For this homework please read sections 1 to 5 in Walden Two
1) Make a list of the behavioral topics Skinner discusses in Walden Two.
Next visit with your textbook and look up what it has to say about the material you just read.
When you are done:
2) Discuss what you read in the reader. Think about what you learned from the reader. What were the main points the author was trying to make? What were some scenarios he used? What was the most interesting part of the sections? Don't simply answer these questions; these are just some things to ask yourself before you start writing. I am pretty open to what you write about.
3) Discuss what you read in your text about the topics you listed in #1. How did the author of your text book go about addressing the related material? What did you find out about the topics that might have been covered differently covered in Walden Two? What did you find interesting that was presented in the text? How difficult was it to find the related material in the text? Again don't specifically answer these questions, just use them as a way to think about the material. Feel free to experiment with your own style.
4) After you have had a chance to think about the material - what parts do you think you will remember and what parts do you think might fade from memory sooner.
5) Make a list of the terms and terminology you used in this post.
I must be honest in saying that I am unsure of where to start. The first 5 sections of the book served as an introduction to the world of Walden 2 that we would soon be told of. Walden is supposed to be a Utopia kept in the spirits of writer Thoreau. It is supposed to be a world of beauty and simplicity. It is meant to do away with the violence, dissatisfaction, and unnecessary things of today's society. Some of the things, or behaviors that were changed, were subtly mentioned by Frazier, the "creater" of Walden 2. He finds lawn mowers to be quite pointless and so he uses animals and behavior modification to get them to "mow" it for the town. You also see changes in the way they dress. Having extensive wardrobes and highly sophisticated clothing is not needed in a world like this and so an overall more simple dress is produced. The women and men look nice, but not too nice. Another big change is how they get around. Frazier mentions how in society people are warned out from work and the regular hassles, but in Walden 2 they are allowed to take in their surroundings and can truly enjoy the things they do. This includes their attention to art. One thing I found very interesting was how the women were all attractive. He claims to have wanted a representative sample, but this clearly did not occur. It kind of leaves questions open about the "perfection" of this society vs. ours. Also the people of the town rarely have to venture outdoors. This allows them to avoid aversive weather. Finally, one big behavior change I noticed was the kids. They ran around and had fun, but they gave a feeling of great respect and obedience. Disturbing and wrongful behavior did not seem to exist. It is as though it had been trained out of them. I am afraid that this early in the book I wasn't able to point out many specific behavior topics.
2. I think from the beginning the writer comes in very heavy and serious. You don't know exactly what to expect, but you know it is something big and will have a great impact. The book focuses on an ideal, utopian world. A world free from many of the negative things in today's society. Wars and pointless things that fill humanity's days. The main character is a teacher that Rogers, a past student, and a friend go to in order to discuss a man called Frazier. They have heard that he has succeeded in creating Walden 2. As mentioned before this is meant to be in relation with Thoreau's idea of a perfect world. After getting in contace with Frazier they are invited to visit the city. As soon as they arrive you can tell things are quite different there. The subtle changes in the way people do things as well as the architecture. Things are done to simplify peoples' lives. One crazy example was the tea "cups". They were once the original saucers, but in order to make them more convenient and practical their design was changed. They could now be carried quite easily without the fear of spilling. One major theme that I have caught onto so far in this book is the idea of change. Frazier calls in insight, but from what I understand it is a system of constant experimentation and adjustment. Walden still has ties to the "real" world, but it is no longer truly held to its standards. Although it has little to do with the actual town, the thing I found most interesting about it so far is Frazier. You would think that a man who has in a sense created his perfect world would be happier, calmer, and just more friendly. Instead he is short tempered and seemingly frustrated. I am unsure if this will be explained or serves a purpose, but I couldn't help but notice this throughout my reading. Finally a major them was satisfaction. As a whole everyone there seems to be happy. It shows that Thoreau and essentially Skinner were correct. In a world where people were taught a new code, a code free of wars and pointless happengings, those people will be happier and quicker to agree. It makes things more workable and people more willing to help and work towards a common cause.
3. I was unable to find these particular things in the text associated with the topics I listed. This is because I was unsure of what they were. I didn't catch on to any clear topics discussed besides the broad idea of modifying behaviors. The idea that people will offer more preferred behaviors more consistently when they are positively reinforced? It is clear that there are some great techniques at work in this book, but it is too early, for me anyway, to be able to point out what they are. I did read up on Skinner in the text, however. Skinner was a man who did not believe in emotion or self-determination. He believed that everything about us is the result of our environment. We learn everything and respond according to how we have be taught to. He was also a big supporter of positive reinforcement. It was, according to him, the truest method of obtaining a desired behavior. This is evident in his book. The changes people make in Walden, the very heart of its running system, is a type of positive reinforcement. They quit a certain behavior and are rewarded with peace and convenience. According to Skinner, "..people act well and happy when behavior is maintained by positive reinforcement." This holds especially true in the children. In keeping with the utopian them, there is no punishment. This reminds me of Pryor's book. She had mentioned how great a world would be if there was only positive reinforcement. In my opinion that is essentially what Walden 2 is. I also think that this points out a great weakness. If one was to question the order of things, it could all so easily fall apart. The text also mentioned that Skinner was greatly interested in human conditioning. This would also fit well in his writing of Frazier. Frazier believed that using behavior methods and conditioning only, a whole new world could be created. Finally, he was also a big advocate of teaching. I think having a better understanding of where the author is coming from will greatly help my understanding of Walden 2.
