Dr. Skinner is a behaviorist. Your co-worker, Terry, asks the good doctor why Baby Herbie gives a happy yell, smacks his lips, and grins every time Terry opens the cookie jar. Dr. Skinner is most likely to answer that Herbie:
A is in the oral stage and is naturally stimulated by the presence of food.
B is in the primary circular reactions sensorimotor substage.
C has had his behavior rewarded with cookies in the past.
D is engaging in deferred imitation
I need help
To answer this question, we need to understand the principles of behaviorism and the concepts mentioned in the options.
Behaviorism is a psychological approach that focuses on studying observable behaviors and the relationship between environmental stimuli and the response they elicit. B.F. Skinner is a famous behaviorist who believed that behavior is shaped by its consequences.
Now let's break down the options:
A) Being in the oral stage refers to Sigmund Freud's psychosexual stages of development, not behaviorism. This option does not align with behaviorism, so we can eliminate it.
B) Jean Piaget's theory of sensorimotor development describes six sub-stages during infancy. Primary circular reactions occur between 1-4 months of age and involve repetitive actions focused on the infant's own body. While this option discusses developmental stages, it does not directly align with behaviorism or explain Baby Herbie's specific behavior related to the cookie jar. Therefore, we can eliminate this option as well.
C) This option mentions that Baby Herbie's behavior has been rewarded with cookies in the past. In behaviorism, the consequence of a behavior, such as a reward or punishment, plays a significant role in shaping and maintaining that behavior. Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by a reward, making it more likely to be repeated in the future. Given this, option C seems plausible.
D) Deferred imitation refers to the ability to replicate a previously observed action after a delay. It is a concept related to cognitive development and imitation rather than behaviorism. So, we can eliminate this option.
Based on the explanation above, the most likely answer to Terry's question would be C) Baby Herbie's behavior has been rewarded with cookies in the past. This aligns with the principles of behaviorism, where the presence of a reward (cookies) in response to a behavior (opening the cookie jar) reinforces and promotes the repetition of that behavior.