Rupertism, Behaviorism in “Real Time”

Rupertism
Behaviorism in “Real Time” at the Rupert Family Home

Behaviorism influenced learning analysis by administering an "objective" approach, focusing on measurable behaviors, as a means to incorporate the scientific method in the discipline of psychology. Rather than analyzing non-observable mental processing, behaviorists focus on stimuli and responses in all organisms, human and non-human alike. Learning occurs when environmental stimuli triggers a response to an organism. Traditional behaviorists do not differentiate between organisms, adult and child learners.

Classical Conditioning is a branch of behaviorism that can help explain generalized learning and stimulus discrimination. Generalized learning can occur when an adult learner is able to apply a learned response to similar stimulus. A student turns in their paper late and receives a failing grade. The student may infer that all late assignments will result in a failing grade. Stimulus discrimination occurs in an adult learner when they distinguish between learned responses. The same student turns in a late paper with a different professor and receives a small reduction of points. The student learns that work turned into the first professor will be a priority.

Instrumental conditioning is best illustrated by Operant Conditioning. A pleasant reinforcement presented after a desired response is the most effective way for learning to occur. For the adult learner in the classroom, compliments after a correct answer or high marks on an assignment are considered effective responses to reinforce learning.

Rupertism Defined: Rupert parents attempt to shape their children’s behavior. Due to the parent’s misguided idealism of intrinsic reinforcement and pathetic attempts to chain behaviors using intermittent reinforcements, the Rupert children have, in a twist of dysfunctionalism, learned how to use active-avoidance as a negative reinforcement to shape their parent’s behavior.

Rupertism Example #1:
Rupert Junior II, age six, does not like to go to sleep. Since he was born, he was a wide eyed, very alert baby, rarely requiring naps after the age of two. Mother requires more sleep then Jr. II and needs her son to go to bed at nine so that she can do her homework in peace. Rupert Jr. II has figured out that if he gets out of bed, and fools around at the top of the stairs (stimulus), Mom will ask Dad to put Jr. II back into bed so she can finish her homework. Dad will lay down with Jr. II (response) and until Jr. II falls asleep. Mom often finds Dad fallen asleep alongside Rupert Jr. II.

Rupertism Example #2:
The Rupert Boys do not like Mama’s cooking. Daddy is a gourmet chef, and is difficult to compete with. Mom will make the boys something healthy like penne pasta with home-made marinara from garden tomatoes and basil served in a hallowed spaghetti squash bowl.
The boys are not fooled. They scowl, pick at the food, move it around with their forks and carefully scrape marinara off of each individual noodle before slowly nibbling on it. Five noodles later, the boys announce they are full and wait for their father to come home. Giving their dad saucer eyes and boo boo lips (stimulus); they state that they are starving. Would Daddy PLEASE make them some Kraft Mac & Cheese. Dad falls for it (response), whips up some mac & cheese, scratch biscuits, fresh cut French fries and steak cooked medium served with buttered corn on the cob and followed by ice cream for dessert. Mom eats leftover penne pasta with spaghetti squash for lunch for the next two days (restitutional overcorrection).

Rupertism Example #3:
The boys have had tidy bedroom training on many occasions (positive reinforcement). However, the Rupert boys still do not like to clean their room. The boys will let their room become so messy that the floor is covered with toys and clothes (aversion). Mom will send the boys up to their room to clean it up (punishment I). The boys will put a couple of toys away and put some dirty clothes in the hamper. Mom will start working on the computer. Rupert Jr. I will shut the door (aversion) and start building Legos. Jr. II will start jumping on the bed. Mom will start yelling at the boys to clean their room. The boys will get quiet. Mom goes upstairs to check their progress. She finds that the boys have made no progress and are now watching an episode of iCarly in her bedroom (negative reinforcement). Mom sees that it is bedtime, yells at the boys (verbal reprimand) to put their pajamas on and ends up cleaning their room for them the next day (misplaced restitution).