Biological Influences of Psychology

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Please see response attached (also presented below). I hope this helps and take care.

RESPONSE:

Early behavioral psychologists demonstrated it is easier to modify behavior when the expected behavior is rewarded. For example, you compliment your child for doing well in school, or you get coupons for your next purchase because you spent so much at the grocery store.

? Explain the benefits of using this type of behavior modification correctly.
? Also explain some negative affects that can occur if the wrong behaviors are rewarded.

1. Define the main biological influences of psychology.

It depends who you talk to. However, the early behaviorists held the empty slate view of human behavior (nurture side of the nature-nurture controversy). They were reacting to the introspective school of thought and focused strictly on observable behavior. They argued that environment drives behavior (i.e., rewards, punishments. tokens, etc.). This is reductionist, however, as it focused only on external determinants of behavior (i.e., empty slate theory of human nature), which is an animal model of human behavior (e.g., rats will behave for a reward of food; therefore people will behave the same). In other words, for the behaviorist, the biological influences (although not denied) have little or no impact on behavior; the environment (i.e., behavioral modification programs, etc.) is all-important and shapes and influences behavior so if you reinforce desired behavior and not reinforce undesired behavior, the student/person s/he will behave as desired and expected. There is some truth to this, but there is much more to the ...