PUNISHED BY MISUNDERSTANDING - A CRITICAL-EVALUATION OF KOHNS PUNISHED BY REWARDS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS WITH CHILDREN

Despite the growth of behavior analysis over the past 30 years, misund erstandings of behavioral theory and practice may threaten its continu ed growth and application. Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards: The Troub le with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes (19 93) offers a view of behaviorism that, if accepted uncritically, could hinder efforts to disseminate behavioral interventions, particularly those involving children. A comprehensive review of Punished by Reward s revealed the following assumptions: (a) Behavior analysis is exclusi vely derived from animal research; (b) behavior analysts characterize children as passive agents to be manipulated; (c) behavior analysis is a behavior control technology; (d) behavior analysts are uninterested in and ignorant of the causes of behavior; and (e) behavior analysts are unconcerned about the protection and welfare of children. For each class of assumptions, critique and commentary are offered. Empirical and philosophical aspects of Kohn's arguments are scrutinized, and the implications of continued misunderstandings for the future of behavio r analysis and the need for more accurate dissemination of contemporar y applied behavioral research are also discussed. Despite Kohn's appar ent biases against behaviorism, it is concluded that a better informed public would find much to like about contemporary behavior analysis.