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Mind What You Learn

Mind What You Learn

By Luis Ángel Pérez, December 23, 2016

Five sensory organs, (eyes, ears, skin, nose & mouth), known to be important receivers of energy or information, (aka - stimulus; singular or stimuli; plural), assist the human animal to learn and make sense of its environments.

Some learning theorists believe that important developments in learning & behavior are formed & governed by internal forces, (the environment inside of a human), such as biological maturation & the way in which a human mentally structures their thoughts. Other more eclectic learning theorists agree that such important developments are shaped & directed by internal forces but also by external forces, (the environment outside of a human), such as objects, occurrences, & other stimuli as well as the manner & frequency in which such stimuli is structured & presented to a human.

Then you have learning theorist who believe that important developments in learning & behavior are formed & governed solely by the environment outside of a human. Some even go as far as boasting about how they can easily control a human’s learning & behavior in whatever direction they desire, by discretely & specifically structuring stimuli in their external environment; a scientific behavioral modification/control strategy long recognized as “conditioning”. Knowing this, one cannot help but wonder if the verb “con”, (to swindle, cheat, defraud), is in any way a root word to the term “conditioning”?

There are some interesting breakthroughs & helpful applications to the behavioral control of conditioning. However, this report focuses on another aspect of its application in order to heighten awareness to a critical & questionable silence & powerlessness exhibited by Psychologists in employment settings that are immensely important to the welfare of humans.

This report briefly examines, (A) two landmark behavioral control models that stem from scientific research known as, “Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination”; (Classical/Respondent & Operant Conditioning), used to conduct discrimination training, (B) several interesting ways in which such behavioral control models have influenced the thinking & behavior of Psychologists & other Scientists over time, (C) several modern applications of such behavioral control models, & (D) the noticeable toxic & oppressive impact which such applications have on modern human health, the welfare of the public, & the ultimate survival of the human race.

Conclusively, this report draws your attention to a vital trait, passed down from generation to generation, which you innately possess, & which effectively empowers you to become more aware & in control of your own response to stimuli, to produce the best results when serving others, & which offers the entire human race the ultimate survival advantage in our ever changing world.

        Psychology is a fascinating science that focuses on the study of how humans think, feel, and behave. Humans have been examining and questioning these aspects of human existence for as long as they have become, “a thing” and awareness had, “set-in”. However, Psychology only began to be recognized as an actual field of science during the late 19^th century. 

        Since 1887, that the American Journal of Psychology was reportedly founded, Psychologists have been writing about important features of Child Development, Adolescence, and Education. By 1892 the world’s largest organization of Psychologists, known as the American Psychological Association, (or A.P.A.), was founded and by then, even more research had been done and published about these very important areas of human life.  

        As time progressed, the field of Psychology gave birth to many different subfields, (areas of specialization), such as Developmental Psychology, Educational & School Psychology, Cognitive/Clinical & Counseling Psychology, Behavioral Psychology, Social Psychology, and Industrial & Organizational Psychology, just to mention an important few relevant to the heart of this report. Although there are many more different areas of specializations within the field of Psychology they all share common moral & ethical principles – a social contract, an oath, to protect the public, abide by the precept of to “do no harm”, to be truthful, and to promote human health.

        Psychologists work in a wide range of employment settings; some which are more obvious to the public than others. They work in places like Hospitals, Schools, Health & Human Service Agengies, Business Corporations, even Law Firms and different areas of Government. In fact, just recently the American Psychological Association, (A.P.A.), came under heated scrutiny for their alleged secret involvement, during the Bush administration, in helping –

“… to bolster a legal and ethical justification for the torture of prisoners … according to

 a new report by a group of dissident health professionals and human rights activists.”

“The A.P.A. secretly coordinated with officials from

the C.I.A., White House and the Department of Defense

to create an A.P.A. ethics policy on national security interrogations

which comported with then-classified legal guidance

authorizing the C.I.A. torture program, ‘the report’s authors concluded.’”

Such involvement by the A.P.A. allegedly,

“… enabled the Justice Department to argue in secret opinions that

the program was legal and did not constitute torture,

since the interrogations were being monitored

by health professionals to make sure they were safe.”

“… the Senate Intelligence Committee issued a detailed report that

described the program as both ineffective and abusive.”

