Chapter 9, Deprivation and Satiation. Allen Mannheim and Meghan Mahoney.
Allen Mannheim
“drive?”
Skinner describes that needs and wants are considered more mental or
physical cravings while drives are more associated with the
physiological cravings. However, Skinner claims that these terms are
often used when nothing within these dimensions have even been
observed. He states that there are too many assumptions made either
based on the inner craving or behavior itself. For example, if an
individual has not had anything to drink then others will infer that
he is thirsty and probably will drink.
2. What term did W.B. Cannon use to refer to the bodily maintenance of
equilibrium?
The term is homeostasis. Deprivation disturbs this, but then behaviors
tend to restore it. Homeostasis allows us to predict the direction
that behavior will change.
3. What language does Skinner prefer to use rather than the popular
word “drive”?
Skinner calls “drives”, deprivations and satiations; Skinner has
behaviors be caused by probability, which are increased by these
deprivation and satiations. Deprivation is the lack of something, for
example being dehydrated is water deprivation. Satiation is the answer
to a deprivation, such as drinking water to overcome dehydration.
4. How does Skinner ultimately answer each question he raises
concerning drives?
a. How many drives are there?
There really is not a set limit because they are dependent on the
organism’s deprivations, which then produce a certain drive. However,
drives can also be used to describe unexplained changes in
probability. For example, there are times when an individual is more
likely to eat salty food rather than sweet. Therefore, the individual
would have two different drives for salt- and sugar-hungers.
b. What are the drives of conditioned responses?
The drives of conditioned responses, according to Skinner,
deprivation and satiation are closely related to condition responses,
because an organism that is deprived will be more easily conditioned
in order to receive the appropriate reinforcement. However, the
behavior does not directly lead to the satiation of deprivation, but
leads to the eventual satiation.
c. Are drives interrelated?
Skinner tries to reduce all drives into one drive, by examining two
different ones, sexual tendencies and domination. He finally says that
placing all drives into one category is ultimately impossible, because
of variation in every organism no one drive can control all of
behavior. However Skinner does believe that drives do interact, but
there is no one all-powerful drive.
d. Which drive is the strongest?
As in the previous question Skinner believes that all drives interact
and that drives such as hunger, sex, and dehydration all interact.
When one drive is deprived, the other drives react by being decreased;
Skinner says that in rats when two drives are deprived together they
begin to become more intertwined.