I would like to give potential response over skinner’s comments about free will

@Skinner's notion that free will is an illusion resonates with me. As a behaviorist, he argued that human behavior is entirely determined by environmental factors, such as reinforcement and punishment. This perspective challenges the idea of personal responsibility and moral agency.

However, I think it's essential to consider the implications of this idea. If our choices are entirely determined, do we lose autonomy and accountability? Or does this perspective liberate us from the burden of guilt and shame?

Regarding the role of the teacher in the behaviorist scheme, I believe they play a crucial role in shaping behavior through reinforcement and punishment. But what about the potential for manipulation and control?

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this topic!

Update:

Title: Operant Conditioning in Practice: A Real-World Example

In this update, I'll explore the concept of operant conditioning, a fundamental principle of behaviorism. Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behavior is modified by its consequences, such as rewards or punishments.

Example:

A company implements a rewards program to encourage employees to meet sales targets. Employees who exceed their targets receive bonuses and public recognition. This positive reinforcement increases the likelihood that employees will continue to work hard to meet their targets.

What are the implications of using operant conditioning in the workplace? Does it motivate employees or create unhealthy competition?

References:

Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. Macmillan.

Please comment and share your thoughts!

• Natin Nayan

Operant Conditioning in the Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes User Behavior

Operant conditioning, a concept introduced by B.F. Skinner, explains how behaviors are shaped by consequences, whether through reinforcement that encourages repetition or punishment that discourages it. In today’s world, this idea is deeply embedded in how social media platforms design their algorithms. Every like, comment, and notification acts as a form of positive reinforcement, training users to keep engaging. When a post gains high interaction, the user feels rewarded, making them more likely to continue posting similar content. On the other hand, low engagement discourages certain behaviors, subtly shaping what people share online.

This conditioning happens so seamlessly that most users don’t even realize they are being trained. The endless scrolling, the craving for likes, the need to post at peak hours for maximum exposure, it’s all a learned behavior reinforced by platforms designed to keep users engaged. While this system keeps social media alive, it also raises ethical concerns. The constant cycle of rewards can lead to overuse, anxiety, and even addiction. It turns human interaction into a game of validation, where self-worth can feel tied to digital approval.

What started as a psychological principle applied to rats and pigeons in controlled experiments has evolved into a tool that shapes human behavior on a massive scale. The mechanisms of operant conditioning now dictate how people interact, share, and even think in online spaces. It’s a powerful force, one that can be used to educate, influence, or manipulate, depending on who controls the reinforcement.

• Nisa Nuraulia

1.What do you make of Skinner's comments about free will?

I believe that his comments do not align with my pedagogical approach. While I agree that humans and all other sentient beings are products of their environment, Skinner's conception of free will strips humans of their agency. Similar to Goddard's ideas, Skinner fails to account for consciousness and morality.

Globally, educational spaces vary widely, and communities experience different levels of stability or trauma. In many of these communities, alternative methods of learning and oral histories exist outside the dominant academic or institutional frameworks. While people can be conditioned to think in certain ways, human thought and behavior are not merely responses to external circumstances. As the world undergoes dialectic processes of change, human thought and behavior often reflect deliberate, introspective choices rather than mere reactions.
2. What is the role of the teacher in the behaviorist scheme?
I believe one of the best ways teachers can apply behaviorist psychology in the classroom is by understanding their students' learning methods and reinforcing positive learning behaviors. Strategies such as annotating, summarizing, and actively engaging with sources, as well as personalizing the educational experience, can be highly effective. I also think that both positive and negative reinforcement can help students socialize more productively and learn through peer-to-peer interaction, as I have observed in my own classroom experiences.
3. Nature or nurture?
I believe the idea that humans have innate abilities to excel at certain things—and that no amount of training can make someone proficient at tasks others are naturally good at—is somewhat hyperbolic. These notions should be examined within the historical framework in which they emerged, which was largely during the era of Social Darwinism and Positivism. Recognizing that these theories benefit from a society that is ableist, sexist, and racist allows us to take them with a grain of salt.
I think the human mind and body hold infinite possibilities. Because people are so unique and neurodiverse, they will naturally excel at different things. However, if the theories of behaviorism have proven anything, it is that both behavior and skills can be taught.
4.What are the dangers and uses of intelligence tests?
Intelligence tests are used for educational, medical, and recruitment purposes. While these tests can provide reliable feedback on skill levels, there have been many controversies surrounding their application. Most of these controversies stem from concerns about cultural bias in the test results. Certain communities with similar socioeconomic backgrounds often perform poorly on these tests. Regardless of ongoing debates about their accuracy, intelligence tests continue to influence critical areas such as college admissions and job applications, potentially creating higher barriers to entry for impacted communities.

