SUPERSTITIONAND

BEHAVIOURISM

Superstitions: beliefs not based on reason or knowledge.

What’s Yours?

B. F. SKINNER

How could abnormal behaviour be

learned?

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

Behaviourism and Superstition

The pairing of a desired outcome and a routine/behaviour (e.g. Wearing odd socks), reinforces that behaviour.

Therefore Operant Conditioning explains superstitious behaviour through coincidence and reinforcement.

Anomalous Bingo!

Ganzfeld ESP Burden of Proof Uri Geller Pseudoscience J.B. Rhine Macro PK Micro PK Internal Locus of

Control

External Locus of Control

James Randi Operant Conditioning Superstition Zener Cards Wiseman and Watt Probability

misjudgement Jealous Phenomena

Anomalous Bingo!

Operant Conditioning Ganzfeld ESP Micro PK James Randi External Locus of

Control Jealous Phenomena Burden of Proof Pseudoscience

Superstition J.B. Rhine Macro PK Internal Locus of

Control Probability

misjudgement Uri Geller Zener Cards Wiseman and Watt