3. I would have to say that I will remember pretty much all of it. Even though it is a tad bit dry, though not nearly as bad as you made it sound, it is still a story and will therefore hold me attention. I enjoy the characters and so far the theme of the book. I am looking forward to seeing where it goes and what it all will mean by the end. I will admit, however, they I will undoubtedly miss some of the points that are trying to be made. I will try my hardest to catch everything I can. I have always been relatively interested in Skinner's work and this allows me to learn even more about him.
4. behavior modification, positive reinforcement, self-determination, punishment
1. Justification, Behavioral engineering, reward, domestic engineering, and adaptation.
2. I was surprised by this book so far. I’m glad it started out with the background of Walden One and didn’t just jump into being in Walden Two. I have actually heard of communities like Walden in some of my other classes but we never went in depth to discuss them. Once the people got to Walden we started to learn what Walden is really about. Walden is described as a laid back community where they use common things to take care of themselves. They use the sheep to keep the grass short, common sense why exert yourself physically to mow a large pasture when the sheep need to eat anyway. I also found it interesting how they explained how the sheep were taught to stay in the wired area by learning from one another and the others found that hard to believe. Personally our animals on the farm learn from one another and over time they don’t need instruction for certain tasks they just know. They were conditioned to emit a certain behavior. As the book goes on the visitors aren’t given the amount of information they want but their guide is giving them just what they need. I see this as a way to describe the people attitude of living there. You don’t need to know how grass grows you just need to know how it can help or hurt you. It’s a laid back approach; a need to know basis. When they got to the ladder area for tea the book talks about another way the people have adapted to living there. When drinking their tea they put it in larger cups in a kind of holder so it’s easier to carry as well as their bread being in a box instead of a plate. The book also talks about reward when discussing the architects. The visitors couldn’t imagine the architects giving up their job of building after the town was built. As if the reward of building a whole community wasn’t enough. When we meet Rachel in the book the discussion of clothes comes up and how they have adapted to having a style that doesn’t go out of style. Lastly when they reach the dinning hall we get a glimpse of how everyone celebrates in others accomplishments. The whole community is a part of each others lives to support and celebrate with them.
3. Justification, Behavioral engineering, reward, domestic engineering, and adaptation are not listed in my text book as they are written here. The text does discuss behavioral economy and behavioral change which can be related to adaptation. When I went online to look up Justification I got the biblical definition of when God declares a sinner righteous. In the book I believe it meant defining their position in a new community.
Behavioral engineering is where people are put in certain positions where they would prosper. An example is you wouldn’t send a chef to do a doctors work. You put experienced people in positions where they can best benefit the community.
Reward was talked about in the book when they introduced the subject of the architects that built the community. So, in this case it was a personal reward given to the architects as self gratification in the form of positive reinforcement. They didn’t feel the need to leave the community to further design and build elsewhere they stayed and are focusing their energy in another form or building and designing. They are still being rewarded by their work so there’s no need for them to find another form of positive reinforcement.
Domestic engineering relates to behavioral engineering in the manner that males and females are put in certain areas of the community where they can best benefit everyone. When I looked this up online I got a lot of definitions for homemaker and housewife. These definitions were true in the fact that these women best benefited the community by helping the children or making clothes. Not to make it sound sexist or anything one of the architects in the community was a woman.
Adaptation is the act of adapting. When the people moved to this community they had to make changes and adapt to the new living arrangements. If they didn’t Walden Two wouldn’t be a successful community. Their day to day behaviors had to be adapted to their new living environments and schedules.
4. I think I will remember a lot of what I have read as far. I think the book is easy to read and understand because it in a story format. The most interesting part for me was behavioral engineering. So much stress and aversive behaviors could be eliminated if everyone followed behavioral engineering. If people who were good at jobs/behavior and they stuck with that behavior they could better themselves to better contribute to others.
5. Justification, Behavioral engineering, reward, domestic engineering, adaptation, emit, condition, aversive, and positive reinforcement.
1. I felt that most of the beginning of the book focused on adaptation and changing behavior. It dealt with the changing of beliefs and values among a civilization that did not live to the normal standards of society. It also showed how behavioral ideas and values can be passed along to younger generations.