• Hala Mousa

B.F. Skinner, seorang tokoh utama dalam behaviorisme, berpendapat bahwa kehendak bebas adalah ilusi. Menurutnya, perilaku manusia sepenuhnya dipengaruhi oleh faktor lingkungan dan penguatan eksternal, bukan oleh keputusan bebas individu. Dalam pandangan ini, pengaruh lingkungan jauh lebih dominan daripada faktor internal seperti kehendak bebas. Dalam skema behaviorisme, peran guru sangat penting. Guru bertindak sebagai penguat yang memberikan umpan balik positif atau negatif untuk membentuk perilaku siswa. Dengan menggunakan prinsip penguatan, guru dapat mengarahkan siswa menuju perilaku yang diinginkan dan mengurangi perilaku yang tidak diinginkan. Terkait alam vs. pengasuhan, behaviorisme lebih condong pada peran pengasuhan (nurture), di mana perilaku individu lebih banyak dibentuk oleh pengalaman dan pengaruh lingkungan daripada faktor biologis atau bawaan (nature). Tes inteligensi, di satu sisi, dapat berguna untuk mengidentifikasi potensi akademik dan kebutuhan siswa, serta memberikan dasar untuk penyesuaian pengajaran. Namun, di sisi lain, tes ini memiliki bahaya dalam menyederhanakan kecerdasan hanya pada aspek yang dapat diukur, mengabaikan kecerdasan emosional atau keterampilan sosial yang juga penting. Selain itu, tes inteligensi bisa bias terhadap kelompok tertentu, tidak menggambarkan kecerdasan secara menyeluruh, dan bisa menstereotipkan kemampuan siswa.

• Muthiatus Sholikhah

1. What do you think about Skinner's comments on free will?
According to Skinner, free will is an illusion because every human action is a reaction or the result of treatment received from outside. In fact, many of our actions and behaviors are carried out not because of our own will but there is a push from outside so that we as individuals are bound by this.

2. What is the role of the teacher in the behaviorism scheme?
Especially in skinner's behaviorism where there is a stimulus-response here, the teacher is responsible for stimulating students so that the response given is in accordance with the wishes and achieves learning outcomes. Especially in increasing the activeness of students' interest in the material and discussion presented. Learning that is carried out creatively, friendly, entertaining will certainly affect the emotional state of students, with a happy feeling that students can digest the material presented, this is related to increasing interest in the teacher then to the subject, then to the learning process.

The application of stimulus in the form of rewards, reward objects (gifts), non-objects (praise, constructive statements) and also gestures or gestures (applause). And vice versa.

Another example is: Implement a ranking of the fastest groups to complete a group task. The fastest group will get a gift and the group that takes the longest to finish will get a punishment.

If you look at the original condition of the class when working on group assignments, the work is less enthusiastic, long-winded. But after the reward-punishment was applied, each group was encouraged to complete the task and compete to get rewards (positive reinforcement) and avoid punishment (negative reinforcement).

3.Nature or nurture?
Nurture because the environment affects the actions and behavior of individuals, the (external) environment of the individual is simply the environment as a place for individuals to pen all experiences that can influence and shape individual personalities. Behavior is controlled by the reinforcement given.

4. What are the dangers and uses of intelligence tests?
Usefulness: provides an overview of data for students in self-understanding, self-assessment, self-acceptance. Measurement leads to excellence or potential in certain fields, of course this helps in preparation for higher education institutions.
Conversely, it can demotivate students when the results obtained are not satisfactory, allowing the labeling that there are students who do not excel in the academic field.

• Naswa Septia

Your explanation of Skinner’s perspective and the role of reinforcement in learning is well-structured. I agree that teachers play a crucial role in shaping student behavior through strategic use of stimuli. Positive reinforcement, such as praise or rewards, can effectively enhance engagement, while negative reinforcement can encourage students to avoid undesirable behaviors. However, I think it’s important to consider that excessive reliance on external rewards might lead to dependency, where students only learn for incentives rather than intrinsic motivation.

Regarding intelligence tests, while they can highlight strengths and guide educational decisions, they also carry risks of labeling and discouragement. Intelligence is multifaceted, and a single test may not capture a student’s full potential, especially in non-traditional areas of intelligence like creativity or social skills. Perhaps a more holistic approach to assessment would be beneficial.

