Activity 2.4: Evaluating Behaviorism in Practice

            Since one of the most influential people in my learning of psychology is a behaviorist who often makes connections to her previous work with various species of animals, I feel quite confident in the use of reinforcement to shape behaviors, as discussed in Don’t Shoot the Dog, including praise to reinforce the behaviors of children.  So at first I was deeply offended by Kohn’s criticisms about praise.  However, as I began to delve into Kohn’s arguments and reflect on my own life and experiences, I found myself nodding my head and agreeing with him, at first much to my chagrin.  As someone who has worked with children in various settings for a long time (I’ve been babysitting since I was 9) I have always given children verbal praise, and after reading Kohn’s criticism, I wanted to kick myself.  His criticisms make since to me, especially when he says, “It signals conditional acceptance.  Children learn that they’re valued—and, by implication, valuable—only when they live up to the standards of a powerful other” (Kohn, 2012).

            Kohn's argument got me thinking about my own life.  I am a people pleaser- I am constantly seeking approval from everyone around me.  I always thought it was due to my shyness and low self-confidence as a child, but Kohn’s argument makes more sense to me.  I need praise because I have been reinforced to meet the standards people give me, and when I don’t receive praise for things I do, I feel inadequate, which makes me feel bad about myself.  I don't feel valuable if I don't get a "good job!", because I can't gauge on my own how good or bad a job I have done.  I am reminded of something that happened- and actually happens quite often- to my internship supervisor.  Teachers always value her opinion and often come to her with questions related to the different student on their caseloads.  One teacher approached her about a student and was explaining the situation.  It was clear to my supervisor that the teacher was unsure how to proceed, and that she needed someone to tell her, “It’s okay, you’re doing the right thing,” as the teacher would not stop ruminating on the situation.  My supervisor experiences this type of encounter on a daily basis, not just with me but with teachers as well; the need to meet universal standards and earn that praise is so high that anxiety results if it doesn’t happen.

              This assignment left me with many questions.  First, how do we, as professionals in education, get teachers to understand Kohn’s reasoning behind his criticisms?  Moreover, would teachers take his views to heart and eliminate the use of praise in their classrooms, or will they just roll their eyes and move one?  And finally, how can we create verbal “bridging” and “keep going” signals, as Karen Pryor suggests, without the use of praise?