James Risen, New York Times, April 30, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/01/us/report-says-american-psychological-association-collaborated-on-torture-justification.html

        The public exposure to such massive scandal assisted in liberating humans from further harm, allegedly helped place an end to this human-torture-program, and helped jump-start the re-evaluation & hopeful reform to the association’s moral & ethical standards. However, a sad truth and many questions remain.

        Leaders of large health professional organizations have long traded their oath & duty, (“to protect the public” & “do no harm”), for access to power & influence even in far less-remote employment settings than secret prisons around the world. They have also boldly done so in employment settings where they work in masses, where their presence is evident to all, and where their service is greatly needed & expected. Places such as – Pre-Schools, Grade-Schools, Middle-Schools, Secondary-Schools, College & Universities, Community Programs, Hospitals, Clinics, Child Protective Services, Foster Care Agencies, Homeless Shelters, other Health & Human Service Agencies, Law Enforcement, & the Justice Department. Can such trade for power & influence explain their silence?

Why are health professionals not publicly dissenting & denouncing

the inhumane conditions which humans, 
(children, students, educators, families),

are repeatedly subjected to within such critical systems 
to human health & public good?

Why are they not incessantly & loudly calling out for the much needed 
reform & accountability

for the manner in which schools & many of these 
human health & safety agencies are managed?

Why are they not joining forces to help solve many of these societal problems

which continue to plague the welfare of humanity &

the ultimate survival of the human race?

        These are awfully complex and difficult questions to answer but perhaps a review of some of the thinking and behavior, (or the Psychology), of various pioneers of the history and development of the science will help put things into perspective.

Who Is In Control?

Classical/Respondent Conditioning:

        The scientific term “to condition” means to adapt, modify, or mold to respond in a particular way. To modify so that an act or response previously associated with one stimulus becomes associated with another, (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). 

        Russian Physiologist & Behaviorist Ivan Pavlov, (1849-1936), worked on a series of famous experiments which started a movement to closely examine and attempt to quantify the effects created by manipulating external environmental stimuli and structuring them in specific ways in order to control behavior. Here is a brief illustration to this landmark behavioral control model famously known as Classical/Respondent Conditioning.

                                                            

FIGURE 10.1   A visual example of the controlled environment of one of Russian Physiologist & Behaviorist Ivan Pavlov’s Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training – Classical/Respondent Conditioning, (Credit for image – The American Genius).

        A dog is placed in a restraining harness in a dark room. A light is turned-on and seconds later food is placed in the dog’s mouth, eliciting the salivation reflex/response. If this procedure is repeated several times, (the presentation of food paired with the light), after a while, the light, which initially had no relationship to salivation, will elicit the response of salivation by itself.

Closer Look at Variables in Play

The presentation of food here is called the Unconditioned Stimulus, (US).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) a dog to salivate to food.

This is a response that happens naturally.

The presentation of light here is called a Conditioned Stimulus, (CS).

Notice that the light’s effect of salivation requires conditioning (modification).

Such conditioned response (learned response) 
is elicited by repeatedly pairing the light with the food.

The salivation to the food here is called an Unconditioned Reflex/Response, (UR).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) 
this response because it happens naturally.

The salivation to the light here is called a Conditioned Reflex/Response, (CR).

Notice that you do need to condition (modify) 
this response because it does not happen naturally.

        As a result, the dog is considered to have been conditioned, (modified), to respond to the light by way of a learned association intentionally elicited, (or brought-out), by someone else. You can also produce this process of differentiation by presenting the dog different color lights. By pairing one color with food while presenting another color without food you can condition the dog to respond more selectively to color. These procedures are scientifically known as experiments in stimulus discrimination. Producing this form of differentiation is scientifically known as discrimination training.

Operant Conditioning:

        The scientific word “operant” means to emit by or elicit from an organism without a specific or identifiable stimulus, (Psychology Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary).

        Another landmark behavioral control model came out of experiments conducted by American Behavioral Psychologists E.L. Thorndike: (1874 - 1949), and B.F. Skinner: (1904-1990), whom placed a lot more emphasis on covert rewards and punishments in order to condition desired behaviors. This particular behavioral control model is famously known as Operant Conditioning. Here is a brief illustration to one of Skinner’s operant conditioning experiments.

                                                                 

FIGURE 10.2   A visual example of one of the controlled environments used by American Behavioral Psychologist B.F. Skinner for Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training – Operant Conditioning –  which came to be known as, “the Skinner-Box”, (Credit for image – Wikipedia). 

