So it turns out the behaviourists have had this dream for a while: Skinner, 1968
https://archive.org/details/technologyofteac0000skin/page/22/mode/2up
#ai #education #aied
https://archive.org/details/technologyofteac0000skin/page/22/mode/2up
#ai #education #aied
November 1, 2026 at 4:12 PM
So it turns out the behaviourists have had this dream for a while: Skinner, 1968
https://archive.org/details/technologyofteac0000skin/page/22/mode/2up
#ai #education #aied
https://archive.org/details/technologyofteac0000skin/page/22/mode/2up
#ai #education #aied
Do animals have consciousness?
For most of history, the question had an easy, comfortable answer: humans are conscious, animals are automata. Descartes compared animals to machines. Behaviourists treated their behaviours as mere reflexes. The question seemed settled by convenience. Convenience is…
For most of history, the question had an easy, comfortable answer: humans are conscious, animals are automata. Descartes compared animals to machines. Behaviourists treated their behaviours as mere reflexes. The question seemed settled by convenience. Convenience is…
Do animals have consciousness?
For most of history, the question had an easy, comfortable answer: humans are conscious, animals are automata. Descartes compared animals to machines. Behaviourists treated their behaviours as mere reflexes. The question seemed settled by convenience. Convenience is now in retreat. Over the past two decades, neuroscientists have produced evidence that is difficult to wave away: brain recordings showing crows tracking their own subjective perceptions, octopuses solving problems with minds radically unlike ours, fish displaying pain behaviour that painkillers relieve, and expert groups signing formal declarations that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological machinery of experience.
trenderhq.com
October 29, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Do animals have consciousness?
For most of history, the question had an easy, comfortable answer: humans are conscious, animals are automata. Descartes compared animals to machines. Behaviourists treated their behaviours as mere reflexes. The question seemed settled by convenience. Convenience is…
For most of history, the question had an easy, comfortable answer: humans are conscious, animals are automata. Descartes compared animals to machines. Behaviourists treated their behaviours as mere reflexes. The question seemed settled by convenience. Convenience is…
Eh, it's mid-century psych, where "experiment" could mean "I did a thing to see what happened". Credit to the Behaviourists, whatever else they were, they weren't that.
These days you wouldn't even get to call them experiments, which is, after all, the last defense reply to "wtf are you doing?"
These days you wouldn't even get to call them experiments, which is, after all, the last defense reply to "wtf are you doing?"
October 23, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Eh, it's mid-century psych, where "experiment" could mean "I did a thing to see what happened". Credit to the Behaviourists, whatever else they were, they weren't that.
These days you wouldn't even get to call them experiments, which is, after all, the last defense reply to "wtf are you doing?"
These days you wouldn't even get to call them experiments, which is, after all, the last defense reply to "wtf are you doing?"
Behaviourism was mostly pretty Cartesian! Lots of them bought into Descartes's division of the world into mind and matter, and agreed that mind was beyond the scope of science! Some behaviourists even believed that this is why behaviourism fell apart as an enterprise
October 23, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Behaviourism was mostly pretty Cartesian! Lots of them bought into Descartes's division of the world into mind and matter, and agreed that mind was beyond the scope of science! Some behaviourists even believed that this is why behaviourism fell apart as an enterprise
“First, behaviourists say we should reframe the extinction burst, the sudden increase in tantrums, as an indicator of imminent success. During his work in the civil rights movement in the USA, Martin Luther King Jr framed the violent police brutality to which they were subjected …”
The behavioural science concept of ‘extinction bursts’ might be useful for the Trans+ community
www.wearequeeraf.com/behavioural-...
www.wearequeeraf.com/behavioural-...
Behavioural science has a practical lesson for us to fight back against transphobia
The behavioural science concept of ‘extinction bursts’ might be useful for the Trans+ community
www.wearequeeraf.com
October 20, 2026 at 9:36 AM
“First, behaviourists say we should reframe the extinction burst, the sudden increase in tantrums, as an indicator of imminent success. During his work in the civil rights movement in the USA, Martin Luther King Jr framed the violent police brutality to which they were subjected …”
“ … with silence and a disaffected posture, refusing to give them the theatrical display of anger that they wanted to feed off.