Do you think reinforcement strategies should always be applied in learning, or is there a limit to their effectiveness? @Naswa Septia

• Nisa Nuraulia

1. What do you think about Skinner's comments on free will?
According to Skinner, free will is an illusion because every human action is a reaction or the result of treatment received from outside. In fact, many of our actions and behaviors are carried out not because of our own will but there is a push from outside so that we as individuals are bound by this.
2. What is the role of the teacher in the behaviorism scheme?
Especially in skinner's behaviorism where there is a stimulus-response here, the teacher is responsible for stimulating students so that the response given is in accordance with the wishes and achieves learning outcomes. Especially in increasing the activeness of students' interest in the material and discussion presented. Learning that is carried out creatively, friendly, entertaining will certainly affect the emotional state of students, with a happy feeling that students can digest the material presented, this is related to increasing interest in the teacher then to the subject, then to the learning process.
The application of stimulus in the form of rewards, reward objects (gifts), non-objects (praise, constructive statements) and also gestures or gestures (applause). And vice versa.
Another example is: Implement a ranking of the fastest groups to complete a group task. The fastest group will get a gift and the group that takes the longest to finish will get a punishment.
If you look at the original condition of the class when working on group assignments, the work is less enthusiastic, long-winded. But after the reward-punishment was applied, each group was encouraged to complete the task and compete to get rewards (positive reinforcement) and avoid punishment (negative reinforcement).
3.Nature or nurture?
Nurture because the environment affects the actions and behavior of individuals, the (external) environment of the individual is simply the environment as a place for individuals to pen all experiences that can influence and shape individual personalities. Behavior is controlled by the reinforcement given.
4. What are the dangers and uses of intelligence tests?
Usefulness: provides an overview of data for students in self-understanding, self-assessment, self-acceptance. Measurement leads to excellence or potential in certain fields, of course this helps in preparation for higher education institutions.
Conversely, it can demotivate students when the results obtained are not satisfactory, allowing the labeling that there are students who do not excel in the academic field.

• Naswa Septia

1. konsep Skinner mengenai kehendak bebas hanyalah sebuah ilusi dan sebaliknya justru percaya bahwa semua tindakan manusia merupakan akibat langsung dari pengkondisian yang telah di lakukan.

2. Peran guru dalam teori behaviorisme yaitu pendidik dituntut untuk memberikan sebuah stimulus positif kepada siswa, sehingga siswa nnatinya juga dapat memberikan tanggapan yang positif terhadap stimulus yang telah diberikan oleh guru karena pada teori behaviorisme lebih mengutamakan stimulus hingga respon timbal balik dalam sebuah proses pembelajaran. Contohnya

Guru: Dalam proses pembelajaran kita menggunakan metode Problem-based learning sehingga diperlukan keaktifan anak-anak sekalian untuk dapat memecahkan masalah yang ada, dimohon untuk tetap menjaga ketertiban kelas dan berdiskusi dengan baik selama proses pembelajaran.
Siswa: Baik Pak/Bu Guru.

Saat pembelajaran siswa melakukan tugas dengan sikap yang baik, tidak merendahkan pendapat siswa lain yang berbeda. Kemudian, guru juga menasehati siswa untuk selalu berbuat baik terhadap orang lain ataupun guru memberikan contoh tindakan secara langsung kepada siswa sehingga dapat mengambil pelajaran dari tindakan guru tersebut.

3. Mengenai alam atau pengasuhan. Dalam konteks ini lebih kepada pengasuhan karena dari pendapat Skinner mengenai behaviorisme yang terbentuk dari banyaknya pengaruh dari faktor lingkungan seperti stimulus dan situasi yang ada di dalamnya. Walaupun pengaruh biologis juga ada didalamnya akan tetapi tidak sangat besar pengaruhnya di bandingkan dengan pengaruh dari lingkungan

4. Tes inteligensi sangat berguna untuk informasi mengenai kondisi peserta didik sehingga guru dapat memberikan stimulus atau tindakan kelas pada siswa sesuai dengan tingkatan inteligensi. Akan tetapi akan menjadi sebuah bias apabila dilakukan secara tidak tepat sehingga akan menjadi tidak maksimal dalam proses pembelajaran.

• Indra Fagil Saputra

1. konsep Skinner mengenai kehendak bebas hanyalah sebuah ilusi dan sebaliknya justru percaya bahwa semua tindakan manusia merupakan akibat langsung dari pengkondisian yang telah di lakukan.

2. Peran guru dalam teori behaviorisme yaitu pendidik dituntut untuk memberikan sebuah stimulus positif kepada siswa, sehingga siswa nnatinya juga dapat memberikan tanggapan yang positif terhadap stimulus yang telah diberikan oleh guru karena pada teori behaviorisme lebih mengutamakan stimulus hingga respon timbal balik dalam sebuah proses pembelajaran. Contohnya

Guru: Dalam proses pembelajaran kita menggunakan metode Problem-based learning sehingga diperlukan keaktifan anak-anak sekalian untuk dapat memecahkan masalah yang ada, dimohon untuk tetap menjaga ketertiban kelas dan berdiskusi dengan baik selama proses pembelajaran.
Siswa: Baik Pak/Bu Guru.

