The Psychology Of Conditioning In The Film Searching For Bobby

In the film, Searching for Bobby Fischer, there are several models from the psychology of conditioning with specific examples from this film. These conditions are shown through the characters and experiences shown in Josh’s life. Negative punishment, positive reinforcement, the over justification effect, modeling, and positive punishment are some of the many conditioning concepts that relate to Josh’s story of his love for chess. Negative punishment is one of the most evident conditioning concepts shown in the film. This is when something is discouraged through the removal of something pleasant. While receiving lessons from coach Bruce, Josh was rewarded for his improvement with master class points to eventually lead to a certificate. Negative punishment occurs when Bruce takes away his master class points. Bruce removed pleasant reward points that Josh admired and had been working towards. He
Throughout the film, Josh’s father became invested in Josh’s success as a chess player. His father pressures him to do well in tournaments, never making it clear that it is okay if Josh does not win a match. In one scene, Josh explains his concerns about being afraid to lose a match. His father does not comfort Josh saying that he should not focus on winning, but rather states that Josh will not lose. This pressure from his father discouraged Josh from winning chess games. Unintentionally, his father presented something negative that discouraged Josh’s behavior. The film Searching for Bobby Fischer provides endless illustrated concepts from the psychology of conditioning. As demonstrated with experiences from Josh’s journey in his passion for chess, the film provides examples of negative punishment, positive reinforcement, the over justification effect, modeling, and positive punishment. Each of these topics are revealed through character interactions directly in the