Skinner and his Contributions to Psychology Essay Example for Free

Skinner and his Contributions to Psychology Essay Burrhus Fredric Skinner is an American psychologist and behaviorist. He has made many contributions to psychology and most are still used today. They are used to treat some phobias and addictive behaviors in humans. He also thought of radical behaviorism which is his own philosophy of science. Skinner believes that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. He believes that behaviors are depending on what happens after the response this is what Skinner calls Operant conditioning. Skinner invented the Operant conditioning chamber which is known as the Skinner box. The Skinner box was invented to study animals such as rats. This box contained a lever and food or water which they will receive as a reward if they press the lever. Skinner also used the box to study superstitious behaviors by the response of animals. Burrhus Fredric Skinner also had ideas on reinforcement. Skinner had ideas that positive reinforcement provides a consequent that is rewarding. It can modify behavior longer then punishment because it is rewarding. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior because it stops or removes an unpleasant experience. Punishment is the opposite of reinforcement because it weakens or eliminates the response. Punishment can work by directly applying an unpleasant stimulus or removing a rewarding stimulus. His contributions to psychology have made an impact on the world. His theories on positive and negative reinforcement as well as punishment are used in schools, workplaces and many other aspects of life itself. Unlike any other psychologist Burrhus Fredric Skinner had his own way of thinking. Reference http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html http://www.nndb.com/people/297/000022231/ Understanding Psychology, Ninth Edition, by Charles G. Morris and Albert A. Maisto. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

School Vouchers are Against the Constitution :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers Education

School Vouchers are Against the Constitution One of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's recent education reforms is the two-year pilot program where education vouchers will be offered to poor kids from a district in New York City public schools. These students will be given on average $6,500 a year to pay for tuition at a private school (including religious ones). The money they receive will come from taxpayers. When the typical New Yorker dutifully gives Uncle Sam his hard-earned money every year, he is under the impression that his money will be used to fund government programs from which all will benefit. The reason public schools are free of charge is because the costs of running them have been paid through taxes. "Free education for all." Was that not one of the reasons immigrants flooded to America? Giuliani's program channels public money into private funds. He is indirectly endorsing private institutions with public money, and in 80 percent of the cases, these schools have religious affiliations. The last time I read the constitution, it declared a separation of church and state. In this situation, "state" would be the public schools, Giuliani, and tax-dollars. "Church" would be the private religious schools. Giuliani's plan fails to maintain this essential separation. Perhaps the mayor has forgotten that part. I mean, with all the jaywalkers that he has to keep track of, perhaps it would be unreasonable to expect him to institute a constitutional reform program. Legality aside, this Frankenstein remains riddled with flaws. Not all the poor students in New York City public schools are doing badly. That indicates something about the students who fail. I am a progeny of the New York City Public School system. From kindergarten to 12th grade my education has been a publicly funded affair. Ever since elementary school, I have seen many of my classmates flourish in the classroom while others have failed. The students of my elementary school were generally of the same economic and cultural (Italian) background, yet they varied in performance levels. I have found that some of my classmates just displayed no interest in school. Teachers and the system can only do so much. If a student does not care to learn, he or she will not learn no matter how good the education being given to him is. As to why the student is resistant to learning, that is an issue with little correlation to the quality of public schools. School Vouchers are Against the Constitution :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers Education School Vouchers are Against the Constitution One of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's recent education reforms is the two-year pilot program where education vouchers will be offered to poor kids from a district in New York City public schools. These students will be given on average $6,500 a year to pay for tuition at a private school (including religious ones). The money they receive will come from taxpayers. When the typical New Yorker dutifully gives Uncle Sam his hard-earned money every year, he is under the impression that his money will be used to fund government programs from which all will benefit. The reason public schools are free of charge is because the costs of running them have been paid through taxes. "Free education for all." Was that not one of the reasons immigrants flooded to America? Giuliani's program channels public money into private funds. He is indirectly endorsing private institutions with public money, and in 80 percent of the cases, these schools have religious affiliations. The last time I read the constitution, it declared a separation of church and state. In this situation, "state" would be the public schools, Giuliani, and tax-dollars. "Church" would be the private religious schools. Giuliani's plan fails to maintain this essential separation. Perhaps the mayor has forgotten that part. I mean, with all the jaywalkers that he has to keep track of, perhaps it would be unreasonable to expect him to institute a constitutional reform program. Legality aside, this Frankenstein remains riddled with flaws. Not all the poor students in New York City public schools are doing badly. That indicates something about the students who fail. I am a progeny of the New York City Public School system. From kindergarten to 12th grade my education has been a publicly funded affair. Ever since elementary school, I have seen many of my classmates flourish in the classroom while others have failed. The students of my elementary school were generally of the same economic and cultural (Italian) background, yet they varied in performance levels. I have found that some of my classmates just displayed no interest in school. Teachers and the system can only do so much. If a student does not care to learn, he or she will not learn no matter how good the education being given to him is. As to why the student is resistant to learning, that is an issue with little correlation to the quality of public schools.

