The analysis of social issues demands a collaborative and cooperative effort of researchers belonging to various disciplines. Unless one is able to get to the root of the social issues, any policy or program developed as a solution to the issue is likely to fail. From a psychological point of view, it can be quite complicated to define a social problem. In short, it can be explained as problems which entail the actions of people, which would affect the society as a whole. Behaviorism or behavioral psychology refers to the theory of studying human behavior and the causal factors which underline all human behaviors (Sober, 2014). The basic fundamental principle of all behavioral theories is that human beings acquire various behavioral patterns as a result of conditioning, a concept that will be discussed in details in the following sections. It can thus also be claimed that behavioral theories may be used to analyze the root cause of social problems and would even pose a solution for them.
Earlier, the issue of climate change was mainly deemed as an environmental one. However, there is a growing consciousness about the grave situation, and it is no longer just the concern of the environmentalists (Melillo, Richmond & Yohe, 2014). It must be asserted that the effects of global warming and climate change would affect the social and economic aspects of human life as well, resulting in irreversible changes (Collins et al., 2013). According to climate scientists, human behavior is the primary cause of climate change. It is the irresponsible behavior on the part of mankind which has led to expansion of the greenhouse effect, thus resulting in changes in global climate.
Behavioral analysis of climate change
Behavioral analysis may be defined as the science which strives to understand the motivations, the factors and the various triggers behind human behavior. According to behavioral science, there are numerous experiential, pharmacological and biological factors which have an impact on human behavior (Sharma, Markon & Clark, 2014). Behavioral studies attempt to study the process of acquiring behavior, and also come up with ways of ameliorating harmful behavioral patterns. As a matter of fact, behavioral analysis has proven to be immensely useful in addressing certain socially important issues like climate change. At present, the world is facing the threat of changes to global climate, which may be deemed attributable to various behavioral patterns of man (Haddeland et al., 2015). Behaviorists suggest that human beings, over a prolonged period of time, have managed to lead to this dire situation through their misuse of natural resources, exploitation of non renewable sources of energy and the tremendous increase in population (Dunlap & Brulle, 2015). The uncontrollable growth in population, coupled with growing consumerist attitudes, is what has led to climate change (Corner, Markowitz & Pidgeon, 2014). Human beings, as behaviorists believe, are conditioned in such a way that their very use of natural resources has led to greenhouse gas emissions – and this has only increased over a period of time.
F Skinner’s contribution to behaviorism is unparalleled, and he may very well be called the father of operant conditioning. Skinner drew heavily on the works of Thorndike and his law of effect to predict the patterns in human behavior. According to Skinner, human behavior is acquired as a part of the learning process (Blackman, 2017). In other words, human behavior that is rewarded with pleasant consequences would be repeated whereas human behavior that is met with negative consequences would be avoided in the long run. In other words, a person who receives a favorable outcome as a result of his actions is likely to repeat the activity (Ruan & Xu, 2013). This is known as positive reinforcement (Skinner, 2014). The theory of positive reinforcement may be used to understand the causes behind destructive behavioral patterns of human beings. In the case of positive reinforcement, the addition of a positive reinforcing stimulus would result in a favorable reward or outcome. The human being executing the action thus becomes conditioned to believe that his actions are right and therefore must be repeated (Skinner, 2014).
Human beings, since time immemorial, have used the natural resources supplied by the earth for their own benefit. For example, fossil fuels are used to produce energy which is then used to fuel a number of human activities. Over a prolonged period of time, human beings have thus become accustomed to the idea of using earth’s resources, without realizing that they are vulnerable to depletion (Goudie, 2018). Moreover, the use of these natural resources has always provided a favorable outcome, which has encouraged human beings to further indulge in these practices. For example, the use of CFCs has enabled human beings to use a number of electronic gadgets like air conditioners, refrigerators and others, which are now considered to be essential amenities for existence (Hoekstra & Wiedman, 2014). In other words, human beings have taken the natural resources for granted, resulting in their exploitation. Following Skinner’s theory of positive reinforcement, it can thus be claimed that since human beings have received desired results as a consequence of their exploitative activities, they have continued to repeat it over generations. Moreover, human beings grow up watching their parents and acquaintances indulge in similar behavior, which goes unpunished. Behaviorists like Skinner believe that behavioral patterns are also acquired through observation of those around them. For instance, a child who has witnessed his parents demonstrating undesirable behavior (like exploitation of fossil fuelss, inefficient uses of energy, water and other non renewable natural resources) is likely to repeat the same as an adult and even pass on that behavior to his offsprings (Ferster, 2017). This behavioral tendency or this attitude towards the environment (which has been ingrained in the human consciousness) is extremely harmful, and has resulted in irreversible changes to the global climate.
In 1913, John Watson wrote and published an article titled “Psychology as the behaviorist sees it” which lays down the fundamental principles of behavioral theory. Watson claims that when human beings are born, their minds are tabula rasa or blank slate (Watson, 2017). Essentially, he states that human beings are born without any experience or prior lessons learnt. This also implies that human beings pick up behavioral patterns or acquire knowledge as a part of myriad experiences that they encounter as part of their lives (Malone & Garcia-Penagos, 2014). If one was to view damaging human behavior which results in climate change from Watson’s perspective, it could be asserted that human beings are certainly not born that way. From Watson’s point of view, human behavior can be traced, predicted and controlled. In other words, they are not born with traits or behavioral patterns which could potentially damage the environment around them (Marr, 2013). Instead, as Watson says, the changes or modifications in human behavior occur as a result of environmental factors which shape their behavior. For example, children who are brought up in homes and schools that are not environment conscious, they tend to grow up in that way. A child who is accustomed to the exploitative ways of his parents and family members is likely to demonstrate the same once he grows up.