2. Walden Two is an interesting book that discusses the idea of a utopian society. In the beginning we follow 6 individuals as they enter a former psychology classmates experiment. Frazier, the creator of Walden Two, has created a society that is, for the most part, secluded from the civilization. His society is formed around a different set of values and beliefs that what we are more commonly accustomed to in today’s society. The guests enter Walden Two and are given a tour of the premises and, through the tour, are able to see how life is lived in this alternative society. Much of life is lived on a simple, “take what you need” type of basis. They first encounter sheep standing in a lawn fenced in by sheep. Frazier explained that the sheep were able to graze in the lawn which discontinued the use for a mower. The sheep were originally fenced in by electric wires which conditioned the animals to not approach the edge of the lawn. Over time, the sheep had passed down the knowledge of the fence to their youth and the electric wires were no longer needed. This shows how behavioral values can be carried from generation to generation. As the tour continued, Frazier was able to show how the community buildings had been built by their own architects with their own unique designs. All the buildings are interconnected and allow the community members to avoid the hassles that bad weather may cause. When given tea, the tea holders are a new design that allows the carriers to carry more tea and not spill them easily. The clothes by the community are not in style but not out of style simply because the members adapt less quickly to the ever-changing styles of the outside world. Overall, the community lives a life that does not judge others or necessarily put value into commodities or possessions. They value one another and the uniqueness that each person is able to bring to the community, both socially and intellectually.
3. With the book just beginning, it is hard to find direct topics that Walden Two focuses on thus far. Adaption is one main point that is beginning to be discussed which can easily be found in the book as well. Behavior can be changed and adapted through the use of shaping, conditioning, etc. Walden shows how the sheep’s behavior was conditioned based off of the knowledge they gained from the elderly sheep. The Walden community had changed their behavior by adapting to the low income and using the resources they had, rather than vying for resources they wished they had. They changed their beliefs and their values and adapted them to what works best for them. The book also discusses behavior change and how trends can affect a society. Whereas trends are a major influencer in our society, it is something that is practically unheard on in Walden’s society. The Walden Two community stays in fashion but it is not the focus of their day, nor is it something they judge one another on.
4.Overall, I believe that the beliefs the individuals of the Walden community hold will stay with me the most. They were able to overlook what is popularly accepted (for example: high fashion, personal belongings, etc) and focus more on what is best for each other. They work as a community rather than as individuals and that is a value that we often do not see in our society today. Their simple way of looking at life makes everything more carefree and more enjoyable for them and that is something that I feel is to be admired.
5. Behavior, adaption, benefits, rewards, behavior change, trends, conditioning, shaping
1) It would seem that the intention of the first five sections is to promote the will of others to change. I might be so bold as to make a reach and say that this is B.F. Skinner's metaphor for shaping. I very much agree with Samantha in the regards that the sections seem to be based on changing behavior on a wide scale and adaptation. Adaptation and behavior change was best shown with the example regarding the sheep and how the electric fences aren't actually active.
2) The first five sections cover adaptation and behavioral change to reach some kind of "Utopia." If B.F. Skinner was, in fact, using the narrator and his companions as a metaphor for shaping it would appear that this first portion of the reader is intended to motivate others to become interested in behavior modification and how people adapt to situations as a means of survival. The most obvious example of adaptation in the text is the mowing of lawns with sheep and an electric fence. It is an example of adaptation as well as negative reinforcement. I would imagine upon first setup of the fence many sheep would be shocked until they slowly learn that if they cross a certain spot, they will be shocked. Over time the reinforcer becomes less relevant and is no longer needed and the behavior presents itself and the presence of the fence itself with no electricity is enough to motivate the animals to staying away from the fence. In addition to the example with the sheep, there seems to be an underlying theme about the need for a desire to change behavior. The narrator and the two students seem to have a feeling of necessity for change. I, personally, interpret this as the positive attitude required for the concept of shaping to be an effective form of behavior modification.
3) The necessity for wide scale behavior modification, for me, came from the attitude of the two gentlemen that came to Walden II with the professor. They seem to be young, honest characters with a desire to change how the world functions. It would appear that they are the "heroes" of the story. I'm interested to see how their behavior changes throughout the story. If the story takes the path that I THINK it's going to, it will become even more apparent that these "heroes" are B.F. Skinner's metaphor for the ideals of shaping and how it is an effective form of behavior modification. Considering this book was written BY B.F. Skinner, it is beneficial to look at what the text states about the author. Skinner coined the term operant conditioning
and was very interested in positive reinforcement. Skinner also studied the "self" and how it related to society.
4) The most memorable parts of the required reading for me is the attitudes of the professor and students going to visit Walden II. It symbolizes various things for me, each that can be interpreted differently; but most significantly I feel those characters symbolize hope for change. As things stand I'm readily willing to forget about Frazier. His character doesn't mesh with my ideals at all and I can't seem to connect to him in any way.