American Airlines Flight Essay

Through his 1997 Airframe novel, Michael Crichton describes Casey Singleton’s response after a plane that was manufactured by Norton Aircraft experiences an accident while in flight. Singleton is a quality assurance officer at Norton Aircraft. Does the story accurately portray an aircraft manufacturer’s response to an accident? By demonstrating that following the accident, Norton Aircraft works hard to ensure that it (Norton Aircraft) does not only ascertain the genesis of the accident, but also to try to exonerate itself from any culpability, Crichton presents an accurate picture of aircraft manufacturers’ reaction to plane accidents. To illustrate, Singleton puts forth great efforts to investigate the facts behind the accident (Crichton, 1996). It is notable that a Singleton is not interested in the numerous aspects that usually surround pane mishaps. Rather, she seeks to establish who erred with regard to the accident. This is the typical reaction of aircraft manufacturers after plane accidents; they seek to apportion blame rather than solve the problem. Does the story accurately portray the media’s response to an aircraft accident? Crichton also presents a credible description of how the news-hungry media usually responds after plane accidents. It is undisputable that media houses jostle to present that so-called ‘exclusive’ story to the public after air accidents. This trend is clearly exhibited by the plans by a local media house to air a sensational news program that has somewhat maliciously dubbed the ill-fated plane a ‘deathtrap’. The author thus describes and critiques the sensational attitude that the media shows towards plane accidents. What was your overall impression of the story? After studying Crichton’s story, I was pleased with the author’s description of events that closely resemble real-life aviation accidents. For example, in describing the circumstances as well as the cause of the accident, Crichton draws parallels with the American Airlines Flight 191 fatal crash. In addition, Singleton’s investigations reveal that the accident was partly caused by the captain’s error of allowing his inexperienced son to take charge of the aircraft. Similarly, the Aeroflot flight 593 mishap in 1994 originated from the pilot’s mistake of permitting his inexperienced son to man the flight. Discerning such parallels to real-life events makes me to like the novel owing to its seeming applicability in contemporary mishaps. On the other hand, after closely examining Crichton’s plot, I have deduced several themes which make the author’s text very significant. For example, the author describes events that seek to show that air accidents are usually blamed on the wrong parties. In this case, John Marder and his associates try to place the blame for the accident squarely on Singleton. After her investigations, Singleton however detects that the fault was in the person who was operating the aircraft, particularity the pilot. The author thus demonstrates that innocent and vulnerable parties usually unjustly carry the blame for plane accidents. This candid portrayal of the blame games that accompany plane accidents is an aspect that makes the author’s work worthy of praise. In addition, I marveled at Crichton’s demonstration that humans, as opposed to mechanical failures, are the main cause of plane accidents. The author thus eradicates the popular notion that machine failure is normally the major culprit behind plane accidents. To illustrate, the aircraft is functional as per Singleton’s investigations. Human error, in form of improper maintenance coupled with operational errors; make the plane to have the accident. Crichton thus debunks a popular myth related to aircraft accidents through the novel’s events. This aspect makes me to really like the author’s bluntness and originality. References Crichton, M. (1996). Airframe. New York: Knopf.

