Can behavior be controlled?

Behaviorism, which is known as the scientific study of human and animal behavior, rests on the assumption that behavior can not only be predicted, but also controlled and modified. One of the most well-known experiments was conducted by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov demonstrating classical conditioning. Pavlov ran an experiment on dogs that paired a ringing bell (conditioned stimulus) with food (unconditioned stimulus), which activates salivation (unconditioned response). After repeating this, it was discovered that the dog would begin to salivate and developed a conditioned response to the bell in the absence of food. Through repetition, experiences, reward, and punishment behavior can be changed and predicted.

Other factors, such as social pressures, obedience, and conformity, which is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behavior to social or group norms also influence and control behavior. Social psychology aims to study how people influence one another and how behavior changes based upon different types of groups, organizations, and situations. Research has shown that the majority of people underestimate the power of situation or social pressures. The fundamental attribution error, which is an individual’s likelihood to judge an individual’s behavior by placing more weight on another individual’s character or personality rather than the external situation or factors. Many of us understand the powerful impact of group dynamics and peer pressure and have felt it’s influence at some point in our lives.

The Milgram Shock Experiment (1963), which was designed to understand the conflict or tension between personal conscience and obedience to authority found that 63% of participants (given the role of the teacher) in the study agreed to deliver the maximum lethal voltage to students when told to do so by an authority figure, while 100% delivered 300 volts to students. Of course, no shocks were actually delivered and the ethics of this experiment would prevent such an experiment from being conducted today. However, the implications regarding how individual behavior in groups, especially in groups with an authority figure are profound and offer insight into some of the most tragic acts of mass violence. More recent experiments indicate that when provided social support, more participants were willing and able to go against obedience to authority.