5) Behavior modification, adaptation, negative reinforcement, motivation
1) So far one of the only huge behavioral topics that stand out in these first five chapters is the use of punishment on the sheep. They used electrical wires when they were first started training the sheep of their boundaries. Now that the first sheep have been conditioned to stay away from the fence, the rest have learned by observation. The next biggest thing is the reinforcement of the seven year old girl’s birthday where she is going through a transition in the community. This seems to be the other big part of shaping behavior. It is rewarding for someone to have passed through this ceremony.
2) Walden Two is B.F. Skinner’s way to present a utopian society. To me, it seems like it is moving toward the idea of socialism. Since this book was written by Skinner, I presume it is about making behavioral changes in a society to cater towards more of a reinforcing community. It seems as though Frazier wants the scientific method to be implemented where ever it can, and for progress to be made in all aspects of life. When talking about the cups used for tea, Frazier describes why the shape and development of these cups make it easier and more convenient for the people to use.
Besides convenience, I think Skinner was also trying to portray the message of simplicity. He gives examples of using sheep to eat the grass, which they need to eat to survive anyway, instead of mowing. He also talks about the clothes the people wear. They are not as trendy, therefore not as many articles of clothing are thrown out. This makes it more convenient and easier for people to have enough clothes, and not have to worry about having new outfits all the time. One of my favorite parts is about the architects. It would be nice to know that the people in your community use and appreciate your ideas and work. This would be very rewarding. And if you were an architect, you would always be looking for ways to improve and modify your work, which, in turn, would make you be more advanced in your profession.
3) Adaption- The text describes adaption as a transition. When this transition takes place, this is most likely when learning takes place. In Walden Two, learning everyday applications seems to be most important. The community is adapting all of their ideas to make their lives easier, so I believe this is one of the main themes of the book.
Behavioral engineering-I looked up socialism in Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism - The first two paragraphs seem to be the central theme to me so far. It discusses how people do what they are good at, and everyone has a place in the community.
4) I believe I remember the ideas of how they used the scientific method, the value of progression, and the comfort in simplicity. The parts of the story about the landscape, ravines, rocks, and the layout of the place kind of bored me. That will probably be out of my mind by morning.
5) Behavioral, punishment, conditioned, observation, reinforcement, transition, shaping, reinforcing, scientific method, rewarding, adaption, learning, behavioral engineering.
1) Justification, reward, adaptation, behavioral engineering
2) I was happy they gave some background information about Waldon one. I had never read the first one, so it was very helpful to leave off from that aspect. The Walden community is that takes care of common things with different objects. For example, they use the sheep to keep the grass short rather to exert physical force pushing a lawn mower. They also used a technique with the sheep to keep them within the enclosed acres; when they first got sheep, they used an electric wired fence. Although no sheep have really seen any other sheep get electrocuted, they knew what it did. Through generations of sheep, they have taught their young not to go near what now is a string fence. Once a sheep figures out it is only string, then the escape chaos will begin. In the book, the visitors were first confused because they were not given the information they wanted like you would see anywhere else. They simply had a tour guide that provided with the information they needed. All they needed to know if what can help or harm you. The people who live their have adapted to the new environment. For example, when drinking their tea, they put it in larger cups that are in holders (easier to carry) as well as their bread being in a box instead of a plate. The clothes the community wears are not in style, but not out of style in their minds, because they have simply adapted to the style they have now, not knowing what other styles are out their different from theirs. The community takes pride in respecting and helping both physically, socially, and intellectually. Behavioral engineering is related to distinguish between technology and human operators in a system. Again back to the grass, they used sheep to make the grass short rather than a lawn mower. A specific quote from Walden Two, “The behavior of the individual has been shaped according to revelations of 'good conduct' never as the result of experimental study.” By the community changing their lifestyle to natural processes instead of technology, it has increased safety in their environment. Obviously they are not going to get hurt from a sharp blade coming from a sheep eating grass.
3) The text did not discuss justification, adaptation or behavioral engineering. The text discusses adaptation as the transition from childhood to adulthood, which does not apply to this book. I turned to the internet for information. According to Wikipedia, in Christian theology, justification is God's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous before God. Catholics and Orthodox Christians distinguish between initial justification—which in their view occurs at baptism—and final justification, accomplished after a lifetime of striving to do God's will. Protestants believe that justification is a singular act in which God declares an unrighteous individual to be righteous because of the work of Jesus. Justification is granted to all who have faith, but even that is viewed as a gift from God by Calvinists, who use to support that belief. I am not sure if this is what Walden two was getting at for justification, but I can see how it is related. Adaptation is the transition from one thing to the next, whether it is location, stage of life, careers, etc. When people moved to this community they had to make changes and adapt to a new lifestyle from their old lifestyle. If they didn’t Walden Two wouldn’t be here in the first place.
4) For the most part, it seems like I would remember many things. I like the way the communities’ lifestyle is, so that will definitely stay in my memory because it is different from our own lifestyle. The book is easy to reading and is also fun to read. I will probably miss some of the main points at first, but with the examples they use, it will refresh my memory of why that example was used.
