Abstract
Human behavior may persist despite the fact that it produces unnecessary (preventable) loss of positive reinforcement. Data are presented which demonstrate that such persistence may be due to (1) a history of conditioning which fails to provide individuals with needed behavioral repertoires and (2) a current environment which reinforces such persistence, that is, fails to make all net gains of reinforcement contingent upon change. Procedures which prevent or modify behavioral persistence in the face of preventable loss of positive reinforcement are illustrated.
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References
SZASZ, T. S. 1961. The myth of mental illness. New York: Hoeber-Harper.
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This paper, originally entitled “Laboratory Studies of Behavioral Change with Humans,” was presented at the American Psychological Association Meetings held in Washington, D. C., September, 1969.
The data in Figs. 4–8 are from: Weiner, H., 1969. “Controlling human fixed-interval performance” Journal of the Experimental Analysis of behavior, 12, 349–373, copyright 1969 by the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Inc., and reproduced by permission.
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Weiner, H. Human Behavioral Persistence. Psychol Rec 20, 445–456 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393965
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393965