Institutional Affiliation: Maslow Vs. Skinner

Maslow vs Skinner
Author 's Name
Institutional Affiliation On a basic level human beings seem to have two states: full and empty, satisfied and unsatisfied. When human beings are full and satisfied they can avoid situations and offers that might lead them into danger. For example: if you are a wealthy person you wouldn 't agree to rob a bank with your friends because they needed money. You wouldn 't scower trash cans and dumpsters looking for food if you had a full fridge at home. The other side of the coin is empty and unsatisfied which equals “no holds barred” in terms of offers and actions. In other words you will do anything it takes to become full again and we know this word to be desperation. There are many explanations for why people behave the way they do and what motivates them. For the purposes of this discussion we will focus on Maslow 's hierarchy of needs and Skinner 's behaviorist theory. According to Maslow human beings have five basic needs that must be addressed in order for the person to be satisfied. If one or all of these levels of needs are not met then the individual will behave outside his or her character in order to get those needs met (Boeree 2006). Skinner 's view was different his focus was on human behavior as a result of previous direct that was repeatedly presented to the individual (NIU.edu).
Maslow 's Hierarchy of Needs
Skinner 's Behaviorist Theory
Deficit in needs drives people to fulfill those needs – this is the motivation (Boeree 2006).
Learning and reinforcement are the motivators for human behavior (NIU.edu).
Physiological needs - the right temperature and avoiding pain (Boeree 2006)
Current observations reveal the previous reinforcements (NIU.edu).
Safety and security needs - stability and structure (Boeree
2006)
Everything is associated with either positive or negative reinforcement (NIU.edu).
Love and belonging needs - intimate relationships/fear of loneliness (Boeree 2006)
A behavioral chain includes language in the form of sentences (NIU.edu).
Esteem needs - craving affirmation, need for self-identity (Boeree 2006)
The primary form of verbal behavior for language beginners is echoic consisting of repeated utterances like phrases parents say to young children (NIU.edu).
Self-actualization - the continued desire to fulfill potentials (Boeree 2006)
Mands are reinforced utterances that are elevated by deprivation, a request to handle a need like food (NIU.edu).
Elementary students = extrinsic motivation, the desire to please parents and other outside parties (NASPonline.org 2003). Maslow 's love and belongingness need as well as the esteem needs.
Tacts are verbalization that the speaker produces to provide information instead of attending to states of deprivation (NIU.edu).
Secondary students = intrinsic motivation, the desire to do something because you want to do it (NASPonline.org 2003).
Interverbals are not for information purposes but rather they are used in discourse situations and pertain to the interactive nature of dialog (NIU.edu).
Maslow 's safety and security need is implemented when the teacher provides a safe environment for learning by setting up classroom rules and then enforcing the rules. For example bully is not tolerated, the student is sent to principle 's office.
Autoclitics represent internal speech and are subject to the same effects of reinforcement as verbalized speech that will influence current and future thought/verbal behavior (NIU.edu).
By placing students in groups and giving them projects to do it reflects the love and belongingness level in Maslow 's hierarchy. The students begin to learn each others strengths and weaknesses, this is the start of forming relationships outside of class and school.
Elementary students = extrinsic motivation, the desire to please parents and others (NASPonline.org 2003). Repeated rewards for good behavior reinforces the child to follow the rules.
Teachers are responsible for encouraging the students to reach and achieve their goals. This can be taught in a group setting as well as individually. The skills acquired in both situations will help the student continually seek solutions to problems all the way through adulthood.
Secondary students = intrinsic motivation, the desire to do something because you want to do it (NASPonline.org 2003).

Skinner emphasizes that the teacher must remain consistent in his or her rewards and consequences towards the students, otherwise the process is meaningless.

When the teacher rewards a student for good behavior or for excellent grades it is observed by other students in the classroom. Everyone wants some form of praise and will follow suit.

Students learn in different ways: audio, visual and manipulation. Consistently teaching the students different ways to solve problems will help them to use those skills when they are older. Problems in life rarely have one solution, they have many.

We have seen from this discussion that motivation is split into to groups intrinsic and extrinsic. As human beings we will either perform specific behaviors for the approval of others or we will perform specific behaviors because it 's for our personal benefit. Maslow 's hierarchy of needs and Skinners behaviorist theory are extensions of what motivates people. Maslow 's focus was solely on the needs of the individual driving his behavior whereas Skinner was only focused on previously and currently reinforced actions that cause the individual to learn types of behaviors. In the end we can say that your motivations are either the combination of our desires and others or our desires alone.

References
Boeree, C. George. (2006). Abraham Maslow 1908-1970. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html
NASPonline.org. (2003). Motivating Learning in Young Children. Retrieved July 8, 2011, from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/earlychildmotiv_ho.aspx
NIU.edu. BF Skinner, Behaviorism, & Language Behavior. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://www3.niu.edu/acad/psych/Millis/History/2003/cogrev_skinner.htm