5) Justification, reward, adaptation, behavioral engineering, behavior change, reward, conditioning transition.
Punishment, adaptation, domestic engineering, behavioral engineering
Sections one through five of the reader was basically an introduction of Walden 2. It was a pretty easy read. I like that it is more of a story than just listing facts like a textbook. A brief description of Walden 1 was given which was helpful. I didn’t really understand the concept of Walden 2 for the first couple of pages. We eventually learn that the focus of Walden 2 is to create a utopian world. A utopian world would be one free of war and punishment. It would be very simple and convenient. The biggest thing that I took from these sections was adaptation. The people of Walden 2 had to make behavior changes to adapt to their new environment. As a whole, everything was simplified. For example, the clothes that they wore were simple yet somewhat ‘stylish.’ The architecture of the buildings was also simple. They even modified the way they drank their tea so that it would be more convenient. They are always striving to improve aspects of their lives. This can be termed ‘behavior engineering.’ Skinner shows punishment in the reader with his example of the sheep. The sheep were once kept contained by an electric fence which would shock them if they touched it. After learning from other sheep, they now are contained by a single string. Walden 2 is basically free of punishment which again reflects on the idea of a utopian world. All of the buildings of Walden 2 are connected so that the people can stay inside during bad weather. It was also suggested that maybe one day whole cities will basically be ‘built inside a cave’ and that the weather wouldn’t affect them. I thought this was interesting.
I didn’t find a lot of the terms discussed in the reader in our textbook… I don’t know if I was looking in the wrong places. It of course touched on punishment but we’ve discussed that quite a bit in previous readings and posts. The example of punishment in the reader is the sheep getting shocked by the electric fence. I would consider this an example of positive punishment. The example the textbook gives for positive punishment is when a parent spanks a child for running into the street and the child then stops doing it. In the reader, the fence shocks the sheep for getting too close to it so they learn to stay away from it. A lot of the web definitions of domestic engineering touched on women’s roles in the family. They all reflected the stay-at-home-mom type of beliefs. I learned that behavioral engineering is tied closely to behavior modification. Basically you would build your community based on placing people in occupations that best fit their strengths. This is clearly seen in Walden 2. For example, the architects designed the buildings to benefit the community. It is something they are good at and like to do. Adaptation is adapting to a new environment. The people of Walden 2 must do this by changing their behavior. This can be done through conditioning and shaping.
After reading through additional text, I think I’ll remember most the material covered in Walden 2. I wasn’t exactly sure what to look up in the textbook because the reader was more of an introduction, but the idea of a simplistic society is sort of fascinating. I liked best that this society doesn’t have punishment. This reflects a lot of Karen Pryor’s beliefs. Is creating a world like this really possible?
Positive punishment, adaptation, behavioral engineering, domestic engineering, conditioning, shaping
1) Punishment, Behavioral Engineering, Adaption, Domestic Engineering
2) The part that we read this week was mostly and introduction to Walden 2. It starts off on how they got in touch with the research and then it introduces the actual community. Walden 2 is supposed to be a Utopia. Mostly everything was very simple the goal is to rid themselves of war and to make life more convenient. They try using different techniques to take care of daily life. For example they use sheep to mow the lawn instead of a lawn mower which would be more work for them. The sheep are inside an electric fence which shocks them when they run into it which is an example of punishment. Though the fence is now string because the sheep have just learned not to go near it. The people wear clothes which are simple and out of style to us but not to them and they have even adapted to drinking their tea differently because it is more convenient the way that they do it now. Walden 2 says that is used behavioral engineering as “The behavior of the individual has been shaped according to revelations of ‘good conduct’ never as the result of experimental study.” This means that the community just changed their behaviors and they increased their safety such as no lawn mowers or electric fences.
3) The text describes adaption as a transition in which learning takes place. Obviously it talks about punishment which we have talked about in many other posts and topics in class. It doesn’t say much about Behavioral or Domestic Engineering but I believe this is simply people doing what they are good at and that gives them importance in the Walden 2 community. Whether that means that they are the one that cleans up after something happens (behavioral) or the typical wife and mother who cares for the family (Domestic).
4) I think that I will forget their names really easily (names of the researchers that is) but I will remember the idea of simplicity and the engineering behaviors especially with the sheep.
5) Punishment, Transition, Behavioral Engineering, Domestic Engineering, Adaption
1) These are more or less my notes/musings while reading the book, I couldn't define any set behavioral methods.