        A cat is placed in a small puzzle box and is allowed to move around “freely” to explore on the environment; sniffing, clawing, and jumping about. At one side of the box there is a bar/lever which when pressed the cat is rewarded with a food pellet or water, eliciting a favorable response (satiation). If this procedure is repeated several times, (the presentation of food or water paired with the bar/lever pressing), after a while, the bar/lever, which was never specifically identified to the cat, will elicit the response of high frequency pressing.

Closer Look at Variables in Play

The presentation of food or water here is called the Unconditioned Stimulus, (US).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) a cat to want food or water. 
This is a response that happens naturally.

The presentation of the bar/lever here is called a Conditioned Stimulus, (CS).

Notice that the bar’s/lever’s effect of increased frequency in 
pressing requires conditioning (modification).

 Such conditioned response (learned response) is elicited by 
repeatedly pairing the bar pressing with the reward (food or water).

The pressing to the bar/lever here is called an Unconditioned Reflex/Response, (UR).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) this response 
because it happens naturally

as the cat freely explores its environment.

The pressing to the increased frequency here is called a Conditioned Reflex/Response, (CR).

Notice that you do need to condition (modify) this response 
because it does not happen naturally. 

        As a result, the cat is considered to have been conditioned, (modified), to respond to the bar/lever by way of a learned association intentionally elicited, (or brought-out), by someone else. Producing such form of differentiation by only repeatedly pairing the pressing of the bar/lever with a reward is another example of the scientific procedure referred to as an experiment in stimulus discrimination which is specifically used for discrimination training.

The Psychology Behind The Psychology

        American Behavioral Psychologist B.F. Skinner, reportedly, strongly believed that it is important for the survival of the human race for scientists to implement lessons gathered from Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination and discrimination training, onto society as a whole. In fact, he authored a, widely studied and very controversial, book titled, Walden Two, (1948), where he described a behavior modification utopia; communities where meticulously structured and unidentified stimuli will serve to control and create humans that are “trained” to be “productive and satisfied citizens”. A world based on his principles of Operant Conditioning.  

        Pavlov’s, Thorndike’s, & Skinner’s famous Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination and Discrimination Training used to modify behavior, [through repeated exposure to structured parings of otherwise unrelated, and thus, neutral stimuli, in order to elicit specific behaviors by way of learned associations], had an immense impact on the Science of Psychology. Behavioral Psychologists everywhere began focusing their scientific investigations on Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination and Discrimination Training with the intended purpose of eliciting particular conditioned responses from humans.

        In fact, one South Carolinian born American Behavioral Psychologist, whom reportedly was very influential and thus quite instrumental in spearheading such type of experiments all across the field of Psychology, argued that, “… by controlling environmental stimuli one can shape a human’s character into anything one might desire.” He reportedly became famous for making the following bold statement.   

“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in

… and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become

any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief,

and yes, even beggar-man and thief,

- regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations,

and race of his ancestors”

American Behavioral Psychologist John B. Watson, 1924

(1878 - 1958)

Modern Implementation & Impact of Discrimination Training

        Considering our current alarming school drop-outs rates, massive incarcerations, and the existing “revolving doors” structured into the justice/prisons systems, on the surface, one would think that the science of behavior control through covert conditioning has proven to be an “epic fail” in controlling behavior. On the surface, one would think that if such scientific experiments were, in anyway, effective in controlling behavior, they would have demonstrated such effectiveness by controlling and diminishing these rampant behavior problems that increasingly continue to plague society and the human race.

But have such experiments truly grown to become “epic fails”; 
ineffective in their intentions?

        Because these behavioral modification experiments were very instrumental in causing Psychologists to focus their investigations on how environmental stimuli can be meticulously structured to produce particular responses from humans, it is prudent that we examine the following.

Fill In The Blanks

        Here, we will use a similar template to the ones used above - (and similar to the template shown below in figure 10.3, titled - Closer Look at the Variables in Play), - and we will fill in the blank spaces with stimuli that is currently meticulously structured, repeatedly paired and presented to humans in order to elicit specific conditioned responses.

FIGURE 10.3   Helpful template to use to closely examine variables manipulated to control behavior. Closer Look at Variables in Play The presentation of          here is called the Unconditioned Stimulus, (US). Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) a [   ] to [        ] to [    ]. This is a response that happens naturally. The presentation of          here is called a Conditioned Stimulus, (CS). Notice that the [       ] effect of [          ] requires conditioning (modification). Such conditioned response (learned response) is elicited by repeatedly pairing the [     ] with the [    ]. The                        here is called an Unconditioned Reflex/Response, (UR). Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) this response because it happens naturally. The                         here is called a Conditioned Reflex/Response, (CR). Notice that you do need to condition (modify) this response because it does not happen naturally.