Saat pembelajaran siswa melakukan tugas dengan sikap yang baik, tidak merendahkan pendapat siswa lain yang berbeda. Kemudian, guru juga menasehati siswa untuk selalu berbuat baik terhadap orang lain ataupun guru memberikan contoh tindakan secara langsung kepada siswa sehingga dapat mengambil pelajaran dari tindakan guru tersebut.

3. Mengenai alam atau pengasuhan. Dalam konteks ini lebih kepada pengasuhan karena dari pendapat Skinner mengenai behaviorisme yang terbentuk dari banyaknya pengaruh dari faktor lingkungan seperti stimulus dan situasi yang ada di dalamnya. Walaupun pengaruh biologis juga ada didalamnya akan tetapi tidak sangat besar pengaruhnya di bandingkan dengan pengaruh dari lingkungan

4. Tes inteligensi sangat berguna untuk informasi mengenai kondisi peserta didik sehingga guru dapat memberikan stimulus atau tindakan kelas pada siswa sesuai dengan tingkatan inteligensi. Akan tetapi akan menjadi sebuah bias apabila dilakukan secara tidak tepat sehingga akan menjadi tidak maksimal dalam proses pembelajaran.

• Indra Fagil Saputra

One of the most important notions introduced by Skinner, a key proponent of behaviorism, is his view on free will. According to Skinner, free will is an illusion, as our decisions are determined by environmental contingencies, reinforcements, and punishments. From this perspective, human behaviors are learned responses shaped by interactions with the environment. This has profound implications for educational psychology and the role of the teacher within this framework.
In the behaviorist model, the teacher is not merely a content provider but also a designer of the learning environment. Their primary role is to foster desired behaviors through positive reinforcement while removing stimuli that reinforce undesirable behaviors. This connects directly to the nature vs. nurture question: from a behaviorist perspective, nurture—understood as the environment in which students learn—is the most determining factor.
Regarding intelligence tests, these can be valuable tools for identifying students' strengths, areas for improvement, and specific needs. However, they carry significant risks if used in isolation or without context. Test results may lead to labeling that limits a student's potential or creates expectations that do not reflect their full range of abilities, such as creativity or emotional intelligence. Therefore, teachers must critically use these tools and complement them with strategies that reinforce learning and build students' confidence.
Key Behaviorist Concept:
Positive reinforcement is a fundamental principle in behaviorism. It refers to the introduction of a pleasant stimulus following a desired behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. A practical example is using points or rewards in the classroom for students who complete their assignments on time. These strategies not only promote the desired behavior but also reinforce intrinsic motivation as students develop productive habits.

• Sergio Bravo

You explained Skinner’s ideas really well! It makes sense that teachers aren’t just there to give information but also to shape students’ learning experiences through reinforcement. I agree that the environment plays a huge role in learning, but I also think personal motivation and emotions matter too—some students might not respond to reinforcement the same way as others. I also get what you’re saying about intelligence tests. They can be useful, but if they’re the only thing used to judge a student’s abilities, they can be limiting. People have different strengths that might not show up on a test. And about positive reinforcement—it's definitely effective, but do you think it should be balanced with other methods, like encouraging curiosity and self-motivation?

• Nisa Nuraulia

Skinner did not seek to devalue humanity or our capacity for decision-making; his focus was on freeing us from mystical or non-scientific explanations. Instead, he promoted an evidence-based analysis that empowers us to design more effective and ethical environments.
A world where it is understood that our choices are the product of controllable variables could enable us to build fairer societies, where unfavorable conditions leading to problematic behaviors are transformed.Skinner did not seek to devalue humanity or our capacity for decision-making; his focus was on freeing us from mystical or non-scientific explanations. Instead, he promoted an evidence-based analysis that empowers us to design more effective and ethical environments.
A world where it is understood that our choices are the product of controllable variables could enable us to build fairer societies, where unfavorable conditions leading to problematic behaviors are transformed.

• Sergio Bravo

This is an interesting perspective on Skinner’s ideas! He wasn’t trying to take away human agency but rather explain behavior in a way that allows us to improve our surroundings. If we understand what influences our actions, we can create better learning environments, workplaces, and even societies. The idea that changing external conditions can lead to better outcomes is powerful. But do you think this approach fully accounts for personal agency and emotions? While external factors shape behavior, isn’t there still room for individual choices beyond just reinforcement?

• Nisa Nuraulia