Comparing and Contrasting Developmental Theories - Essay Example

Skinner focused on giving reinforcement, Albert Bandura turned his attention to observation and imitation. For example, if a boy is praised for a job well done, Skinner explains that the boy will continue his applauded behavior. On the other hand, Bandura claims that the boy will behave well if the person he sees and follows is also behaving well. Despite the difference, both theories are actually being used in homes and schools when training people about proper behavior. Skinner’s theory is called operant conditioning, focusing on circumstances after the behavior.

According to Skinner, an individual will learn either to continue or cease a certain behavior depending on what happens afterwards. (Ouellette & Derscheid, 47) Consequently, the behavior can result in reinforcement or punishment, with each having a positive and a negative aspect. The strength of Skinner’s theory is that it is very effective for almost all people. A student getting a bad grade (positive punishment) will most likely stop being complacent and study harder. An employee who gets a promotion (positive reinforcement) will be more diligent because another promotion awaits her in the future.

A teenager who has been grounded for doing something wrong (negative punishment) will think twice before making the same mistake again. Indeed, operant conditioning has been a successful way of controlling one’s behavior. . Giving candy as a reward to a child at the kindergarten level may not have the same effect for a child in high school. An employee who has been working for a company for a long time may not be satisfied with just a “Good job!” from the boss unlike a child who has been hard at work on her Art project and receives the same praise from her teacher.

Another weakness in Skinner’s theory is that the recipient may only continue behaving properly as long as the reward lasts. Once there is no reward, the individual may discontinue the encouraged behavior. In the same way, punishing bad behavior may sometimes cause resentment and foster rebellion. This is typical of estranged parents and children. The rebellious teenager resorts to doing the very thing he knows would irritate his parents. Bandura’s social learning theory has to do with everything that happens before the behavior.

Supposedly, people imitate models and learn from watching them. (Ouelette & Derscheid, 51) This is another commonly used method for controlling behavior which, like Skinner’s operant conditioning theory, has its strengths and weaknesses as well. The social learning theory promotes imitation and modelling. This is the strength of Bandura’s theory. When a person notices and mimics how another behaves, there is a combination of other learning methods – using one’s senses and memorization.

This can be observed in athlete training. Sportsmen often watch videos of their teammates or other athletes in the same sport, getting pointers on what to do and not to do. After training, they try to reproduce the behavior from how they remember it. This theory may also be the reason behind anti-violence in the media movements. Supporters of the group explain that viewers,