Answers to Article Questions
Skinner’s self-control.
Only environmental contingencies.
Choice and free will only.
Individual awareness to suit their own goals.
Effective reinforcement.
The idea of Discrimination was expanded to include a relational frame interpretation.
Describe the perspective change in a child coming home from vacation.
Sense of self.
Skinner tenet of non-humanistic behavior change – self-determination environment can change behavior. Determine our self-worth based on our ability to achieve our goals.
To quote William James, in Principles of Psychology, “Personality implies the incessant presence of two elements, an objective person known by a passing subjective thought and recognized as continuing
in time”.
Theorized doubts of a valid self-concept from either Freud’s or James’ perspective are purported by David Hume, who argues that if the concept of self is contingent upon self-awareness, then it may be only a fantasy which Skinner would call a mentalism.
Hume’s belief that unrelated, fleeting, and unfettered thoughts are evidence that there is no continuity which can be called a “self’.
Defense avoidance - Eisenstadt et al. compared reaction times and the effects of feedback on adolescent rejected and ideal self-construals (understandings of constructed meaning). They detected a high occurrence of defense avoidance at faster rate when the subjects judged themselves against unrealistic traits that they themselves felt they did not match. This indicates a self-protective function against environmental feedback.
Sigmund Freud and William James are the primary theorists set up with these seemingly opposing views of the structure and phenomenology of consciousness.
Modell’s concept Dualism - able to synthesize philosophical dualities. I recognize that we can only understand what is presented in dualism (two seemingly opposed theories). Presenting what some[1]thing is in terms of what it is not may be the consequences of our right brain left brain neuro-structure
Freud’s id in three aspects of the social self are the Immediate actor, individual self and the self in wider social relations.