Once the peak of the tantrum has passed at last, behaviourists recommend re-directing the toddler’s attention to a concrete and achievable task. … ”
Once the peak of the tantrum has passed at last, behaviourists recommend re-directing the toddler’s attention to a concrete and achievable task. … ”
October 20, 2026 at 9:36 AM
“ … with silence and a disaffected posture, refusing to give them the theatrical display of anger that they wanted to feed off.
Once the peak of the tantrum has passed at last, behaviourists recommend re-directing the toddler’s attention to a concrete and achievable task. … ”
Once the peak of the tantrum has passed at last, behaviourists recommend re-directing the toddler’s attention to a concrete and achievable task. … ”
"Even Behaviourists must realise that man has a more complex brain than the rat, although they do not like to be reminded of it."
October 2, 2026 at 10:03 PM
"Even Behaviourists must realise that man has a more complex brain than the rat, although they do not like to be reminded of it."
The Responsible Dog Ownership Taskforce report recommends exploring regulation of dog trainers and behaviourists, improving consumer awareness and making it easier for owners to find quality support.
October 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
The Responsible Dog Ownership Taskforce report recommends exploring regulation of dog trainers and behaviourists, improving consumer awareness and making it easier for owners to find quality support.
Descartes would certainly appreciate you thinking of him.
Am reminded of the joke about the two behaviourists in bed.
B1 *propped up against a pillow smoking a cigarette: "You had a great time. How was it for me?"
Am reminded of the joke about the two behaviourists in bed.
B1 *propped up against a pillow smoking a cigarette: "You had a great time. How was it for me?"
September 30, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Descartes would certainly appreciate you thinking of him.
Am reminded of the joke about the two behaviourists in bed.
B1 *propped up against a pillow smoking a cigarette: "You had a great time. How was it for me?"
Am reminded of the joke about the two behaviourists in bed.
B1 *propped up against a pillow smoking a cigarette: "You had a great time. How was it for me?"
Police quickly arrived and subdued the suspect, while Nash cheerfully trotted toward the responding officers holding the same rubber toy. The viral footage sparked lively discussion among behaviourists on whether the dog sought play or displayed stress.
September 27, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Police quickly arrived and subdued the suspect, while Nash cheerfully trotted toward the responding officers holding the same rubber toy. The viral footage sparked lively discussion among behaviourists on whether the dog sought play or displayed stress.
I mean if you ask behaviourists an EEG would count as behaviour aswell. Basically if you can measure it, it is behaviour. But yeah I am just not used to that granularity but also I'm no psychologist
(Somehow radical behaviourismus became one of my research focuses and I would like to know less >_>)
(Somehow radical behaviourismus became one of my research focuses and I would like to know less >_>)
September 23, 2026 at 10:19 AM
I mean if you ask behaviourists an EEG would count as behaviour aswell. Basically if you can measure it, it is behaviour. But yeah I am just not used to that granularity but also I'm no psychologist
(Somehow radical behaviourismus became one of my research focuses and I would like to know less >_>)
(Somehow radical behaviourismus became one of my research focuses and I would like to know less >_>)
I am tapping out because this feels like we are going in circles but if it helps pretend instead of “behaviourists” I said “an view that reduces mental activity to behavior”
September 21, 2026 at 10:57 PM
I am tapping out because this feels like we are going in circles but if it helps pretend instead of “behaviourists” I said “an view that reduces mental activity to behavior”
"parasocial" being picked up by non behaviourists has been catastrophic. no you cannot be "parasocial" about someone who is not real. it is a real scientific term. none of you would survive taking a levels.
September 17, 2026 at 6:06 PM
"parasocial" being picked up by non behaviourists has been catastrophic. no you cannot be "parasocial" about someone who is not real. it is a real scientific term. none of you would survive taking a levels.
Oooh be careful mentioning ‘styles’. The edu-behaviourists will come for you like a pack of wolves.
September 16, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Oooh be careful mentioning ‘styles’. The edu-behaviourists will come for you like a pack of wolves.
This one is for the cat lovers! Four amazing authors and editors, three pawesome books, and one panel that will help you to understand your cat better.