The motivation theories which were introduced by Deci and Ryan are mainly concerned with the innate psychological needs of a person and the various factors affecting his growth tendencies and motivation (Legault, 2017). The essence of the theory is this – human beings, from the very beginning, are driven by an impulse to grow, to nurture and to inculcate positive features that are persistent in nature and cater to the greater good. Every individual, by nature, shows agency, effort and also commitment in all his endeavors. Yet, as Skinner and Watson shows, it is the learning process as an individual grows up that changes his behavior patterns. Moreover, the self determination theory proposed by Deci and Ryan highlights the fact that each individual is motivated by personal gains, interests and achievements (Lawman & Wilson, 2013). In other words, a human being is more likely to proceed with an activity or chain of actions which can satisfy his personal interests, even at the cost of the environment. Deci and Ryan were of the opinion that an individual’s behavior is both self determined and self motivated. He is likely to act on his impulses if he believes it would cater to his interests. This explains why individuals continue to engage in destructive behavior and harmful activities which take a toll on the surrounding environment. They also opined that human beings have 3 innate needs which when satisfied would lead to optimal growth and development – namely, competence, relatedness and autonomy. From the self determination theory, it can be conceptualized that human beings have an innate desire to control the outcomes of their actions. Human beings are under the impression that they have a say in the consequences of their destructive behavioral tendencies, which is, however not the case. Moreover, human beings desire to be connected or related to other human beings. They also want to be the causal agents in their own lives (Shrogen et al., 2015). It is this desire which may add fuel to fire and provoke individuals to indulge in behaviors that may damage the environment irreversibly. For example, an individual who is entirely driven by his own impulses and needs would exploit or waste natural resources, without considering the impact it would have on the environment.
Solutions offered by behavioral theories
Behavioral scientists recognize the impact of human behavior on the environment. It must be admitted that as of now, most of the practices exhibited by human beings are unsustainable, which would make lives impossible for future generations. Human beings are driven by needs, as shown by the self determination theory, and are ready to go to any extent for the fulfillment of those needs (Babat.org, 2018). Such a behavioral tendency would require and consume huge amounts of energy, which is obtained from the fossil fuels. Extraction, processing, transportation and burning of these fossil fuels lead to pollution and depletion on a scale that is unimaginable. As such, behavioral science remains the only possible solution to these social issues. This is because behavioral theory not only has the potential to predict human behavioral patterns but also control them.
Behavioral theory essentially entails two basic concepts, namely operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Behaviorists like Skinner and Watson are of the opinion that every aspect of the human behavioral pattern is acquired as part of a learning process (Melton, 2014). Classical conditioning suggests that an individual begins to associate various kinds of stimuli with certain biological responses. In classical conditioning, the individual does not really demonstrate new behavioral tendencies (Weiss, 2014). On the other hand, operant conditioning has the potential to modify human behavior. Skinner pointed out that an individual is likely to avoid an action in the future because he may have been punished for it in the past and vice versa. In this way through operant conditioning, human beings acquire new behavioral patterns. In other words, behavioral theory emphasizes that it is possible to shape human behavior to gain desirable results. For instance, if harmful behavior (like wastage of water, misuse of natural resources et cetera) is corrected at the very beginning, individuals are less likely to repeat it. This can be done through negative reinforcement, like punishments (Bouton & Schepers, 2015). Punishments have been found to be immensely effective in instilling fear in the minds of individuals, thus preventing them from repeating it. However, Skinner was also of the opinion that positive reinforcements are more effective when it comes to shaping human behavior (Starling, 2013). Incentives or rewards when an individual acts in a sustainable manner or demonstrates environment conscious behaviors could encourage them to act similarly in the future (Skinner, 2014). For instance, individuals who use solar panels or renewable sources of energy or are taking steps forward towards a more environmentally sustainable future should be rewarded for their efforts. This would also be in compliance with Deci and Ryan’s motivational theory. If human beings are assured that their interests are also at stake, they are more likely to act in a responsible manner.
While behavioral theories have been around for ages, it is only recently that behavioral science has been applied to the studies of environmental degradation and the role of human behavior. As such, research and empirical evidence which depicts behavioral theory as a potent solution for rectifying irresponsible human behavior (with respect to the environment) is comparatively less. For example, behavioral scientists all over the world have implemented a number of programs which would promote pro environment behaviors through a number of targeted interventions (like the Keep America Beautiful initiative). Yet, the lack of government funding proves to be a major obstacle in this field (Haq & Paul, 2013). In the United States, the field of behavioral science is still in the developing phases. These are due to a few factors – the small scale and scope of the discipline, the esoteric natures of the research and the widespread usage of certain imprecise and also detrimental applied research (Poling, 2018). As a result, funding for behavioral sciences which could potentially provide a solution to this growing social issue is limited. Here are a few recommendations for implementation of behavioral theory to the issue of climate change:
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that in recent times, the threat of climate change and its impact on human existence has become all the more potent. As such, the issue of climate change is one with no easy solutions. The question arises as to why human beings are incapable of modifying their behavior, in order to reduce the toll on the environment. The above paper analyzes the behavioral theories proposed by Skinner or Watson and attempts to understand the causal factors which determine human behavior. Accordingly, it can also be said that since human behavior is vulnerable to conditioning, positive reinforcements may also be used to modify or shape the human mind to trigger pro environment behaviors.
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