Modern Application of Discrimination Training - Example One:

        A human is placed in a building repeatedly bombarded with demands supposedly designed to prepare for required standards of academic performance which were structured into the environment. The human is surrounded mostly by peers of the same race. The human is also surrounded by insufficient funding/resources, eliciting an unfavorable response, (“academic underperformance”). If this procedure is repeated several times, (the presentation of insufficient funding/resources paired with the race), after a while, the race, [which initially had no inherent relationship to underperformance & to which covert stimuli – such as insufficient funding, racial segregation, & the like - were never specifically identified], will elicit the response that humans of this particular race are inherently more prone to “inferior learning”, (especially when those of a different race are repeatedly paired with more favorable funding/resources & repeatedly paired with more favorable academic performance).  

Closer Look at Variables in Play

The presentation of insufficient funding/resources here is called the Unconditioned Stimulus, (US).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) a human 
to “underperform” academically

when presented with insufficient funding/resources. 
This is a response that happens naturally.

The presentation of race here is called a Conditioned Stimulus, (CS).

Notice that the race’s effect of “academic underperformance” 
requires conditioning (modification).

Such conditioned response (learned response) is elicited 
by repeatedly pairing the race with the insufficient funding/resources. 

The “academic underperformance” to the insufficient funding/resources here is called an

Unconditioned Reflex/Response, (UR).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) 
this response because it happens naturally.

The “academic underperformance” to the race here is called a Conditioned Reflex/Response, (CR).

Notice that you do need to condition (modify) 
this response because it does not happen naturally.

        As a result, humans are considered to have been conditioned, (modified), to respond to the race by way of a learned negative association intentionally elicited, (or brought-out), by other humans. By repeatedly pairing particular races with insufficient funding/resources while repeatedly pairing another race with sufficient, (in many cases - excessive), funding/resources you can condition humans to respond more selectively to race. These procedures, as mentioned earlier, are scientifically recognized as experiments in stimulus discrimination and are scientifically used to conduct discrimination training.

However, humans have been conned, 
(swindled, cheated, defrauded),

into believing such baseless notion because

the irrefutable truth here is that

there is no existing credible scientific evidence

to support the claim that

some races are inherently better learners 
than other races.

Knowing This To Be The Fact

Why, then, are humans in government, business, & education

denigrating & flushing some races out of academia?

Why are the lavishly paid “leaders” - from the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.),

 Developmental Psychology, 
Educational & School Psychology,

Cognitive/Clinical & Counseling Psychology, 
Behavioral Psychology,

 Social Psychology, and 
Industrial & Organizational Psychology –

not publicly denouncing and dissenting 
against the harmful manner in which

these behavior modification models are being implemented,      

the manner in which our schools are managed, & 
the atrocious conditions

some students, teachers, & families are 
repeatedly subjected to

 within the educational system?

Why are they not joining forces to

be truthful, “do no harm”, promote human health, 
protect the public &

the ultimate survival of the human race?

Modern Application of Discrimination Training - Example Two:

        A human is placed in an environment where violent acts occur. The human is presented with the race of an alleged culprit to a local violent act, eliciting an unfavorable response, (fear of becoming a victim to violent act). If this procedure is repeated several times, (the presentation of the violent act paired with the same race), after a while, the race, [which initially had no inherent relationship to violent acts & to which covert stimuli – such as disparate media coverage of violence, disparate implementation of stop-&-frisk, disparate mass incarceration, & the like - were never specifically identified], will elicit the response that humans of this particular race are inherently more prone to violence and thus must be feared, (especially when those of a different race are repeatedly paired with minimal to no violent acts).

Closer Look at Variables in Play

The presentation of violence here is called the Unconditioned Stimulus, (US).

Notice that, for the most part, you do not need to condition (modify) 
a human to fear violence,

especially if they (or a love one) can be potential victims to the violence.

This is a response/reflex that happens naturally.

The presentation of race here is called a Conditioned Stimulus, (CS).

Notice that the race’s effect of fear requires conditioning (modification).

Such conditioned response (learned response) 
is elicited by repeatedly pairing the race with the violent acts.

The fear to the violence here is called an Unconditioned Reflex/Response, (UR).

Notice that you do not need to condition (modify) 
this response because it happens naturally.