Sheep (penned in, know the rules are set...they do not break them. metaphor for humans living in Skinners utopia? sheep dog..ultimate capo? god? *is there religion in Walden2?* punishes those who stray past the fence)
Clothing (minimalism, not boorish, on the brim of fashionable. no need for vanity, self-satisfaction is already assured in society. skinner considers all the women to be "beautiful" Frazier says this is because they are not bound to the definition of "beauty" that society holds them accountable to)
professions (liberated, more free time (architects go on to be interior designers))
children's moral behavior (walking up the ladder quietly, well behaved)
young girls 7th birthday (graduation into adult society, she is excited to follow the prim rules of adult dining)
no jail in walden 2 (crime is eliminated due to a self sufficient society, fear of "sheep dog"?)
self-sufficiency, relying on one another to promote the good of the community. after that is done, citizens are encouraged to make art, music and enjoy themselves.
2) This book is pretty exciting from a behavioral point of view, it is filled with a lot of good material. A casual read of this book would be incredibly boring.
The book is a nice view of what Skinner considers a Utopian society. The communities members learn to rely on one another. Everybody is important in this scenario, no "sheep" stray beyond the fence. Skinner's idea of a self sufficient society is one where an attitude of community first must prevail, after that the citizens are free to do what they please. However, since the environment is one without drugs, illicit sex and crime, many things the citizens do with their free time help the community. An example of this is the pond which a medical person took interest in and balanced the chemicals to make it clean and clear. Another example of this is the artwork strung along the Ladder, Skinner comments that it is not mainstream but still very beautiful.
3) I'm not quite sure what to look up in the text in this section. However, an idea sticks with me that explains the conditioning of the children Skinner sees while walking up the ladder. Fraizer posits that the lambkin learn from the elder sheep, and they are never questioned. Thus, the lambkin do not stray outside the string. The sheep act as a metaphor for the citizens of Walden 2. The children are so well behaved because the parents and elders tell them to be. As Castle says, if we get the philosophical lambkin who asks "why" and strays beyond the fence then he will soon be hearded up by the sheep dog. The real question is, who is the sheep dog for the citizens of Walden 2? This leads me to think that something ominous will happen.
We could say that the sheep underwent operant conditioning with the electric fence. It will not pass by it due to the consequence of shock. We could relate the clothing to societal norms. I looked up metacontingencys in a society to explain this. A metacontigency in a cultural sense would be the link between two cultural practice and the effects of them on each other. For example, education and advancements in science, this is a positive metacontigency and would be a benefit to the group. Clothing would not be a contingency in Walden 2. In our society, nice clothing gives us the oppurtunity for advancement based purely on looks. In Walden 2, the skillset must be looked at because everybody dresses relatively the same.
This is another illumination of Skinner's utopia, where our clothes are not the judging factor to our abilities.
4) I will remember Skinner's base ideas for a utopian society. The main idea of a community becoming self sufficient in a get what you give society. Skinner has a very precise way in using metaphors to convey his point. His writing style is very dynamic, it is an exciting blend of scientific writing advanced literary tools. I think that's why I find myself enjoying this read more than the Pryor book.
5) operant, metacontingencies, societal norms, consequence, moral behavioral
Walden Two begins by introducing us to Rogers and his friend Steve who are interested in starting or joining a utopian community. Rogers seems to be searching for something more in life, more of a community. He is interested in learning about the principles of Walden Two because he believes that the conflicts within and between nations cannot be resolved peacefully.
After fighting in World War II, Rogers believes that nations governed through politics can’t solve major problems without conflict. He indicates that he, and society at large, do not know how to resolve national and international problems. He contrasts this with the nation’s direction during the war when he says, “…but in a way fighting a war is easy, at least you know what you want and how to get it.” He is saying that he felt a social responsibility during war and that the single purpose and mood of the country reinforced it. There was generalized social reinforcement for him to participate in World War II.
His statement also makes me think of our current society and how many choices we have, how overwhelming the sheer number of choices can be. We have the options of choosing careers based on reinforcers like happiness, wealth, status, etc. In contrast, Frazier indicates that in Walden Two the residents choose a career based on their talents, a career based on what they can do best to help the community. Frazier describes this use of talent when he speaks about the architects. They do not seem to crave the status and wealth one would usually associate with a professional career. He also makes this point when he discusses how the arts and artists thrive in Walden Two. I can imagine a community where everyone’s basic needs are met and there is not over consumption. One where there is not the economic pressure to abandon the arts and other similar talents that in our society do not provide even the basic needs of survival.
Skinner does describe a simple conditioning and learning situation when he writes about how the community controls the sheep in the lawn. The sheep originally were controlled by an electrified fence. The shock the sheep receive when they touch the electric wire is an unconditioned stimulus that leads to an unconditioned response – the sheep avoid the shock. They learn not to approach the fence. When the string is substituted, it becomes a conditioned stimulus which elicits a conditioned response. The community also uses another unconditioned stimulus to control the sheep – the sheep dog.
The Walden Two culture regulates human actions like any culture does. For example, social reinforcements direct the style of clothing. In Walden Two the residents are reinforced for wearing modest, functional classics such as suits, sweaters and skirts or a blouse and a skirt. The community values modesty and economy and so outfits that will not go out of style and discarded are reinforced. This is like our culture where clothing styles are also strongly reinforced through advertising, the arts, and fashion. Depending on where you live and your income, haute couture, hip hop, provocative, or vintage clothing styles may be reinforced.
