Criticism

Behaviorism received significant criticism for being dehumanizing, as stated by Edwin Locke (1977): "The systematic use of reinforcement strategies leads to a demeaning and dehumanizing view of people that stunts human growth and development.” Behaviorism became out of vogue as research increasingly demonstrated that people can learn by observing others and thinking logically about consequences (Bandura, 2001), and holistic and contextual approaches to learning gained popular acceptance in educational practice.

Interestingly, after generations of Dr. Spock parenting and self-esteem schooling seem to have contributed to high depression rates, low resilience, and falling performance among American youth, popular television shows like The Nanny and The Dog Whisperer seem to be causing a reemergence of shaping as an effective tool for increasing learner focus and achievement. In addition to being a useful tool for training animals and children, operant conditioning is widely applied to modify behavior in clinical and correctional settings, classroom management in schools, recruit training in the military, and organizational development practices in business. Emerging applications of operant conditioning include training individuals suffering from bipolar disorder, autism, and Alzheimer’s to be functional without medication.