The fear to the race here is called a Conditioned Reflex/Response, (CR).

Notice that you do need to condition (modify) 
this response because it does not happen naturally.

        As a result, humans are considered to have been conditioned, (modified), to respond to the race by way of a learned negative association intentionally elicited, (or brought-out), by other humans. By repeatedly pairing particular races with violent acts while repeatedly pairing another race with minimal to no violent acts you can condition humans to respond more selectively to race. These procedures are scientifically recognized as experiments in stimulus discrimination and are scientifically used to conduct discrimination training.

However, humans have been conned, 
(swindled, cheated, defrauded),

into believing such baseless notion because

the irrefutable truth here is that

there is no existing credible scientific evidence

to support the claim that  

some races are inherently more prone to violence 
than other races.

Knowing This To Be The Fact

Why, then, are humans in media, law-enforcement, 
& the justice system

demonizing & flushing some races 
out of society and into cages?

Why are the lavishly paid “leaders” - from the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.),

 Developmental Psychology, 
Educational & School Psychology,

Cognitive/Clinical & Counseling Psychology, 
Behavioral Psychology,

Social Psychology, and 
Industrial & Organizational Psychology –

not publicly denouncing and dissenting against the harmful manner in which these behavior modification models are being implemented,  

the manner in which our media, law-enforcement agencies, & justice departments are managed,

and the horrific conditions some humans are repeatedly subjected to within these systems?

Why are they not joining forces to

be truthful, “do no harm”, promote human health, 
& protect the public &

the ultimate survival of the human race?

 

                  

FIGURE 10.4   Behavioral Control Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination. From left to right:

A visual example of the controlled environment of one of Russian Physiologist & Behaviorist Ivan Pavlov’s Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training – Classical/Respondent Conditioning, (Credit for image – The American Genius).

A visual example of one of the controlled environments used by American Behavioral Psychologist B.F. Skinner for Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training – Operant Conditioning –  which came to be known as, “the Skinner-Box”, (Credit for image – Wikipedia).

Two visual examples of controlled environments used in modern day implementation of Behavior Control Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training  – Classical/Respondent & Operant Conditioning; allegedly sketched by a former wrongfully imprisoned & tortured human survivor, allegedly used by the Central Intelligence Agents (C.I.A.), & its use,  allegedly facilitated by the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.), lawyers, and the justice department, according to The New York Times' report, (Credit for images - American Civil Liberties Union; via The New York Times.

Then and Now

        To learn more about modern audacious and toxic implementations of Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct Discrimination Training, (Respondent/Classical & Operant Conditioning), and their long-term detrimental impact to the human mind, human behavior, families, the public, and the threat it poses to the survival of the human race, & to learn more about the gentleman’s horrific experiences who allegedly sketched the last two images shown above in Figure 10.4 - click some of the links below.

How U.S. Torture Left a Legacy of Damaged Minds,

(Matt Apuzzo, Sheri Fink, and James Risen, The New York Times, October 08, 2016).

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/world/cia-torture-guantanamo-bay.html?_r=O

American Psychological Association Bolsters C.I.A. Torture Program, Report Says,

(James Risen, The New York Times, April 30, 2015).

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/01/us/report-says-american-psychological-association-collaborated-on-torture-justification.html

Court Orders State to Make Sweeping Reforms in Schools,

(Daniela Altimari, Hartford Courant, September 7, 2016).

http://www.courant.com/education/hc-read-ccjef-v-rell-20160907-htmlstory.html

http://www.courant.com/education/hc-school-funding-lawsuit-decision-20160907-story.html

Trailer & Interview with Producer of “Rikers” Marc Levin by Democracy Now!

Voices from NYC’s Most Notorious Jail: Former Prisoners Speak Out About Abuse at Rikers Island,

(Democracy Now!, November 2, 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u3S_Bu_Q1A

RIKERS – A Documentary Film,

(Bill Moyers, Marc Levin, Mark Benjamin, & Rolake Bamgbose, Fall of 2016).

http://rikersfilm.org/

The Innocence Project

“The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongfully convicted through DNA testing

and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustices.”-

(“Number of DNA Exonerations: 347” & “Number of Alternative Perpetrators Identified: 149”, December 2016).

http://www.innocenceproject.org/

FIGURE 10.5   Experiments in Behavioral Control, Population Control, Stimulus Discrimination, & Discrimination Training. From left to right: Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882), Wilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920), William James (1842 - 1910), Ivan Pavlov (1849 - 1936), Edward Bradford Titchener (1867 - 1927), E.L. Thorndike (1874 - 1949), John B. Watson (1878 - 1958), Max Wertheimer (1880 - 1943), Kurt Koffka (1886 - 1941), & Wolfgang Kohler (1887 - 1967), B.F. Skinner (1904 - 1990). Credit for images – Wikipedia. Credit for arrangement – Author.     

