So, there is no doubt that ‘social learning’ theory is at operation in problem children. An examination of various studies discussed in Chapter 3 serves as a proof of social learning theory’s validity. But what should be of concern to educators and parents alike is the issue of malefic media environment that children get exposed to. Since the assessment of media environment shows it in negative light, it is time for controlling access and exposure to such content.
Another interesting theory that helps examine human behaviour is the ‘consequence’ model. Here, the emphasis is not on imitation but on ‘outcomes’ of a particular behaviour – those that result in pleasant outcomes get sustained while those meeting negative outcomes are dropped. Renowned psychologists such as B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov have conducted and verified experiments in support of this theory. Pavlov’s famous experiment with a hungry dog is a classic illustration of the veracity of behavioural psychology. Although behavioural psychology does not explain all human qualities, its basis on the ‘pleasure principle’ and its identification of reward seeking behaviour in humans is amply supported by evidence. While most of the experiments in behavioural psychology are conducted on mammals, their results generally hold true for humans as well. Through this theory, the role played by environment (in this case that of rewarding or punishing environment) in moulding human behaviour is once again reinforced.
When assessing the implications of theories in behavioural psychology, a few areas prove controversial. The most prominent one is the ‘free will’ v. ‘determinism’ debate. Those opposing the scope of these theories argue that human beings are unique among life forms in that they can exhibit free will and self-determination and act accordingly. They question the value of a theory that hints at automatic processes behind human behaviour. On the other hand, supporters of the theory state that even those actions that appear as freely willed have a pre-condition to it, whereby they could be seen as subconsciously reinforced actions/behaviours. This debate has profound political, social and ethical ramifications. To be fair to Skinner, his theories have been successfully implemented in weaning people off drug addiction, modifying anti-social behaviour in prisoners, etc. It also has the potential to contribute to our dependency on fossil fuel, by making us behave in an environmentally friendly way. But, it should be remembered that that the debate is at the heart of what human beings are, and since it has implications for the dignity and superiority of our species over other animals, the theories pertaining to it have to be treated with healthy scepticism. It is perhaps a reflection of such doubts within the community of psychologists that not many have openly supported Skinner’s behaviourism.
Another key factor that shapes human behaviour is cognition. The way we perceive, remember and register things in our minds plays a crucial role in the kind of responses we will give. In this way, the ‘intellectual’ environment can be said to play a role in affecting behaviour and performance. The basis for theories in this area is the inherent limitation of the human brain. Even at their best mental condition, people’s brains and their sensory equipment can only pick up a fraction of all available information in their environment. In this scenario, the manner and emphasis with which information is presented assumes special significance. Researchers such as Loftus and Palmer have conducted experiments relating to the ethics, practicality, ecological validity and consequentiality of applied and theoretical experiments. The underlying assumption being that the manner in which experiments are constructed (in the case of a questionnaire, the way in which questions are framed) do influence information intake (memory) and later recall (performance). So, the theories that relate external environment to memory, recall and cognitive performance are well-grounded.