The Impact of the Behaviorist Approach to Cognition on the Ethics of Educational Practices

The article reviews the history of the behavioral learning theory in order to examine the behavioristic approach for its compliance with standards of modern educational practices. It follows the development of behaviorism from early essays of John B. Watson's to B.F. Skinner's works and Noam Chomsky's criticism. It shows how the behavioristic refusal from the introspection method and neglect of cognition led to significant ethical problems such as the Little Albert Experiment and parental emotional coldness of a whole generation that followed Watson's advice on child rearing. The article also reveals that ignoring the introspection method might lead behaviorists to wrong conclusions even if their methods were not unethical. The article unveils how ethical problems and other flaws of the behavioristic approach, which originated from neglecting cognitive processes, prevent contemporary educational researchers from using behavioral learning methods wider in their works. The conclusion is made that behavioristic methods could become a part of modern educational practices under the condition of respect towards the introspection method and cognition. In this case, the following questions should be answered: (1) Is the learning process, suggested by educational practice, subjectively comfortable for a student? Does this practice cause rejection to the process and the subject of learning? Does the teaching method contain techniques that can cause negative consequences for students' physical and mental health? (2) How long will the learning effect last after the subjectively perceived negative reinforcement disappears? (For example, for some students negative reinforcement equals to bad grades, for others to the fear of their own incompetence). (3) What positive reinforcement techniques can be used to make learning outcomes subjectively meaningful to a learner? (For example, the desire to get a good grade can be a positive reinforcement for a student, but outside of school, the knowledge gained through such reinforcement can often be forgotten). Thereby, the combination of two approaches - behaviorism and cognitive psychology, which were once parted, can bring efficient results in improving and creating contemporary educational practices.

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