Adolescent Development, Adjustment and Behaviorism

Authors: Hunter G*

Volume 4, Issue 3

Abstract

Skinner proclaimed Behaviorism as the fundamental learning theory of human and animal behavior based on discriminative stimuli and later introduced Radical Behaviorism which recognized private events as relevant behavioral antecedents. Skinner sets all human behavior within a cycle of stimulus response where any action can serve as either a response to or a stimulus for another behavior. Much research has examined aspects of adolescent development and found definite connections to behavior theory. But some that slightly breach the behavior theory barrier and still others that completely diverge from its reinforcing consequential confines. Parents can employ positive and negative reinforcement for mechanical functioning such as chores and curfews but there are biological and neurological processes occurring during adolescent development that reinforcement cannot address. In the model proposed here reinforcement is central to adolescent development but an in-depth analysis reveals many associated constructs and phenomena that lie beyond Skinner’s behavioral theoretical boundaries.

Keywords: Adolescent; Behaviorism; Dysfunction; Hyper-Accessibility; Questionnaires

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