Chapter 2

Since we are learning about he different ways theories of development I find it very interesting the stance psychologists take on development. I am partial to the behaviorists like Watson and Skinner. They took stances that our experiences shape who we are; that idea resonates with me very strongly. Watson takes that stance that psychology should be about what we can observe and that makes a lot of sense. If you cannot see progress in someone how do you know it is actually happening. His idea of observing is reinforced by the practice of operant conditioning. You can see an organism learning a new behavior as it is reinforced over and over again. It is clear to see that the organism performing the new behavior is shaped by their experiences of being reinforced for the proper behavior. I can see operant conditioning in my everyday life. I want to get good grades in my classes so I can go to grad school. The only way I am able to achieve this is by getting good exam scores, the only way to get good scores is to study. Once I apply myself and I see that I am getting good grades my behavior becomes reinforced and I am more likely to continue to study. Overall I side with the behaviorists on development.