[THREAD] ABA AND BEHAVIOURISM
As we move to #BanABA, it's becoming clear that we need to educate ourselves and each other about what ABA actually is and what practitioners believe, otherwise people (even autistic people) may be confused about why it's abusive.
As we move to #BanABA, it's becoming clear that we need to educate ourselves and each other about what ABA actually is and what practitioners believe, otherwise people (even autistic people) may be confused about why it's abusive.
This morning one of my autistic friends told me that he attends an autism centre where people are very nice to him, and where they do PBS (a form of ABA) on the nonspeaking residents. They don't do PBS on him, he says.
How can they be abusing anyone if they're such nice people, he asks?
So bear in mind that people who harm others don't necessarily mean to. They may have good intentions. I have several friends who used to be ABA therapists and they're not nasty people.
They now know that what they were into wasn't good.
They now know that what they were into wasn't good.
Underlying ABA is a belief system known as behaviourism. Before I continue, does anyone want to suggest a better summary of behaviourism than this one?
simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.ht…
simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.ht…
Will also pop this in here for now, to pull bits of it out for discussion later. autcollab.org/2021/05/29/rep…
ABA is not a science. As Alfie Kohn puts it, it's as much of a science as Scientology is a science.
The Effects of Behavior-Based Models on Neurodevelopment and Learning with Alfie Kohn & Prof. Torres:
The Effects of Behavior-Based Models on Neurodevelopment and Learning with Alfie Kohn & Prof. Torres:
If you missed the previous @njautismce Webinar with @alfiekohn, here you go. It's on 'positive reinforcement' and why that's not really so positive at all.
How would behaviourist romance work?
He studies her likes and dislikes and implements a plan.
She does PBS using sex.
He rewards her with marriage.
He breaks a rule.
She uses planned ignoring.
He responds with aversives.
She learns that smiling is in her best interest.
THE END
He studies her likes and dislikes and implements a plan.
She does PBS using sex.
He rewards her with marriage.
He breaks a rule.
She uses planned ignoring.
He responds with aversives.
She learns that smiling is in her best interest.
THE END
I'm probably not the first person to write this story. All those sleazy self-help books on picking up women and getting them to have sex with you...
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