Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?
We have qualified writers to help you.
We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.
You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)
NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.
NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.
A behavioral approach to human psychology provides valuable insights into individual decision-making. One of its facets is the explanation of specific behavioral patterns through the learning process through rewards and punishments – operant conditioning. Positive outcomes reinforce the behavior, whereas negative ones suppress it (Skinner, 1948). In this context, the appearance of the superstition phenomena as a result of such conditioning can be accurately explained by the behavioral approach.
A behavior that is based on a specific belief with no solid proof or confirmation is considered superstitious. From the perspective of Skinner, the radical behaviorist, superstitious behavior results from noncontingent reinforcement. It implies that the behavior was rewarded by chance, leading to the subjective belief of their causal relationship despite the actual absence of such (Skinner, 1948). Due to solid behavioral explanations and empirical proofs, superstitions should not be considered a consequence of human intellectual exclusivity.
In the context of widespread criticism of radical behaviorism, superstitions do not pose any controversy and ambiguity. Skinner’s position has often been criticized for devaluating the psychological factors affecting the decision-making process, such as subjective values or motivation. However, the contribution of reward and punishment learning processes to superstitious behavior is high enough to be argued or opposed.
The knowledge of the substantial behavioral basis of superstitions can prove genuinely valuable in a psychological field. For example, the fact that negative reinforcement provides a more fertile condition for behavioral development than its positive counterpart can explain the tendency of partial social withdrawal or extreme isolation cases such as hikikomori. Undoubtedly, these individuals experienced both positive and negative socialization outcomes. However, it was the latter that led to the superstitious exaggeration of the world’s hostility.
Overall, the behavioral approach provides a reliable explanation for various superstitious behaviors present in society. It takes only a random reinforcement to occur to make an individual believe in the causal relationship between it and their behavior. Due to the evident contribution of operant conditioning to the formation of superstitious behavior, the topic breeds little controversy and provides a solid basis for any associated research.
Reference
Skinner, B. F. (1948). Superstition in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 168-172.
Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?
We have qualified writers to help you.
We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.
You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)
NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.
NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.