Sep 18 at 11am PT (2pm ET / 7pm UK)
Save your spot: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#books #cats #BarkFest
Sep 18 at 11am PT (2pm ET / 7pm UK)
Save your spot: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#books #cats #BarkFest
September 2, 2026 at 9:17 PM
This one is for the cat lovers! Four amazing authors and editors, three pawesome books, and one panel that will help you to understand your cat better.
Sep 18 at 11am PT (2pm ET / 7pm UK)
Save your spot: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#books #cats #BarkFest
Sep 18 at 11am PT (2pm ET / 7pm UK)
Save your spot: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#books #cats #BarkFest
Can any animal behaviourists explain why this is a thing that keeps happening?
August 21, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Can any animal behaviourists explain why this is a thing that keeps happening?
. we took him to dog behaviourists, he wore a full face muzzle all the time. We are no GSD virgins, we had 4 high bred dogs before him but when the last behaviourist said if you don't hand him to the Police they'll end up taking him we realised he was too unstable so we took him back to the breeder
August 20, 2026 at 9:44 AM
. we took him to dog behaviourists, he wore a full face muzzle all the time. We are no GSD virgins, we had 4 high bred dogs before him but when the last behaviourist said if you don't hand him to the Police they'll end up taking him we realised he was too unstable so we took him back to the breeder
The replication crisis might have been foreshadowed by Feynman's essay on "Cargo Cult Science". One of his points against the behaviourists was they didn't spend much time rechecking their "results".
August 19, 2026 at 6:31 AM
The replication crisis might have been foreshadowed by Feynman's essay on "Cargo Cult Science". One of his points against the behaviourists was they didn't spend much time rechecking their "results".
We've had 5 GSDs & we adore the breed.4 were absolutely fabulous, easily trainable & friendly but 1 had to go back to the breeder.We tried everything,dog behaviourists,vets chemically castrated him every month,he wore a full muzzle,he went for everything inc: me. Don't ban the breed for a rogue dog.
August 19, 2026 at 8:33 AM
We've had 5 GSDs & we adore the breed.4 were absolutely fabulous, easily trainable & friendly but 1 had to go back to the breeder.We tried everything,dog behaviourists,vets chemically castrated him every month,he wore a full muzzle,he went for everything inc: me. Don't ban the breed for a rogue dog.
It is not just ableism (which it is!) but in a direct eugenicist tradition. Fascists and Behaviourists both started their inhumane projects on autism
August 18, 2026 at 9:26 AM
It is not just ableism (which it is!) but in a direct eugenicist tradition. Fascists and Behaviourists both started their inhumane projects on autism
Definitely change vet. I’m now a qualified and registered clinical animal behaviourist and my advice is don’t just put her in a crate. That would be an aversive training method and something behaviourists don’t use in this country anymore. Yes, long term it may be a good idea, but a
August 14, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Definitely change vet. I’m now a qualified and registered clinical animal behaviourist and my advice is don’t just put her in a crate. That would be an aversive training method and something behaviourists don’t use in this country anymore. Yes, long term it may be a good idea, but a
There´re a few dog behaviourists/trainers, they try to (re)socialize such dogs. If that doesn´t work there´re some special sanctuaries for such dogs, f. ex. in Bavaria.
One example:
www.schwierige-felle.de/verein/
One example:
www.schwierige-felle.de/verein/
Verein | Schwierige Felle e.V.
Im Einsatz für Hunde ohne Chance. Unser Verein hat es sich zu Aufgabe gemacht, dort anzufangen wo andere aufgeben! Wir geben Hunden eine Chance, die verhaltensauffällig sind, beispielsweise weil sie a...
www.schwierige-felle.de
August 4, 2026 at 7:28 AM
There´re a few dog behaviourists/trainers, they try to (re)socialize such dogs. If that doesn´t work there´re some special sanctuaries for such dogs, f. ex. in Bavaria.
One example:
www.schwierige-felle.de/verein/
One example:
www.schwierige-felle.de/verein/
Government? Active participants in behaviourists beliefs, alas. NHS, Education...
October 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Government? Active participants in behaviourists beliefs, alas. NHS, Education...
Authors include ABA behaviourists. No expertise in autism in that industry either, alas.
January 5, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Authors include ABA behaviourists. No expertise in autism in that industry either, alas.