The Issue of Legalizing Marijuana - 1918 Words

The argument of legalizing marijuana has been in the forefront of politics in the United States of America for the last few years. Marijuana comes from the plant Cannabis sativa which has been used throughout history in religious practices, medicine, paper, fiber, and recreation. Its use was banned in the United States of America during the 1930s. This ban was due to public fears surrounding the negative social effects of the drug. Not only were many of these negative effects exaggerated, but the use of this plant has been shown to have many positive attributes. Allowing citizens of the United States of America to plant marijuana could help save the environment. Allowing marijuana to be sold in the United States of America could also help boost the economy. Most of all, the use of marijuana is capable of helping to prevent many individuals who have life-long or terminal diseases from suffering. Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states because of its environmental, economic, and med ical benefits. Throughout thousands of years of history, marijuana was not seen as a harmful plant. Randi Mehling, author of the nonfiction book Marijuana, states â€Å"the plant was first cultivated 12,000 years ago. According to written accounts, it has been used for medicinal purposes for over 5,000 years as a Chinese remedy† (Mehling 8). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, due to hemps use in making paper and rope, Queen Elizabeth I passed a law stating if a personShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Legalizing Marijuana1324 Words   |  6 PagesDoes it really come to morality after all? The decision to legalize marijuana has been subject for debate since first introduced in 1969; many arguing the fact that we are sitting on an industry worth an estimated 113 billion dollars. For once we have an opportunity to make a real impact in our economy. We have an aid on â€Å"the war on drugs†. But are we then showing our children that legalizing drugs is really the answer to our problems or does only the big picture mater in the end? Will this bringRead MoreThe Issue Of Legalizing Marijuana1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe issue of Legalizing marijuana is a very controversial topic of modern times. The use of marijuana is all over the media with celebrities doing it and young people in on the craze. Marijuana is the world’s oldest illegal drug, not only that, it is also the drug that is most widely used among society today (Aanstoos, 2015). Different types of people use this drug for a variety of reasons, such as, as a way to disconnect from todays hectic world, something they are peer pressured into, or even medicalRead MoreEssay The Ethical Issues of Legalizing Marijuana749 Words   |  3 Pagesaccording to the law on marijuana? It’s true. In 2008 Time Magazine reported that researchers had found more than 42% of people surveyed in the United States had tried marijuana at least once (Lynch, 2008). So if marijuana u se is so common in the United States, why should it not be legalized? In this paper I will discuss both the supporting and opposing positions on the legalization of marijuana. I will also explore the moral and ethical views for legalizing marijuana. Utilitarianism is theRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1314 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana, also known as cannabis, has been deemed an unacceptable and illegal substance in Canada, as well as in many other nations. It is a drug which can alter an individual’s sense of perception and distort one’s senses, and may become addictive if used repeatedly. Although marijuana is looked down upon in society when used for recreational purposes, it serves several beneficial purposes in the medical field. The legalization of marijuana is a prominent growing issue in several Canadian provincesRead MoreThe Origns of Marijuana726 Words   |  3 Pages Coca, and Poppy). Therefore, Marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system. Legalizing and regulation marijuana can bring cash crop under the criminal justice law, bring in jobs, medical use, and overall create economic opportunities to The United States of America. There has been reports of marijuana being less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. According to the British research foundation two deaths worldwide can be directly caused by marijuana, yet 150,000 people die from alcoholRead MoreThe Legalization of Marijuana Essay868 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversial topics in the news today is the legalization of marijuana. Supporters believe that the drug is not harmful and can have numerous benefits. However, opponents argue that marijuana can lead to addiction and other more dangerous drugs. In the end, marijuana should be legal based on economic, medicinal, and philosophical factors. First, the legalization of marijuana would have a tremendous economic impact. Since â€Å"marijuana is thought to be the second most profitable cash crop in theRead MoreThe Legalization Of Recreational And Medical Use Of Marijuana1237 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of recreational and medical use of marijuana is still a controversial social issue faced by the United States. Although marijuana was seen as a dangerous drug back in the 1900’s, research has revealed the truth about marijuana, making the drug less frightening towards Americans. Now in the year 2015, marijuana is generally more accepted by Americans and many more see marijuana in a positive manner. Although marijuana does have some negative side effects, the side effects are notRead MoreAn Analysis of President Obama’s Remarks about Marijuana Essay624 Words   |  3 Pagesmagazine, President Barack Obama made some controversial remarks about legalizing marijuana. President Obama stated that he did not think that marijuana was â€Å"more dangerous than alcohol† (Remnick). This comment has caused proponents of legalizing marijuana to praise the President, while opponents are criticizing him for seemingly supporting this banned substance. Author Frank James of NPR.org wrote an article entitled â€Å"Obamas Marijuana Remarks Light Up Legalization Debate.† James explains how those whoRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1714 Words   |  7 PagesApril 2016 Drugs in the United States There has been controversy centered around the thought of legalizing drugs in the U.S and the effects of legalizing or not legalizing drugs. There are several drugs such as cocaine, heroin, opium, to name a few, with the most common being marijuana. The question raised on this topic is whether we should prohibit drug use, making it illegal or only allow marijuana to be legal. Discussions on this topic mention that drugs will be available in the market despiteRead MoreEssay on Legalizing Marijuana: Pros and Cons1599 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2007, $42 billion was spent on the marijuana prohibition. That is more money than the war on drugs spent on all types of drugs three years before when $40 billion was spent all together. Why is our government focusing on a drug that can be called merely harmless to those who use it? Why is this drug getting more money spent on it than drugs that are highly addictive and life threatening? Marijuana is not as dangerous as people may want it to seem . Marijuana is a product of the Cannabis stavia