Echo to Save a Human Race?

        Affluent, prestigious, English Naturalist, and Graduate of the England’s Christ Cambridge University, (Sister College to Oxford, Yale, & Harvard), and who became famous for his Theory of Biological Evolution by Natural Selection, Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882), has long held the “Royal Flush” that incited the force to control behavior by the masses, supposedly because, “the survival of the human species depended on it”. Coming from a wealthy background Darwin reportedly heeded to economists’ urgent calls for the necessity to attain control over population-growth which was, allegedly, exceeding food supply at the time. 

        Before his theory of Natural Selection came into fruition, Darwin reportedly engaged in experiments breeding animals and soon learned that he can, “take advantage of natural variation in traits within a species” by simply selecting, “individuals that have desirable traits to be the parents of each new generation.” He allegedly coined this process, Artificial Selection.

       Eventually, Darwin arrived at the Theory of Biological Evolution by Natural Selection which contains three important claims; (1) “… life is old and had existed for hundreds of millions years”, (2) “… life started out with just one or a few simple organisms which then evolved into millions of species that exist today”, & (3) “… that this whole process of creating new species was driven by a force of nature called Natural Selection”. By Natural Selection he reportedly meant that nature has a tendency of passing down, (from one generation to the next), unique traits that offer a survival advantage over others traits. He argued that such unique traits are essential for adaptation and survival especially in an ever-changing environment, [“survival of the fittest”; the ones that “fit-best” in the environment].

        Despite the immense controversy against his theory and the undeniable substantial flaws embedded in each of the three important pillars that hold up his theory, (well recognized throughout the scientific community), Darwinism remains embedded as a mandate in school curriculums to be presented to learners as sacrosanct; repeatedly paired with a strict prohibition from entertaining any discourse about similar “loosely-based” theories concerning the origin of life, (Darwinism vs. Creationism).

        This competitive notion for survival where only the strongest will prevail and this urgency for behavior control via Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination & Discrimination Training; (Classical/Respondent & Operant Conditioning), has had an profound influence in the thinking and behavior, (or the Psychology), of not just the science historical pioneers mentioned above but also many other science historical pioneers listed below and many scientific figures that surround you today. Therefore, mind what you learn.

Wilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920): German Physicist & Psychologist, reportedly created a new domain in Science; The Science of Psychology in 1874. He believed that the groundwork of Psychology stems from the Biological Sciences. He focused on studying Emotions, Attention, Perception, Associations, Sensation, & Reaction Time to Various Stimuli. Reportedly the founder of Structural Psychology, (Structuralism), which is the study of how the basic parts of what a human becomes awareness of actually creates the organization or “structure” of the mind. Believed that such close examination of the details of the mind can be attained through a procedure called Systematic Introspection where subjects were asked to report, in meticulous detail, their own thinking while having reactions to a number of sensory stimuli.  

William James (1842 - 1910): English American Psychologist believed that if many physical traits are adaptive for survival, as suggested by Darwin, then perhaps many psychological and behavioral traits are as well and thus founded Functional Psychology, (Functionalism), which is the study of how psychological processes have adaptive “functions” that allow the human species to survive. Believed that the mind is an important part of the human function which evolved for the human to make moral and rational choices out of many ideas and that, “the ability to make moral choices is one of the most highly evolved human adaptations”. 

Ivan Pavlov (1849 - 1936): Russian Physiologist & Behaviorist, focused on how environmental stimuli can be structured to produce particular responses in others. Focused on modifying, (or conditioning), behavior by eliciting learned associations between unrelated stimuli after repeatedly pairing and presenting the stimuli. Such research are referred to as Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination and used to conduct discrimination training - Classical/Respondent Conditioning.  

Edward Bradford Titchener (1867 - 1927): English Psychologist reportedly founded the Psychology Laboratory in Cornell University in the United States. An avid student of German Physicist & Psychologist Wilhelm Wundt, Titchener help spread the insights of Structural Psychology, (Structuralism), - the study of the mind by breaking it down to its smallest components through a practice known as Systematic Introspection.

