Thank you for raising this Flora Dora; an interesting but disturbing post.
I didn't watch the programme, as I tend to get frustrated or angry by most such pop-psychology shows which parade ill-thought out pseudoscience as entertainment. Oddly enough, I am not a fan of Rosen's children's books, but find myself sitting up and taking note whenever he speaks or writes for adults about children.
I agree this sounds highly unethical and appears to have such poor methodology as to make any supposed findings about children very questionable. But, as such, we may well find it slots nicely into future child development qualifications with consummate ease. I recall doing my level 3 and, amongst other shocks, discovering that we could meet the 'criteria' without being required to consider any critique or questioning of those messiahs of child psychology: Freud, Skinner, Piaget, Maslow, et al.
As Rosen alludes, the 'research' says more about the adults than the children. I wonder who will take note and listen to that particular uncomfortable message. Adults in authoritarian institutions (typically schools) have always controlled children through fear and manipulation, and continue to do so. And there are increasing demands for us to collude in this damage through the emphasis on "school readiness".
The experiment mentioned with the prize of chocolates puts in mind difficult issues of education and behaviour management, which we tend to conveniently overlook on a daily basis. When we get children to 'perform' for a prize, is the 'learning" or behaviour exhibited anything more than a superficial and temporary means to an end? The child's thoughts will surely be on the chocolate, the sticker, the reward, and not on the required action, particularly if they have no other personal interest in the activity.
Similarly, all that stuff about 'positive reinforcement' that is drummed into us as the current training vogue for 'behaviour management'. But how is the denial of a reward (chocolate, sticker, praise) any different to a child than outright punishment? To a child, denial
is punishment.
I have a mindee who is a real handful, but I've no desire to crush her spirit or love of discovery by fear. Her nursery have identified issues of 'challenging behaviour' which they address through the standard industry solution of praise and positive reinforcement; fair enough and not the least unusual in the world of childcare. So whenever she does the 'right' thing (i.e. the thing adults want) she is told "mummy will be so proud." Sounds great; all very positive. What could possibly be amiss in this happy, positive world of fluffy joy and encouragement?
Well, plenty, as it happens. She now gets utterly distraught when she is told off, prevented from doing something, or realises for herself that taking that other child's toy will not be well received. She looks pleadingly at me and repeats the mantra, "mummy will be so proud." Then breaks down in utter trauma when I can't tell her what she so badly needs to hear. It's as if praise and 'positive reinforcement' have become her equivalent of crack cocaine, without which she cannot function. I don't espouse physical punishment, yet I feel what she is going through is worse than when I used to get the back of my mum's hand.
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