U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

LIMITATIONS OF BEHAVIOR CONTROL TECHNIQUES (FROM JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS, 1978, BY NORMAN JOHNSTON AND LEONARD D SAVITZ - SEE NCJ-47922)

NCJ Number
47950
Author(s)
E W RUSSELL
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE USE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO BEHAVIOR CONTROL TECHNIQUES APPLIED WITHIN COERCIVE ENVIRONMENTS SHOWS THAT BEHAVIORISM DOES NOT THREATEN NEW, GREATER CONTROL OVER HUMAN BEINGS.
Abstract
THE TWO METHODS OF BEHAVIOR CONTROL -- TOKEN ECONOMIES AND BRAINWASHING -- ARE DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE. THE ROLE OF THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT (AN IMPROVEMENT IN GENERAL A NONSPECIFIC SOURCE, PRODUCED BY ANY SOURCE OF TREATMENT WHICH GIVES ATTENTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO PEOPLE) AND GENERALIZATION ARE ALSO NOTED. WHILE IT IS NOTED THAT THESE TWO METHODS HAVE EXPERIENCED PERIODS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE OVER THE YEARS OF THEIR USE WITHIN CORRECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND ELSEWHERE, IT IS CONCLUDED SUCH BEHAVIORISTIC METHODS USED IN A COERCIVE SITUATION ARE SOMEWHAT MORE EFFECTIVE, WHEN BACKED BY TRADITIONAL COERCIVE AUTHORITY, IN CONTROLLING DETAILED BEHAVIOR THAN TRADITIONAL METHODS. HOWEVER, THE EFFECT DOES NOT GENERALIZE BEYOND THAT WHICH CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY A HAWTHORNE EFFECT. GENERALIZATION FAILS TO OCCUR TO NONREWARDED BEHAVIORS DURING THE TREATMENT AND TO ALL BEHAVIOR OUTSIDE OR AFTER TREATMENT. THIS IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT WHILE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION METHODS AFFECT PERFORMANCE, THEY DO NOT PRODUCE LEARNING IN THE SENSE OF GENERALIZATION BEYOND THE SPECIFIC SITUATION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT RESEARCH DOES NOT SHOW THAT BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS A MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT THAN MORE CONVENTIONAL METHODS, NOR DOES IT CARRY A THREAT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTROL. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)

Downloads

No download available

Availability