Question

An early criticism of reinforcement theory is that it can only account for the repetition of highly stereotyped behaviors produced in response to specifically trained stimuli (i.e. cannot account for behavior variability, or for the ability of novel stimuli to elicit learned behavior). Describe at least two experiments that refute this criticism.

Answer 1

Answer:

The experiments that refutes the criticisms of the Reinforcement theory are

• The study on the Amazon tribe that has no numeracy, which was actually meant to disprove Chomsky, but nonetheless was only conducted because of him.

• The non-response of B.F SKINNER to NOAM CHOMSKY 's criticism of his Verbal behaviour - language acquisition.

Explanation:

• The study on the Amazon tribe that has no numeracy, which was actually meant to disprove Chomsky, but nonetheless was only conducted because of him.

• In fact, Skinner never bothered to write a response to Chomsky's critique of his Verbal Behavior saying rather immaturely that he had "no inclination to do so at all" because to respond he "should've had to read it and had no intention of doing that" and because he "found it boring."