-world events. I conclude: know the terminology, but don't
sweat it to classify real-life events (e.g. is coming in from the
cold a positive or negative reinforcer?)
> Do you use the terms
> pleasant and unpleasant in your teaching?
I consider it a crime against nature to resort to such terms in
defining reinforcement, which should be defined solely with
reference to its effects on behaviour. Alan Kazdin, the noted
behavior modifier, unfortunately slips into this objectionable
language in his textbook _Behavior Modification in Applied
Settings_. Shame on him.
-Stephen
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
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