The wearing of simple, inexpensive clothing also reinforces the basic belief of Walden Two that economy and functionality are more important than displays of status or wealth. The community would not tolerate someone wearing a Chanel suit that cost more than many citizens earn in a year. Their dress is more balanced between function and style, and though they look attractive, their choices are narrowed down. This simplicity of dress and balance of resources reminds me of the Amish.
The main point of the first five chapters is to introduce us to the residents and visitors to Walden Two – Burris and Castle, who seem interested on an intellectual level but skeptical, and Rogers and Steve, who, along with their girlfriends, seem dissatisfied with society and ready to try something new. It also introduces us to how the citizens of Walden Two use behavioral conditioning to organize their society. It introduces the founder of Walden Two, Frazier, whose behavior is described as a bit aggressive and arrogant, and who seems to have a way of controlling behavior. This seems hinted at when the visitors are told to take a nap. Professor Burris is agitated but soon remembers the calming sight of Frazier napping along the side of the road and does nap, surprised and again irritated when he wakes, that his behavior was controlled. Being skeptical, this makes me think Frazier has the personality of a typical cult leader, not a free spirited utopia type.
So far the book has been interesting and raises many questions. Was Frazier’s “suggestion” to take a nap just a beginning of how the visitors’ behavior will be controlled later on? What would happen in the case of residents who do rebel either innocently, such as through their dress, or more destructively as through crime? Is this utopia open for the visitors to become citizens or is it much more exclusive?
Terms: conditioned response, conditioned stimulus, social reinforcement, unconditioned response, unconditioned stimulus
After reading this first assignment from Walden Two, I feel as though these assignments may be difficult for me. As I was reading, I found myself breaking down the novel in a way necessary for an English class rather than looking for psychology in it. Hopefully this will become easier as we read on. Topics I did pull from the assignment as behavioral were adaptation, modeling, punishment, and Francis’s reference to a representative sample and cross section.
So far, I have enjoyed reading this assignment. It’s an easy read. As I said earlier, I found myself reading the assignment as a novel and from my English background rather than relating it to behavioral psychology. As I read, I focused on the relationships between the narrator, B.F. Skinner and the other characters. I found the relationship between Skinner and Francis the most interesting as they continued to purposefully do things to annoy the other and take pleasure in the other’s annoyance. I also searched for meaning in many of the passages and wondering the meaning behind the sheep dog, the descriptions of people in the community, Francis’s many references to the animals being useful in more ways than one, and Skinner’s descriptions of what he saw. I found myself forgetting that this was an assignment for this class and written by B.F. Skinner, a psychologist studied many times in classes. There were parts of the reading that would bring me back to psychology. More specifically the description of the sheep and Francis’s reference to the population of Walden Two being a representative and cross sectional sample.
While reading about the sheep, I remembered that the person writing this was a behavioral psychologist and I wondered about his explanation for why the sheep act as they do. I was surprised that he never spoke up and made an argument as to why perhaps the sheep never strayed and never touched the string. He could likely have made a great argument and annoyed Francis, but instead he kept quiet. I think this section could be representative of both modeling and punishment. Many of the sheep learn to remain inside the string and not touch it through the modeling of their elders, while the original sheep received punishment, in the form of a shock, after getting too close to the wire.
I was also quickly reminded of psychology and the background of the novel when Francis discussed the population of Walden Two. Until that point, I had forgotten that Francis had been a student with Skinner and the two were psychologists. Many of the discussions Francis had begun to that point had shown little psychology background. I enjoyed reading him reference his education with that sentence. Finally, I feel that much of the community is an example of adaptation as they have changed to become their own community with new social norms and standards.
The two areas in the text that I focused on were adaptation and modeling. When looking for adaptation, I found the term ontogenetic selection. Ontogenetic selection is the selection of behavior during an organism’s life. This occurs through adaptation, or altering one’s behavior, during periods of extinction and reinforcement. The text explains that during this adaptation, the desired behavior increases when reinforcement is withheld and the subject experiences extinction. During extinction, the desired behavior can be selected and reinforced. When looking in the text for modeling, I found that the authors used the term imitation rather than modeling. Imitation is defined as a learner emitting a new response that they could only emit after observing a model do the same. This definition works in reference to the sheep, and thus I changed my term to imitation. The text focused on Albert Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment to discuss imitation and give examples.
Adaptation, ontogenetic selection, modeling, imitation, cross sectional, representative, punishment
1. To me it didn't seem like Skinner directly talked about any specific behavioral topics but I could see adaptation, and modeling, and punishment.