E.L. Thorndike (1874 - 1949): American Behavioral Psychologist, (similar to Pavlov), studied how environmental stimuli can be structured to produce particular responses in others but with a greater emphasis on rewards and punishments and on using covert stimuli. Such research came to be known as Operant Conditioning Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training. He believed that you can increase the frequency of a behavior by repeatedly pairing the behavior with a reward until a learned association is elicited and conversely inhibit the frequency of behavior by repeatedly pairing the behavior with a punishment until a learned association is elicited. 

John B. Watson (1878 - 1958):  American Behavioral Psychologist, strongly influenced by Classical/Respondent & Operant Conditioning Experiments in Stimulus Discrimination. He reportedly boasted about his ability to control human behavior in any form desired by merely controlling environmental stimuli, (as noted from his famous quote cited above). Focused on how environmental stimuli can produce particular responses in others.  

Max Wertheimer (1880 - 1943): Kurt Koffka (1886 - 1941): & Wolfgang Kohler (1887 - 1967): German Gestalt Psychologists that also worked on Classical/Respondent & Operant Conditioning Experiment in Stimulus, (color), Discrimination, with a greater emphasis on human internal forces. They argued that Behavioral Psychologist should not minimize the importance of internal forces because, at the end, it is the mind that actually puts together all of the pieces of information presented to the sense organs and it is the mind that creates “a perception of a whole, (or Gestalt)”. They were credited with developing Gestalt Psychology which considers perceptions as greater than its parts. They used the analogy of a motion picture to show how the whole picture is different from the small parts that make the whole picture, (“A motion picture is made up of many still photos, however, when we put the many still photos together in rapid succession - we see not a series of still photos but instead what we see is MOTION.”).

B.F. Skinner (1904 - 1990): American Behavioral Psychologist, (similar to Pavlov), studied how environmental stimuli can be structured to produce particular responses in others but with a greater emphasis on rewards and punishments and on using covert stimuli. Such research came to be known as Operant Conditioning Experiment in Stimulus Discrimination used to conduct discrimination training. He believed that you can increase the frequency of a behavior by repeatedly pairing the behavior with a reward until a learned association is elicited and conversely inhibit the frequency of behavior by repeatedly pairing the behavior with a punishment until a learned association is elicited.

Repeated Absence & Favorable Pairing:

       

        As mentioned in the opening, “helpful” applications of behavior control models was deliberately not the focus of this report. However, it is prudent to briefly mention several applications that, at least theoretically, may help ameliorate some of the damage created by their toxic and oppressive implementations.

         One in particular is reportedly instrumental in unraveling some toxic and oppressive forms of conditioning and raises some hope for the human race, especially if there is a collective effort to implement it in this alternative fashion. Even though one can make a particular race a condition stimulus to poor academic performance and criminal behavior the repeated absence of such structured pairings may effectively weaken and eventually result in the disappearance of such toxic and oppressive discriminatory conditioned responses.

        This is scientifically referred to as extinction, (“the elimination of a conditioned response”). However, a chance still remains of experiencing something referred to as “spontaneous recovery”. This is like a “flash-back” of the conditioned response, (as seen in cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, PTSD). At least theoretically, if humans continue to avoid pairing the stimuli, the recovery or flash-back itself will cease to exist. 

        Another application that may help ameliorate some of the damage created is by alternatively structuring fair and/or favorable pairings of stimuli in order to elicit neutral or favorable associations, (for example: journalist and news networks can more equally report criminal behavior; movies and shows can be more diverse in the casting of favorable, important, and successful roles; etc.).

         The Science of Psychology & Behavior is a fascinating field which learns you of ways to facilitate human health, promote good for the public, & so much about the Self. You are so well worth the time and effort to study. The survival of the entire human race depends on you doing so.

The Most Favorable Human Trait 
to the Survival of the Human Race

        In the middle of a human’s journey to maintain harmony with the goodness of nature, a particular force wedges through to pull in the opposite direction, with a capacity to blur and sever this most vital connection to human existence.

        If allowed, disruptive waves gradually grow and violently crash all over the shores of humanity in the form of scattered animus toward life, scattered animus toward one another, and behaviors that are congruent with such traumas and which thrive especially on an asphyxiated desperation for relief. If allowed, destructive forces dismantle reason, erode morale, and are displayed all around in the form of murky mucousal floods that mark the desperate acts of misguided searches for release which will, with time, increasingly defy rational description.

