Subject: Concerning Conditioning (AKA Brainwashing)
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 21:56:33 -0600
From: Rindimo <rindimo@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: TLK-L@lionking.org
Organization: L.O.S.T.--C.A.U.S.E.
To: TLK Mailing List <TLK-L@lionking.org>

.       <Rindimo Cheetah sits behind a small stand on the side of the road,
and places a sign up that says "The Doctor is IN.">

        In response <late> to the thread concerning Zira, and her brainwashing
of Kovu, I finally did a little digging through my old psychology notes
and feel assured that I can give some insight into how Kovu could turn
from bad to good in 75 minutes.  ;)
        First of all, I shall not label what Zira did as "Brainwashing".  I'm
going to use the term that all the psychologists use:  Conditioning.
Conditioning is causing a subject to give a learned response due to some
form of stimulus.  In other words, Conditioning is like training an
animal to do tricks.
        Now the Response and Stimulus Zira was using isn't too hard to figure
out:  When Simba <Stimulus> was in front of Kovu, Kovu was to turn Simba
into an instant Buzzard buffet <Response>.
        That is the basic version of it.  Naturally, Kovu had to learn how to
fight, among other things for the correct response when he was to see
Simba.  Perhaps Zira had a bunch of Simba dummies set up for him to
attack.  ANYWAY...  Now we shall focus upon the reason why Zira's
conditioning failed:  It was all in the reinforcement.
        Reinforcement is none other than rewarding the subject <Kovu> for the
correct response, and punishing the subject for the wrong response.  By
natural instinct, who wouldn't want to get a reward?  It doesn't have to
be a treat in food, per se.  The reward could be just verbal praise.
        In this respect, Zira's Conditioning falls extremely short.  Kovu-- so
far as I can tell-- received no real reward.  Instead, he is only
*promised* of one.  Only when Simba *dies* will his mother stop doing
all this to him, and everything will then be a sweet and happy ending.
This does NOT enforce the conditioned response one iota.
        Another thing that was dealt heavily, was punishment.  Well, we won't
say punishment exactly...  There are two methods of getting rid of the
unwanted stimulus response:  Negative and Positive reinforcement.
Positive is when you *apply* a reinforcer to the subject <Kovu> by
either giving him a reward for doing good, or beating the snot out of
the poor guy for messing up. In either case, something is given to the
subject in order to reinforce the desired response, and to get rid of
the undesirable one.
        Negative is pretty much the opposite of positive.  No real surprise in
that.  Instead of giving a reinforcer to the subject, you simply ignore
the undesired response.  So you are "withdrawing" from the subject.
        Only with the two of these types of reinforcement will the subject
happily and wholeheartedly perform the desired response.  In other
words, if Zira were to just ignore Kovu's mistakes, and praise him for
every success, Kovu would be the most faithful, happiest little assassin
the world has ever known.
        Why ignore the mistakes?  Because if they are paid attention to, the
subject will then know that those bring about reinforcers as well.  And
given that if the correct response brings about a certain
reinforcement...  Anyway...  They begin to get curious what different
mistakes will bring.  If nothing happens, then they will just
concentrate on solely the response that brings about the good
reinforcer.
        One last thing before you nod off to sleep:  There is a point where the
subject will unwittingly start to falter in his response to the
stimulus.  If the training is regular, and well paced out throughout the
week... say every other day...  Then the subject will remember things
much better, and learn much faster, and longer than if it was at an
intense, nonstop pace.
        So here are Zira's mistakes:  Not enough reinforcement on the correct
responses to the "Simba" stimulus, too much concentration on the
mistakes, and way too much "Drumming" of the training into the poor
guy's brain.  It was just overkill.
        Thus, with such a horrible teaching, it was easy for Kovu to lay it
aside-- even though it was years-- and live a happy life in the bushes
with Kiara.  ;)  ..Now THERE'S a STIMULUS!  Hee hee...

                        The Doctor is now OUT.  ;)

                                -Rindimo Cheetah
                                (rindimo@bellsouth.net)

+Founder, and only member of L.O.S.T.-- C.A.U.S.E (League Of Simplistic
        Technology--  Creating All Unforeseen Solutions Evident)
+FCOS Lost & Found Clerk                                                ICQ # : 12915153
+Amateur Artist/Writer/Musician                                         AOL IM : Rindimo1
+Bachelor  ?  <=7                       Webpage:
http://www.lionking.org/~rindimo/index.shtml
+ Honorable Member of the Pride Keepers.
"One thing nothing can destroy, is our pride deep inside we are one!"

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Well don't stop.  Whatever you do, don't stop.  Because as soon as you
                        stop, you're forgotten.

                                - Mageuzi
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