2. I think that Skinner is trying to point out flaws in our society, and possible changes that we could make to fix those flaws. For example, the way that they hold in the sheep. Instead of using aversive electric wire, they use string. The first generations of sheep had wire and learned to stay in the boundaries of the fence by way of punishment. For touching the fence they would receive a shock. Through modeling the older generations taught younger ones to no go close to the fence. Since the sheep have this type of conditioning in place, it is no longer needed to have the aversive stimulus of the wire. The clothes that they wear in Walden Two represent adaptation and lack of punishment. The clothes in Walden two seem to represent more a need for comfort, durability, and wear ability then fashion. Frazier explains that their clothes aren’t out of style; they just pick styles that take longer to change. This way they are not wasting clothes that are still in good shape. This shows adaptation because instead of ridding of fashion altogether, he made it more economical. Also by making the fashion stay in “season” longer, be rids of the punishment of wearing clothes that are out of style.
3. According to the text there is positive and negative punishment. Based on the definitions of both, Skinner is removing positive punishment in Walden Two. Because the sheep gets shocked after it touches the fence it is a positive punishment. The text says that adaptation is when behavior is changed due to life changes. The whole premise of why a community like Walden Two would be built represents adaptation. People that live there are tired of the ways of the outside world and choose to live in this environment. Also in Walden Two children do not eat with the rest of the community until the age of 7. This represents adaptation because as the child gets older, and more mature they are able to handle the responsibility of being part of the larger group.
4. I think I will remember the example of the sheep, and the clothing. I find the idea of a “utopian” society very interesting. I think that the way that Skinner goes about expressing his dissatisfaction with society is very useful. Instead of just writing about what is wrong, he seems to be proposing a way that it could be fixed, a new way of running things. This book actually reminds me a lot of Brave New World, not so much how the society is run, but rather just the vastly different way to run a society. Also I wonder if Skinner ever explains what it is that they tell the children of the society. Do the children grow up knowing that except for their community, the world is not run this way? If not, it may be more like the society in Brave New World then I think as of yet.
5. adaptation, modeling, positive punishment, negative punishment
) Overall I could not find many behavioral topics in the first part of Walden Two. The topics I read about were: Behavioral engineering, reward, justification and adaptation.
2) The first couple of chapters were kind of confusing and it took awhile to understand what the point was until the start fo chapter two. After the decision was made to visit Walden Two/ the bus trip was described, I was interested in how the run down buildings were used for various needs of the complex. The landscape sounded beautiful next to the river, near a pond and with sheep grazing. I was surprised that the author took a nap at the end of chapter 2. I was pleased to find that Walden Two had artwork around and that they took the time to view and appreciate the beauty of art. Speaking of beauty, I thought it was interesting how the women were all attractive wearing clothing that dated slowly. I also enjoyed how the schedule at Walden Two allotted for relaxation breaks and bath time. The substance & solitude schedule would be interesting to conduct in the real world. I also found it interesting of how children eat themselves until they are 7 years of age. It blew my mind how they could do this with no supervision.
3) The text did not discuss the topics I listed above but Walden Two reminded me of what Pryor said about positive reinforcement. I feel that Walden Two is kind of a world based on positive reinforcement. The only topic I could find that would be close to the listed above were in association with adaptation. The term that associated were Behavioral engineering, it was were people are positioned in a situation where they would prosper the most based on the skills they posses.
4) Overall I will probably remember all of the information. The book really grabbed my attention, despite the dullness of the first couple of chapters. The aspect that I will remember the most is surrounding of beautiful women. It will be a good lesson to remember going into the business world. Where beautiful women are, people will come.
1. Behavioral Engineering, Adaptation, Reward, Operant Conditioning.
2. The first five chapters of Walden II are mostly about encouraging the reader that it is possible for a Utopian community to exist when using behavioral engineering techniques. One way that Frazier uses behavioral engineering in the community of Walden II is using communal buildings for every activity. Every member of the community sleeps, eats, shops, and plays in the same buildings. They also wear similar clothing which avoids needless attempts to follow fashion trends. People wear what is comfortable and practical, which saves time and money for the members. Another way is to use operant conditioning; the sheep are restricted to a small pasture with merely a string because they have been conditioned to fear it. These behavioral control techniques allow for the community to operate at maximum efficiency.
3. The text does not include any information on behavioral engineering or adaptation, however it does have several sections dedicated to operant conditioning. The book defines operant conditioning as a behavioral-change process, occurring when behavior that is followed by reinforcing consequences is emitted more often, and behaviors that are not followed by reinforcing consequences are emitted less often. The text then includes that an 'operant' is any behavior that operates on the environment that to produce consequences that then strengthen the behavior. These consequences are known as positive or negative reinforcers.
4. I will probably remember everything pretty easily. Operant conditioning is a concept I've become fairly familiar with and behavioral engineering is common in everyday life to some degree.
5. Behavioral Engineering, Operant Conditioning, Positive and Negative Reinforcers, Operant, Consequence, Emit, Behavioral Control, Behavior-Change Process.