        It is ironic that the humans that most require services & those in the forefront doing most of the work to provide services, become the very foundation to the lavishly salaried positions occupied by top executives, lawyers, investigators, & clinicians … , – yet they, in fact, receive the least amount, (if any), of the public-tax-generated-funds allocated. As a result, humans in the forefront are immensely overworked and shamefully underpaid but the very first to blame; quality of Human Service dangerously continues to decline, and at-risk humans endure grave and fatal consequences. A harsh reality that is completely alien from what humans write in contracts & zealously promote with ad campaigns & public rhetoric.

        At risk children continue to violently depart this life despite receiving something called, “Preventive Services”. Some of the most vulnerable children continue to be cheated & deprived of funds & critical clinically-prescribed services in an area called, “Special Education”. Professionals called “Mandated Reporters” get in trouble for reporting such abuses.  Humans find no justice in a place called the “Justice System”. Families are left homeless & hungry in a planet we call, “home”.  

        Nature keeps bringing your attention to such loud force of deplorable conditions, capable of getting under your skin and capable of rattling your inner core, to ensure that this critical message is delivered to the right place and that its urgency is intimately recognized by the occupant.

        If nature had passed anything down, from one generation to the next, in order to ensure the survival of the human race, it is – the remarkable trait which enables a human to SEPARATE the power & influence of their own inner-goodness, from that which is toxic to our very existence.

        When you operate from the goodness of your natural inner power & influence, (which experts refer to as – your higher-Self), misguided ill-intentioned humans are rendered weak and incapable to conning, conditioning, or luring you into trading this – for the materialistic toxic power & influence specifically structured to oppress & inflict harm onto your own fellow humans, which is certain to escalate and annihilate the human race.

        These ferocious storms weathering away the delicate fibers that connect humans with the goodness of nature are the loud electrical signals firing urgent calls for you to defibrillate the trait we have all been waiting for. For you to reach deep into your core, study the self some more, because it is from here, and only here, from which the prime separation must befall.   

        It is from here, and only here, where you are at most in synchrony with the goodness of nature. It is from here, and only here, where your sensibilities are heightened, where you are the most receptive and most aware of energies around you, (information/stimuli). It is from here, and only here, where you can be the most empathic, be “in the moment” with others & the self, and treat life with utmost dignity and respect. It is from here, and only here, where there is little doubt about the right thing to do. It is from here, and only here, where authentic compassion for human health and the public good can most effectively be delivered.

        This innate ability that allows you to closely study, distinguish, and function from your highest inner goodness; your higher-Self, is THE unique favorable trait, which humans searched for so long, that offers the human race the ultimate survival advantage in an ever-changing world.

        This messy massive storm is nature’s urgent call to each human working in all levels & branches of government, in all business sectors, in all areas of public life, in the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.), in Developmental Psychology, in Educational & School Psychology, in Cognitive/Clinical & Counseling Psychology, in Behavioral Psychology, in Social Psychology, in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, in all other Human Health Care Fields, in all other Sciences, in all parts of our planet & beyond –

You are each infinitely worth more to life than anything 
which needs count or store.

You are each inevitable keys to this 
“larger than all” process to be.

Activate the trait before it is too late.

Distinguish inner power & influence; all foul Relinquish.

The survival of our planet & entire human race 
depends on a grace of a far deeper place,

found nowhere else other than the natural goodness 
of your higher-Self.

Thank you, Much Peace & Love to All.

May Your Lives Flourish With Abundant Reflection & Goodness.   

 

- Special Thanks –

Much respect and immense gratitude to the higher-Self of each of the dissident Psychologists, other Health Care Professionals, and Human Rights Activists, for your relentless calls for reform and accountability; to the higher-Self of Authors & Investigators Matt Apuzzo, Sheri Fink, and James Risen of The New York Times for your courageous reporting; to the higher-Self of Superior Court Judge Honorable Thomas Moukawsher for dissenting against the disparate allocation of Public School funds by the State Department of Education & Author/Investigator Daniela Altimari of the Hartford Courant.

Awareness Is Power So Please Continue To Follow

Luis Ángel Pérez

Degrees in Psychology & Education

Mental Health & Social Service Counselor 

Public School Science & Mathematics

Middle School- Seventh & Eighth Grades

Elementary School- First & Fourth Grades

Educator & Advocate

“We cannot choose our external circumstances,

but we can always choose how we respond to them.”

- Epictetus